Roots of hip hop Main article: Roots of hip hop The roots of hip hop music are in West African and African American music, as well as 1970s dance hall reggae. Discussion of the roots of hip hop (and rap) must mention the contributions of the griots of African Culture. As well as musicians such as; The Last Poets, Jalal Mansur Nuriddin, and Gil Scott-Heron, whose jazzy and poetic "spiels" commented on 1960s culture. There have also long been verbal traditions such as the dozens which have influenced the roots. [edit] Old school hip hop (1970–1986) Main article: Old school hip hop Old school hip hop is the very first hip hop music to come out of the block parties of New York City in the 1970s and early 1980s. It began in the early 1970s in New York with the advent of breakbeat DJing, in which DJs including Kool DJ Herc and Grandmaster Flash extended the breaks of funk records, creating a more "danceable" sound. The old school era ended and the golden age began with the popularity of Run-D.M.C.'s 1986 a