Oh man...
I just wrote a long ass answer to these questions that got erased. I'll summarized what I just spent the last 30 minutes writing:
The final element of hip hop of emceeing. Coke La Rock was Kool Herc's first emcee in 1972.
No, in 1972 everyone didn't realize or recognize that they were all doing "hip hop" as they just though they were doing separate things in related fields....several graf writers don't feel that they are a part of hip hop culture (being a former writer I can attest to this). Herc was spinning back in 1972 but he was still running around writing graf with the Ex Vandals until he got sick of being arrested for it. His first BIG parties were at 1520 Sedgwick Ave. in 1973...they started getting poppin' heavy in 1974/5...That must be what polz is referring to (For proof read "Yes Yes Y'all")
I don't agree that Americans should take the "Hip Hop Is Ours" stance...shit, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Iceland, UK, Japan, Korea, Australia and Germany have arguably been making better hip hop and doing a better job with the culture than Americans were. Americans tend to be ignorant of the culture and take it for granted because they "grew up in it". Jeezy discounted Monie because he had no idea who she was! Monie Love was making classics when he was wetting the bed!
"Real Hip Hop" is a bullshit phrase used by "purists" to justify their own biases and prejudices. How can I tell someone from Houston that what they listen to isn't "real' because I can't relate to it? Can someone from Houston relate to Cannibal Ox's "The Cold Vein"? No. To them THAT isn't "real hip hop". Hip Hop is Hip Hop whether it was made in Osaka, Japan, Glascow, Scotland, Reyjavik, Iceland, Krakow, Poland or Brooklyn, New York...Say it with me people: HIP HOP IS UNIVERSAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ Gumdrops: I don't just recite hip hop knowledge like wrote memory from school and I'm not some "hip hop zealot/fundamentalist" either. Nor am I a hip hop purist...I hate those assholes! I was a B Boy, a graf writer and later an emcee. I grew up listening to a wide range and variety of rap...they were all considered hip hop. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Salt N' Pepa, Kid N' Play and LL Cool J used to tour with Public Enemy, EPMD, Ice T, and N.W.A! Do you think that could happen now? Hell no! That's what's sad to me. You can like Mista F.A.B. and Common at the same time...Why can't you?
Anyone trying "figure me out" please read my AllHipHop.com blog series about hip hop. The links are on my MySpace page...You'd be surprised that my views aren't that of a dude on a Hip Hop jihad for "real hip hop" after all. LOL.
One.