Rachel McCain is a GRAMMY.com contributor.
Editor’s Note: Updated Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, to reflect the results of the 2026 Grammys. 1989 was a year of many highlights, from the debut of "The Simpsons" and "Seinfeld" to the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the beginning of the Game Boy. It was also the first year hip-hop artists won Grammy Awards, an honor that went to…
The origins of hip-hop and R&B are deeply rooted in the social, cultural and political contexts of their respective time periods. In the 1940s, the term R&B replaced the “race records” music genre, which encompassed a myriad of music created by African American musicians that included blues, jazz and gospel. The genre’s evolution coincided with the Great Migration of African…
By the 1970s, the dichotomies of opulence and post-industrial destitution were stark. Gunshots, abandoned buildings and fires marred many New York City streets. However, in the midst of the city’s tumult, the extended instrumental section of a song played at a back-to-school party forever changed the landscape of music. That now-infamous party is where hip-hop was fathered by trailblazing DJ…
