Hip-Hop is thriving, and it’s here to stay.
With over 30% of all on-demand audio/video streams in the United States last year being tracks recorded by R&B and hip-hop artists, the rap industry is taking over.
Keep reading for some interesting facts about hip hop (past and present!)
Surprising Facts About Hip Hop
The facts below span memorable moments in history and current hip-hop facts. We bet you won’t know every single one of these!
1. P Diddy Was Once a Backup Dancer for Big Daddy Kane
That’s right! P Diddy used to be a back-up dancer for Big Daddy Kane and Heavy D. They performed “You Can’t See What I Can See” in 1992 on “In Living Color.”
2. TLC’s “Waterfalls” Has a Familiar Voice in the Background
The famous singer Cee Lo Green is one of the voices in the backing vocals on TLC’s ‘Waterfalls.’ The song was released in 1995 before Green began his solo career in 2002.
3. DaBaby Ranted His Way Out of a Huge Gig
Lollapalooza canceled DaBaby’s performance in August of 2021 because of homophobic remarks made during a performance at the Rolling Loud Festival in Miami.
4. Lil Nas Uses His Music for Good
Lil Nas X’s new song “Industry Baby” was launched beside a funding project for The Bail Project, a national nonprofit organization on a mission to end cash bail.
5. Two Famous Rappers Have Been Presidentailly Pardoned
In 2020, former President Donald Trump pardoned two notable people in the rap industry: Lil Wayne and Kodak Black.
6. Rap is America’s Music
In July of 2017, the hip-hop industry officially surpassed rock and roll as the most consumed music in America.
7. Jay-Z Is the Richest Rapper
Jay Z. is considered the most financially successful rapper of all time, with a net worth of 1.4 billion!
8. Nickelodeon Collaborated With Hip Hop
The hip hop girl group TLC recorded the theme song for the Nickelodeon TV show “All That in 1994.
9. Hip Hop’s Love-Child
Famous rappers Andre 3000 and Erykah Badu had a child, Seven, in 1997. He is currently in college and studying botany!
10. Rapper Wale Is Sick With Mystery Illness
Wale is out due to a mystery illness and notes that his management will take care of his socials for the foreseeable future. Have a look for more about this fact.
11. Kanye West Lives in a Stadium
Perhaps one of the most interesting facts about music right now: Kanye West is currently living in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium as he puts the finishing touches on his new album. He even brought in a personal chef!
11. The Stage Dive Was Not Coolio
In 2009, Coolio did a stage dive, and nobody caught him. He was singing his hit song, “Gangster’s Paradise.”
13. Jay Z is Very Efficient
Jay Z wrote his seminal album ‘The Blueprint’ in just two days. (Perhaps this is why he is the richest rapper…)
14. Eminem Has Read One Book
Eminem has only ever read one book in full: LL Cool J’s I Make My Own Rules.
15. Hip Hop Is Rising
By the 2010s, rap was finally on the world’s biggest stage. This came after being virtually unbookable for anything other than club dates in the ’80s and ’90s. This was generally over concerns about violence and low ticket sales.
Hip Hop Lives On
Hip-Hop music will not be leaving anytime soon. If anything, hip-hop will become even more popular (and we’ll have more facts about hip hop to report!)
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