This document discusses the origins and history of hip-hop music. It traces hip-hop back to African griots and spirituals, and notes its emergence in the Bronx in the 1970s through DJ Kool Herc. Key early hip-hop songs that paved the way include "Rapper's Delight" and Grandmaster Flash's "The Message," which introduced social commentary. The document also examines the rise of artists like Public Enemy and gangsta rap pioneers N.W.A. and how hip-hop continues to evolve with artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West.