Hip Hop 50! / Song of the Day #2059

Song of the Day: Fresh Prince of Bel Air (“Yo Home to Bel Air”), composed by the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) and DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jeffrey Townes), is a storytelling narrative rendered in rap that opened this NBC series, which aired from 1990 to 1996. Fifty years ago, on this date in music history, at a party in The Bronx, DJ Kool Herc played dance music before a large crowd, using two turntables to extend the “breakbeat” in what is recognized as the “official” birthday of hip hop. Tonight, New York City—from Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and Staten Island’s Stapleton Waterfront Park to Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, 50 Years of Hip Hop is being commemorated with a huge musical celebration. The origins of hip hop are, of course, much older. But its impact across many genres of rap has been enormous, influencing even TV show themes. This one is among the most memorable. Check out the full rendition [YouTube link].