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Within 40 years, DJ Kool Herc's hobby of spinning records in the rec room at 1520 Sedgwick Ave., became a full-blown, money-making enterprise. Whether fans are introduced to the culture through a television commercial or an older cousin, hip-hop gains a new supporter every day. The BoomBox highlights a few talking points newer hip-hop heads will want to keep close. Here's Hip-Hop for Dummies, a guide to fully understand this thing of ours.
- 1. Note Jay-Z's Discography
- 2. Embrace a Strip Club Hit
- 3. Pick a Sub-Genre
- 4. Look for Positivity
- 5. Watch Those Who Keep Pushing
- 6. Invest in the Brand
- 7. Look for Fitting Production
- 8. Go Against the Grain
- 9. Study Nas' Storytelling
- 10. Build & Diversify
- R&B for Dummies
- Rival Beyonce
- Possess a Rap Alter Ego
- Create Tasteful Sexually-Laced Songs
- Shade Fellow Artists
- Cry on Wax
- Perfect Flirting Onstage
- Dress Uniquely, Be Believable & Make Smash Hits
- Write Songs Like Ne-Yo
- Run With a Crew of Rappers
- Make Creepy Threats Work
- Best Albums of 2012 (So Far)
- Nas, Life Is Good
- Elle Varner, Perfectly Imperfect
- Curren$y, The Stoned Immaculate
- Frank Ocean, Channel Orange
- Odd Future, The OF Tape Vol. 2
- Emeli Sande, Our Version of Events
- Ab-Soul, Control System
- R. Kelly, Write Me Back
- B.o.B., Strange Clouds
- Rick Ross, God Forgives, I Don't
- Usher, Looking 4 Myself
- Schoolboy Q, Habits & Contradictions
- Robert Glasper Experiment, Black Radio
- Big K.R.I.T., Live From the Underground
- BJ the Chicago Kid, Pineapple Now-Laters
Watch "Jay-Z Playfully Spanks Beyonce During Surprise Performance"



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