Tupac Shakur to Jay Z; old-school rappers who changed the world of hip-hop and rap

Rapping is a form of musical art that includes vocal delivery that incorporates rhymes and rhythmic speech which is performed or chanted in different ways. The rhymes are sung over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The genre of rap was made famous by old school rappers. Here is a compilation of a few old-school rappers who changed the rap world.

Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur, popularly known by his stage name 2Pac, was an American rapper who is considered by many as one of the most significant rappers of all time. Much of Tupac Shakur’s work has been known for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued the inner cities.

He is considered a symbol of resistance and activism against inequality even today. Back in 1991 when he released his debut album 2Pacalypse Now, he became a central figure for introducing social issues in the genre at a time when gangsta rap was dominant in the mainstream. Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z and Me Against the World are his most critically acclaimed works.

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Jay Z

Jay Z is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and songwriter. Referred to as the GOAT of music, Jay Z now lives a lavish lifestyle because of his multiple hits. His music career began with his debut album Reasonable Doubt in the year 1996 which was critically acclaimed. His famous albums include The Blueprint, The Black Album, Watch the Throne, Everything is Love, and many more. He is one of the world’s best-selling artists with over 100 million records sold worldwide. Jay Z spoke up about the racial tensions in America with his album 4:44 which reportedly became the voice of representation for the African-American community. 

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Big Daddy Kane

Antonio Hardy also popular by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is a Grammy Award-winning American rapper. He began his career as a member of a rap group called the Juice crew. Big Daddy Kane is widely considered as one of the most skilled and influential hip-hop artists.

A famous music magazine ranked his song Aint No Half-steppin on the 25th position of the 50 greatest hip-hop songs of all the time. They also called Big Daddy Kane a master wordsmith of old school rap. Big Daddy Kane has been referenced by various global artists like Eminem and Kendrick Lamar who have praised the rapper for his commitment to non-violence.

The rapper was in the middle of the Gangster Rap phase where various rappers were shot due to rivalry. During these times, Rapper Big Daddy Kane reportedly promoted non-violence and attempted to calm the situation down and thus changing the American rapping industry significantly. 

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50 Cent

Curtis James Jackson III was popularly known by his stage name, 50 cent is one of the most influential old school rappers. Before stepping into the world of music, 50 Cent used to sell drugs at the age of 12. He later began his music career and produced Power of the Dollar for Columbia Records.

However, days before the release of his album, 50 Cent was shot and the album was never released. In the year 2002, he released his album Guess Who’s Back. After that, he was discovered by Eminem and Dr Dre. With their help, he released his first label album Get Rich or Die Tryin and after that, he became one of the world’s best-selling rappers.

Besides being a celebrated rapper, 50 Cent is also reportedly on the Board of Directors for the G-Unity Foundation. This foundation works to provide grants to several non-profit organisations that work to improve the living quality of underprivileged communities across the globe. 

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