1 00:00:10,140 --> 00:00:12,838 LL COOL J: So, yo, you perform all over the world. 2 00:00:12,925 --> 00:00:14,965 What makes New York unique when it comes to hip hop? 3 00:00:15,058 --> 00:00:17,582 For me, what makes New York unique 4 00:00:17,713 --> 00:00:20,194 is because it's these five boroughs. 5 00:00:20,281 --> 00:00:24,024 Each one of these boroughs is like a different culture. 6 00:00:24,111 --> 00:00:25,677 It's a different feel. 7 00:00:25,764 --> 00:00:27,330 -It's a different flavor. -Yeah. 8 00:00:27,331 --> 00:00:29,899 So, for you to make it in New York 9 00:00:29,986 --> 00:00:31,595 and to hit all of these boroughs 10 00:00:31,596 --> 00:00:34,294 and for these boroughs to accept you, you're actually 11 00:00:34,295 --> 00:00:36,210 ahead of the game... -No question. 12 00:00:36,297 --> 00:00:37,994 ...because it's like five cities in one. 13 00:00:38,081 --> 00:00:39,474 Yep, yep. 14 00:00:39,561 --> 00:00:43,956 I just think New York trained us differently. 15 00:00:44,044 --> 00:00:45,741 -I agree. -We think differently. 16 00:00:45,828 --> 00:00:48,439 -We move differently. -[siren whoops] 17 00:00:48,526 --> 00:00:51,006 In the beginning, hip hop was just one of those things 18 00:00:51,007 --> 00:00:53,836 in the community that people really didn't understand. 19 00:00:53,923 --> 00:00:56,011 And we just kept doing it, 20 00:00:56,012 --> 00:01:00,190 and we did it so much that it was hard to... 21 00:01:00,277 --> 00:01:01,887 stop it. -Amen. 22 00:01:01,974 --> 00:01:05,152 [hip hop music playing] 23 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:08,328 LL COOL J: Hip hop is everywhere, 24 00:01:08,329 --> 00:01:11,375 every corner of the globe. 25 00:01:11,462 --> 00:01:13,464 To understand the power of hip hop today, 26 00:01:13,595 --> 00:01:15,684 you gotta go back to where it all started... 27 00:01:15,771 --> 00:01:17,338 ♪ Ain't no love... ♪ 28 00:01:17,425 --> 00:01:20,428 LL COOL J: ...my hometown, New York City. 29 00:01:20,515 --> 00:01:23,909 Because listen when I tell you, hip hop was born here. 30 00:01:23,996 --> 00:01:26,912 SINGER: ♪ In the heart of town ♪ 31 00:01:26,999 --> 00:01:29,524 ♪ Ain't no love ♪ 32 00:01:31,874 --> 00:01:32,962 [horns honks] 33 00:01:33,093 --> 00:01:36,096 LL COOL J: New York, New York. 34 00:01:36,183 --> 00:01:38,141 [siren wailing in distance] 35 00:01:38,228 --> 00:01:41,797 Nowhere else in the world has an energy like this city. 36 00:01:41,884 --> 00:01:43,841 Street strong on NYC. 37 00:01:43,842 --> 00:01:46,148 Nowhere else sounds like this city. 38 00:01:46,149 --> 00:01:47,584 I'm rhyming about the Bronx. 39 00:01:47,585 --> 00:01:50,632 It's a place that you can point to on your map. 40 00:01:50,762 --> 00:01:54,592 LL COOL J: These are the streets where it all began. 41 00:01:54,940 --> 00:01:55,985 ♪ 42 00:01:56,116 --> 00:01:57,769 50 years after its inception, 43 00:01:57,856 --> 00:02:01,773 the hip hop we know is a global phenomenon, 44 00:02:01,860 --> 00:02:05,734 an industry built for and supported by the masses, 45 00:02:05,821 --> 00:02:08,040 heard around the world, 46 00:02:08,128 --> 00:02:11,740 instantaneously injected into the mainstream... 47 00:02:11,827 --> 00:02:13,698 through the Internet and social media, 48 00:02:13,829 --> 00:02:15,613 added to playlists, 49 00:02:15,700 --> 00:02:17,311 reshared 50 00:02:17,398 --> 00:02:19,791 before half the planet even wakes up. 51 00:02:19,878 --> 00:02:22,620 But it wasn't always like that. 52 00:02:22,707 --> 00:02:25,101 -[whirring] -It wasn't always so easy. 53 00:02:25,188 --> 00:02:26,581 ♪ 54 00:02:26,668 --> 00:02:28,539 Before streaming on the Internet... 55 00:02:28,626 --> 00:02:31,106 ♪ 56 00:02:31,107 --> 00:02:32,507 Before hip hop hit the mainstream... 57 00:02:32,761 --> 00:02:34,502 ♪ 58 00:02:34,632 --> 00:02:37,157 ...artists had to grind just to get their music heard 59 00:02:37,244 --> 00:02:38,941 outside of their own neighborhood. 60 00:02:39,028 --> 00:02:40,464 ♪ 61 00:02:40,551 --> 00:02:44,381 To truly understand the path from then to now, 62 00:02:44,468 --> 00:02:47,602 from a local scene to a global movement, 63 00:02:47,689 --> 00:02:51,736 is to recognize and appreciate the pioneers who were hell bent 64 00:02:51,867 --> 00:02:54,304 on spreading the word of hip hop by any means necessary. 65 00:02:54,652 --> 00:02:56,131 ♪ 66 00:02:56,132 --> 00:02:59,483 I'm on my way to meet one of those pioneers 67 00:02:59,614 --> 00:03:02,573 at the former location of Chung King Studios, 68 00:03:02,660 --> 00:03:03,922 a studio I named myself, 69 00:03:04,053 --> 00:03:05,576 inspired by its location 70 00:03:05,663 --> 00:03:08,449 just outside of Chinatown in Manhattan. 71 00:03:08,536 --> 00:03:11,321 Now, the biggest names in the game recorded here... 72 00:03:11,452 --> 00:03:15,847 2Pac, Biggie, Run-D.M.C., and yours truly. 73 00:03:15,978 --> 00:03:17,936 But before all of us, 74 00:03:18,023 --> 00:03:19,503 the Cold Crush brothers, 75 00:03:19,634 --> 00:03:23,638 led by their fearless captain, Grandmaster Caz. 76 00:03:23,725 --> 00:03:25,639 Take one. 77 00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:27,511 Grandmaster Caz. 78 00:03:27,642 --> 00:03:28,773 Yes, indeed. 79 00:03:28,904 --> 00:03:30,470 -Casanova Fly. -[chuckles] 80 00:03:30,471 --> 00:03:32,342 ♪ 81 00:03:32,473 --> 00:03:34,692 -Well, who are you? -Well, I'm Caz! 82 00:03:34,779 --> 00:03:36,868 ♪ So what? What do that mean? ♪ 83 00:03:36,955 --> 00:03:39,958 ♪ That I'm the baddest MC lover on the hip hop scene ♪ 84 00:03:40,045 --> 00:03:41,656 You have to understand something, 85 00:03:41,743 --> 00:03:44,006 and this is not hyperbole. 86 00:03:44,093 --> 00:03:46,137 This ain't hype. This ain't bullshit. 87 00:03:46,138 --> 00:03:49,881 You and the Cold Crush are... 88 00:03:49,968 --> 00:03:53,058 definitely one of the most important groups 89 00:03:53,145 --> 00:03:54,712 in all of hip hop culture. 90 00:03:54,799 --> 00:03:56,801 Am I right in saying that Cold Crush 91 00:03:56,932 --> 00:03:59,717 initially were reluctant to record records? 92 00:03:59,804 --> 00:04:01,245 GRANDMASTER CAZ: Yeah, we was the hottest group 93 00:04:01,328 --> 00:04:04,374 in the streets without a record, 94 00:04:04,461 --> 00:04:07,725 We like, "We good. We ain't gotta make no record." 95 00:04:07,812 --> 00:04:09,988 ♪ Ashes to ashes and dust to dust ♪ 96 00:04:10,075 --> 00:04:11,690 ♪ We are the brothers, don't ask the Cold Crush ♪ 97 00:04:11,773 --> 00:04:14,341 - ♪ Not one, not two - LL COOL J: Understand, 98 00:04:14,428 --> 00:04:16,343 when Caz and the Cold Crush Brothers came up, 99 00:04:16,473 --> 00:04:17,953 there was no industry 100 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:19,654 or distribution network in place of any kind. 101 00:04:19,737 --> 00:04:21,130 ♪ 102 00:04:21,217 --> 00:04:24,873 The Cold Crush Brothers and the entire genre 103 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,355 existed in New York City, in the Bronx. 104 00:04:28,485 --> 00:04:30,400 That was it... 105 00:04:30,487 --> 00:04:32,446 until... 106 00:04:32,533 --> 00:04:36,711 hip hop discovered the cassette tape. 107 00:04:36,798 --> 00:04:41,367 All right, now, who were the first tapes that you heard? 108 00:04:41,368 --> 00:04:43,761 So, well, me. 109 00:04:43,848 --> 00:04:47,199 I came up with an idea to record what I was doing. 110 00:04:47,330 --> 00:04:49,071 'Cause I thought it was cool, 111 00:04:49,158 --> 00:04:51,856 and I thought other people would think it was cool. 112 00:04:51,943 --> 00:04:54,036 You should have seen how ancient my tape recorder was, okay? 113 00:04:54,119 --> 00:04:55,947 [LL Cool J laughs] 114 00:04:56,034 --> 00:04:58,950 And the cassettes... they were live. 115 00:04:59,037 --> 00:05:00,735 They was us performing live. 116 00:05:01,083 --> 00:05:04,173 ♪ 117 00:05:04,260 --> 00:05:07,263 After flyers, the tapes was the next best way 118 00:05:07,394 --> 00:05:09,439 to find out what was going on. 119 00:05:09,526 --> 00:05:12,921 That's the way you put the voices to the names. 120 00:05:13,008 --> 00:05:15,923 You like, "Okay, that's who that is that sounds like that." 121 00:05:15,924 --> 00:05:19,710 ♪ 122 00:05:19,797 --> 00:05:24,062 Tapes were how we got music circulated throughout the hood. 123 00:05:24,149 --> 00:05:25,629 ♪ 124 00:05:25,716 --> 00:05:27,762 I discovered hip hop with Cold Crush Brothers 125 00:05:27,892 --> 00:05:29,240 and Kool Moe Dee. 126 00:05:29,241 --> 00:05:31,069 That shit was a fucking tape. 127 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:32,723 You know, a TDK tape. 128 00:05:32,810 --> 00:05:34,638 ♪ 129 00:05:34,725 --> 00:05:38,468 Memorex or TDK would give you the little sticker, right? 130 00:05:38,555 --> 00:05:40,383 And then you'd write all the songs. 131 00:05:40,470 --> 00:05:42,430 You have to remember what songs were on what side. 132 00:05:42,516 --> 00:05:44,909 And, uh, LL Cool J is on this, you know? 133 00:05:46,781 --> 00:05:50,088 ♪ 134 00:05:50,175 --> 00:05:52,003 You could take your boombox, 135 00:05:52,090 --> 00:05:55,180 listen to the radio, tape that and press the button 136 00:05:55,267 --> 00:05:57,617 and then start it, and then play another and press the button, 137 00:05:57,618 --> 00:05:59,924 and you can make your own mix tape. 138 00:06:00,055 --> 00:06:02,449 -Everyone was doing that. -Taping off the radio... 139 00:06:02,536 --> 00:06:04,841 we used to do that. That was probably not legal. 140 00:06:04,842 --> 00:06:07,149 ♪ 141 00:06:07,236 --> 00:06:09,156 TONE: If someone in your neighborhood had a tape, 142 00:06:09,281 --> 00:06:11,331 you would run up to their crib, make a copy of the tape, 143 00:06:11,414 --> 00:06:13,982 and now you had a tape. 144 00:06:14,112 --> 00:06:16,162 ROXANNE SHANTÉ: The mix tape did get to mixing around. 145 00:06:16,245 --> 00:06:17,990 Like, I thought that was the reason why they called it 146 00:06:18,073 --> 00:06:20,815 a mix tape, because that's how it mixed all around. 147 00:06:20,902 --> 00:06:21,772 ♪ 148 00:06:21,859 --> 00:06:24,122 [clack] 149 00:06:24,209 --> 00:06:27,778 Okay, so what was your favorite tape back then, 150 00:06:27,865 --> 00:06:29,824 outside of your stuff? -Nah, nah, good question. 151 00:06:29,911 --> 00:06:31,913 There was a lot of other influences out there. 152 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,697 -Okay? -Yeah. 153 00:06:33,784 --> 00:06:35,224 GRANDMASTER CAZ: The Treacherous Three was some 154 00:06:35,307 --> 00:06:37,266 of the dopest tapes you'll ever hear in hip hop. 155 00:06:37,353 --> 00:06:40,791 I also like to hear old DJ Hollywood tapes. 156 00:06:40,922 --> 00:06:42,488 And the first person I heard talking on a microphone 157 00:06:42,489 --> 00:06:46,753 while the DJ was playing was Coke La Rock. 158 00:06:46,754 --> 00:06:48,625 People rarely ask me, "Who inspired you?" 159 00:06:48,712 --> 00:06:50,888 -Because I'm one of the first. -Right. 160 00:06:50,975 --> 00:06:53,630 But we all were inspired by something else. 161 00:06:53,717 --> 00:06:56,545 We all were inspired by something we heard, 162 00:06:56,546 --> 00:06:57,943 something we saw, something we liked, 163 00:06:58,026 --> 00:07:00,202 and emulated it. 164 00:07:00,332 --> 00:07:02,465 INTERVIEWER: Um, you're considered New School. 165 00:07:02,552 --> 00:07:04,815 You're considered the new generation of rap artists. 166 00:07:04,946 --> 00:07:06,647 -What's the difference? -What's the difference? 167 00:07:06,730 --> 00:07:08,950 The difference is I grew up listening to them, 168 00:07:09,037 --> 00:07:10,734 you know, the first rappers to grow up 169 00:07:10,821 --> 00:07:12,822 listening to rappers. You know what I'm saying? 170 00:07:12,823 --> 00:07:14,699 Grandmaster Flash, Furious Five, Treacherous Three, 171 00:07:14,782 --> 00:07:17,262 Fearless Four, Crash Crew, all those brothers. 172 00:07:17,349 --> 00:07:18,829 ♪ We came here tonight to throw down ♪ 173 00:07:18,916 --> 00:07:20,788 Listen to all those rappers. 174 00:07:20,875 --> 00:07:23,138 Okay, so these incredible vibes... 175 00:07:23,225 --> 00:07:25,356 I think we should go to the Bronx real quick. 176 00:07:25,357 --> 00:07:26,580 -You gon' guide LL. -Let's get it. 177 00:07:26,663 --> 00:07:29,318 We gon'... we gon' see where it was born. 178 00:07:29,405 --> 00:07:31,886 All right, so we gon' head over to the Bronx, baby. 179 00:07:31,973 --> 00:07:33,493 -Make it happen, baby. -Let's get it. 180 00:07:38,675 --> 00:07:42,070 ♪ 181 00:07:42,157 --> 00:07:43,680 When I said... 182 00:07:43,767 --> 00:07:46,553 ♪ I got bodyguards, got two big cars ♪ 183 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:48,642 ♪ That definitely ain't the wack ♪ 184 00:07:48,729 --> 00:07:50,992 - ♪ I got a Lincoln Continental - And? 185 00:07:51,122 --> 00:07:52,472 ♪ A sunroof Cadillac ♪ 186 00:07:52,559 --> 00:07:54,474 I didn't have none of that shit. 187 00:07:54,604 --> 00:07:57,346 -Yeah. -I was talking about aspiration. 188 00:07:57,433 --> 00:07:58,826 -Right. -But that's where 189 00:07:58,956 --> 00:08:01,481 the creativity come into play. 190 00:08:01,568 --> 00:08:03,918 You say it, and then you become it. 191 00:08:04,005 --> 00:08:06,834 "LL" stands for Ladies Love, Legend and Leather 192 00:08:06,921 --> 00:08:08,836 Long and Lean Love of Ladies Last 193 00:08:08,923 --> 00:08:10,537 for the red hot Lovers Looking for a Little, 194 00:08:10,620 --> 00:08:12,361 Look and Learning the one you're Liking. 195 00:08:12,448 --> 00:08:14,276 Just a lot of L's, you know what I'm saying? 196 00:08:14,406 --> 00:08:16,191 We wanna be way up there, like... pssh! 197 00:08:16,278 --> 00:08:18,327 Just like that... the jet going through the sky over there. 198 00:08:18,410 --> 00:08:21,283 GRANDMASTER CAZ: That's what I love about hip hop. 199 00:08:21,370 --> 00:08:23,764 I was talking about what I aspire to have, 200 00:08:23,851 --> 00:08:24,504 -Right. -...what I wanna have. 201 00:08:24,591 --> 00:08:25,871 I didn't have none of that shit. 202 00:08:26,070 --> 00:08:29,160 ♪ 203 00:08:32,033 --> 00:08:34,252 -We here. -There it is. 204 00:08:34,339 --> 00:08:35,950 ♪ 205 00:08:36,037 --> 00:08:40,737 Here we are. 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. 206 00:08:40,824 --> 00:08:43,479 Gotta pay homage. This is the birthplace, baby. 207 00:08:43,566 --> 00:08:44,610 ♪ 208 00:08:44,611 --> 00:08:46,787 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. 209 00:08:46,874 --> 00:08:48,788 This is the place where Kool Herc and his family live. 210 00:08:48,789 --> 00:08:51,269 And this is the site of the first documented 211 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:53,968 hip hop party... August 11, 1973. 212 00:08:54,316 --> 00:08:56,492 ♪ 213 00:08:56,579 --> 00:08:58,538 LL COOL J: When you think about this place, 214 00:08:58,668 --> 00:09:01,149 what does it mean to you, like, for real? 215 00:09:01,236 --> 00:09:03,151 Like, in your soul, what does it mean to you? 216 00:09:03,238 --> 00:09:05,370 Origins. I live right up the block. 217 00:09:05,457 --> 00:09:08,678 You can walk to where I lived from here. And I was a shorty. 218 00:09:08,809 --> 00:09:10,462 I was too young to go to the party, 219 00:09:10,593 --> 00:09:14,684 but the energy that came out of this room 220 00:09:14,771 --> 00:09:17,252 permeated the whole neighborhood. 221 00:09:17,339 --> 00:09:20,036 So, it's like Kool Herc party, Kool Herc party, Kool Herc. 222 00:09:20,037 --> 00:09:21,822 Who the fuck is Kool Herc? 223 00:09:22,170 --> 00:09:26,087 ♪ 224 00:09:26,174 --> 00:09:28,872 Now, a little past this building, 225 00:09:29,003 --> 00:09:30,612 it's like a little makeshift park. 226 00:09:30,613 --> 00:09:32,267 -Uh-huh. -Right? 227 00:09:32,354 --> 00:09:35,966 That's the area where Herc took the music outside. 228 00:09:36,053 --> 00:09:38,098 ♪ 229 00:09:38,099 --> 00:09:39,404 That corner right there... 230 00:09:39,491 --> 00:09:41,537 that's where Kool Herc used to set up his equipment. 231 00:09:41,668 --> 00:09:42,716 -Used to set up in that corner? -Yep. 232 00:09:42,799 --> 00:09:44,105 LL COOL J: Man. 233 00:09:44,235 --> 00:09:45,806 GRANDMASTER CAZ: And the park would just be packed. 234 00:09:45,889 --> 00:09:49,284 You saying a little party here, outside, playground, 235 00:09:49,414 --> 00:09:51,155 break beats playing. -Yep. 236 00:09:51,242 --> 00:09:53,984 And this thing went worldwide from right here? 237 00:09:54,071 --> 00:09:56,030 Just from this. 238 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:57,945 That's crazy. 239 00:09:58,032 --> 00:10:00,687 ♪ 240 00:10:00,817 --> 00:10:02,602 -[sizzling] -[children shouting playfully] 241 00:10:02,689 --> 00:10:04,168 LL COOL J: Let's talk about one word. 242 00:10:04,255 --> 00:10:05,822 GRANDMASTER CAZ: All right. 243 00:10:05,909 --> 00:10:08,956 Legacy. What does the word "legacy" mean to you? 244 00:10:09,043 --> 00:10:11,132 I think it's more important than... than the present, 245 00:10:11,262 --> 00:10:13,874 than the here and now, because this is gon' be over. 246 00:10:13,961 --> 00:10:16,093 -Legacy is forever. -Oh, wow. 247 00:10:16,180 --> 00:10:18,269 - ♪ Cold Crush - ♪ Grandmaster Caz or GMC ♪ 248 00:10:18,356 --> 00:10:19,967 ♪ I'm gonna stick ya on the board, man ♪ 249 00:10:20,097 --> 00:10:21,925 ♪ Can't you see? ♪ 250 00:10:22,012 --> 00:10:24,580 I'm only gon' be here for a little while, 251 00:10:24,711 --> 00:10:27,627 but the influences that I leave in other people... 252 00:10:27,757 --> 00:10:28,539 -LL COOL J: Yeah. -...and in other things, 253 00:10:28,540 --> 00:10:30,020 that's always gon' be here. 254 00:10:30,107 --> 00:10:31,805 -Yeah. -It's the account 255 00:10:31,892 --> 00:10:33,327 of our history and let people know we were here 256 00:10:33,328 --> 00:10:34,463 and what we did when we were here. 257 00:10:34,546 --> 00:10:35,852 Legacy is everything... 258 00:10:35,939 --> 00:10:37,506 -Yeah. -...to me. 259 00:10:37,593 --> 00:10:38,729 -Yeah. That's powerful. -Yeah. 260 00:10:38,812 --> 00:10:40,900 Well, yo, I appreciate you, bro. I love you, man. 261 00:10:40,901 --> 00:10:42,511 -I love you, too. -And respect, too. 262 00:10:42,598 --> 00:10:44,644 The Grandmaster, the Fly One. 263 00:10:44,774 --> 00:10:46,258 -The flyest of 'em all. -Got the GOAT in the BX, baby. 264 00:10:46,341 --> 00:10:48,038 -[laughs] -You know what it is. 265 00:10:48,125 --> 00:10:50,474 -You know exactly what it is. -[chuckles] 266 00:10:50,475 --> 00:10:52,956 [children shouting playfully] 267 00:10:56,307 --> 00:10:57,395 ♪ 268 00:10:57,526 --> 00:10:58,875 LL COOL J: Over 50 years ago, 269 00:10:58,962 --> 00:11:01,138 the seed of hip hop was planted in the Bronx 270 00:11:01,225 --> 00:11:03,880 Thanks to artists like Caz and the Cold Crush Brothers, 271 00:11:03,967 --> 00:11:05,665 the Treacherous Three, Melle Mel, 272 00:11:05,795 --> 00:11:07,797 Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, 273 00:11:07,884 --> 00:11:10,539 Afrika Bambaataa, and new methods of distribution 274 00:11:10,626 --> 00:11:12,410 like the cassette tape, 275 00:11:12,497 --> 00:11:16,631 that seed began to grow, pushing deeper into the boroughs of NYC. 276 00:11:16,632 --> 00:11:18,329 So, now I'm on the move again, 277 00:11:18,416 --> 00:11:20,549 following the roots of hip hop into Brooklyn 278 00:11:20,636 --> 00:11:22,638 to meet up with someone who was 279 00:11:22,725 --> 00:11:24,422 at the forefront of that early wave... 280 00:11:24,509 --> 00:11:26,903 my man, none other than the hip hop innovator, 281 00:11:26,990 --> 00:11:30,428 Brooklyn's finest, Big Daddy Kane. 282 00:11:30,515 --> 00:11:33,040 [both laughing] 283 00:11:33,127 --> 00:11:34,215 Greatness. 284 00:11:34,302 --> 00:11:35,998 What up, baby? 285 00:11:35,999 --> 00:11:37,697 -My man. -You got it, brother. 286 00:11:37,784 --> 00:11:39,046 This shit look good on you. 287 00:11:39,133 --> 00:11:40,529 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 288 00:11:40,612 --> 00:11:41,879 [laughs] This shit look good on you. 289 00:11:41,962 --> 00:11:43,620 I'm feeling kind of back in time right now. 290 00:11:43,703 --> 00:11:44,882 -You know what I mean? -Yeah. 291 00:11:44,965 --> 00:11:46,488 ♪ I'm coming ♪ 292 00:11:46,618 --> 00:11:48,882 LL COOL J: Now, this man right here 293 00:11:48,969 --> 00:11:50,797 is one of the absolute icons of hip hop. 294 00:11:50,884 --> 00:11:52,537 Sincerely yours, the Smooth Operator. 295 00:11:52,624 --> 00:11:54,539 ♪ I'm gonna love you ♪ 296 00:11:54,626 --> 00:11:56,628 LL COOL J: A master lyricist and wordsmith, 297 00:11:56,716 --> 00:11:58,156 broke out in '86 with the Juice Crew. 298 00:11:58,239 --> 00:12:00,023 And he quickly became 299 00:12:00,110 --> 00:12:01,851 one of the most influential MCs in the game. 300 00:12:01,982 --> 00:12:03,291 The Big Father, the Smooth Operator, 301 00:12:03,374 --> 00:12:04,680 Big Daddy Kane. 302 00:12:04,811 --> 00:12:07,465 LL COOL J: Rapper, producer, an actor, 303 00:12:07,596 --> 00:12:09,076 Grammy Award winner, 304 00:12:09,206 --> 00:12:12,993 and a hip hop style icon to this day... Big Daddy Kane. 305 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:14,994 - ♪ Ooh - Did I leave anything out? 306 00:12:14,995 --> 00:12:18,127 The main element is to be intelligent. 307 00:12:18,128 --> 00:12:21,523 LL COOL J: Often imitated, never duplicated. 308 00:12:21,610 --> 00:12:25,657 -Big... Daddy... Kane! -[cheering] 309 00:12:25,745 --> 00:12:28,486 Turntables, drum machines, and cassette tapes 310 00:12:28,617 --> 00:12:30,405 weren't the only tools Kane and his hip hop peers 311 00:12:30,488 --> 00:12:32,969 had at their disposal in the early days. 312 00:12:33,056 --> 00:12:35,842 They also had internal combustion engines. 313 00:12:35,929 --> 00:12:39,149 -I'm talking about car services. -♪ Ooh ♪ 314 00:12:39,236 --> 00:12:42,109 Car services before they were on an app. 315 00:12:42,239 --> 00:12:43,719 ♪ I'm coming ♪ 316 00:12:43,850 --> 00:12:45,246 LL COOL J: They served as a distribution network 317 00:12:45,329 --> 00:12:47,418 for tapes and mixes across the city. 318 00:12:47,505 --> 00:12:50,204 ♪ Oh, I'm coming ♪ 319 00:12:50,291 --> 00:12:52,597 Okay, so first of all, did you use the car services? 320 00:12:52,684 --> 00:12:54,903 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lots of times. We would, you know, use it to, 321 00:12:54,904 --> 00:12:56,558 like, to like, go to a party. -Yeah. 322 00:12:56,645 --> 00:12:58,365 Back in the days, you know, there was OJays, 323 00:12:58,473 --> 00:13:00,692 Touch of Class. From a music standpoint, 324 00:13:00,780 --> 00:13:03,783 did you get any hip hop influence in them cars? 325 00:13:03,870 --> 00:13:05,872 Sometimes in the Black Pearl joints, 326 00:13:06,002 --> 00:13:07,351 you hear master mixes. 327 00:13:07,438 --> 00:13:08,700 ♪ 328 00:13:08,831 --> 00:13:11,312 KIM OSORIO: So, car services 329 00:13:11,442 --> 00:13:15,533 were a non-traditional way of spreading hip hop. 330 00:13:15,620 --> 00:13:19,319 NELSON GEORGE: In New York, if you were Black or Latino, 331 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:20,843 it was very hard to get a taxi. 332 00:13:20,930 --> 00:13:22,845 So, all of these different cab companies 333 00:13:22,932 --> 00:13:25,064 developed to serve you in Brooklyn, 334 00:13:25,065 --> 00:13:27,197 to serve you in Harlem and Uptown. 335 00:13:27,284 --> 00:13:28,808 ♪ 336 00:13:28,895 --> 00:13:32,246 We had Black Pearl, Godfather's. 337 00:13:32,333 --> 00:13:34,725 There were OJay's. 338 00:13:34,726 --> 00:13:36,554 Every barbershop, every beauty parlor, 339 00:13:36,685 --> 00:13:38,992 every grocery store, there'd be a card in the window. 340 00:13:39,079 --> 00:13:41,776 You call 'em up. That's how you got around. 341 00:13:41,777 --> 00:13:43,953 -Thank you. Enjoy your day. -And a lot of these guys 342 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,173 in the car, it's part of their patter 343 00:13:46,260 --> 00:13:48,262 to get you to take a longer ride 344 00:13:48,349 --> 00:13:51,177 so they can charge you more with tapes. 345 00:13:51,178 --> 00:13:53,484 You would hear new things that you wouldn't hear before. 346 00:13:53,833 --> 00:13:55,269 ♪ 347 00:13:55,356 --> 00:13:57,140 This was pre-hip hop being on radio. 348 00:13:57,227 --> 00:13:59,012 ♪ 349 00:13:59,142 --> 00:14:02,058 This is pre-hip hop getting circulated 350 00:14:02,189 --> 00:14:04,626 to people's Walkmans and things of that nature. 351 00:14:04,713 --> 00:14:06,280 ♪ 352 00:14:06,367 --> 00:14:08,891 You talking to Roxanne Shanté. Now, there were OJay cars, 353 00:14:08,978 --> 00:14:10,762 and people did get picked up in 'em, 354 00:14:10,893 --> 00:14:12,634 and they rode around in 'em. 355 00:14:12,764 --> 00:14:15,289 But, baby, I mean, I was seeing people who had cars, 356 00:14:15,376 --> 00:14:17,334 so I ain't really taking car services. 357 00:14:17,421 --> 00:14:20,772 ♪ 358 00:14:20,903 --> 00:14:23,863 As things were happening in the Bronx 359 00:14:23,993 --> 00:14:25,690 and obviously in the other boroughs, 360 00:14:25,777 --> 00:14:27,214 what was the movement like 361 00:14:27,301 --> 00:14:29,607 in those early years in Brooklyn? 362 00:14:29,738 --> 00:14:31,827 Bronx is a thousand miles away, sometimes 363 00:14:31,958 --> 00:14:33,311 it feel like, from here. -Mm-hmm. Yeah. 364 00:14:33,394 --> 00:14:36,136 Like, my first dose was '77, going to a block party. 365 00:14:36,223 --> 00:14:37,572 -Okay. -I'm a kid. 366 00:14:37,659 --> 00:14:38,707 You know, I'm only nine years old. 367 00:14:38,790 --> 00:14:40,139 -Mm-hmm. -Everybody crowded around 368 00:14:40,140 --> 00:14:41,798 like they was watching a movie or something. 369 00:14:41,881 --> 00:14:42,794 Mm-hmm. 370 00:14:42,882 --> 00:14:44,708 And then you saw a mic line form... 371 00:14:44,709 --> 00:14:47,234 -Mm. -...and about, you know, 372 00:14:47,364 --> 00:14:50,193 20 cats got up, you know, waiting to get on a mic. 373 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,239 And I had never seen nothing like that before. 374 00:14:52,369 --> 00:14:54,328 ♪ They rally ♪ 375 00:14:54,415 --> 00:14:55,937 LL COOL J: You saw that passion, you saw that vibe... 376 00:14:55,938 --> 00:14:57,634 -Yeah. -...that hunger that they had... 377 00:14:57,635 --> 00:14:59,072 -Yeah. -...to get on the mic. 378 00:14:59,202 --> 00:15:00,116 It had me like, "What's this?" And I knew I wanna be 379 00:15:00,203 --> 00:15:02,249 a part of it, whatever this is. 380 00:15:02,336 --> 00:15:03,728 Like, how did you ultimately say, 381 00:15:03,815 --> 00:15:05,343 "You know what? I'm-a do this. Like, I could do this"? 382 00:15:05,426 --> 00:15:07,645 Well, I was really focused on the DJ side, right? 383 00:15:07,776 --> 00:15:08,733 What was your name when you was DJing? 384 00:15:08,820 --> 00:15:09,560 -Sir Romeo. -Sir Romeo. 385 00:15:09,691 --> 00:15:11,170 DJ Sir Romeo. 386 00:15:11,171 --> 00:15:12,563 [laughter] 387 00:15:12,694 --> 00:15:14,087 Fucking love it. 388 00:15:14,174 --> 00:15:16,480 ♪ 389 00:15:16,611 --> 00:15:20,571 So, then at a certain point, you went from listening 390 00:15:20,658 --> 00:15:23,792 and vibing and being influenced to actually writing. 391 00:15:23,879 --> 00:15:26,795 I started off really, like, just writing battle rhymes, 392 00:15:26,882 --> 00:15:28,840 battling people in school. I felt like, I'm good. 393 00:15:28,928 --> 00:15:29,971 -Right. -And when I heard Caz... 394 00:15:29,972 --> 00:15:31,668 LL COOL J: The Grandmaster. 395 00:15:31,669 --> 00:15:34,237 Yeah, like, the stuff that he was spitting, 396 00:15:34,324 --> 00:15:37,588 I just was like, yeah, I'm doing everything wrong. 397 00:15:37,675 --> 00:15:40,634 I'll never be dope if I'm not half as good as this guy. 398 00:15:40,635 --> 00:15:43,681 So, I threw my whole rap book away. I started... 399 00:15:43,768 --> 00:15:45,209 -Really? -Yeah. I started all over. Yeah. 400 00:15:45,292 --> 00:15:46,597 -That's crazy. -Yeah. 401 00:15:46,684 --> 00:15:48,164 So, look, I wanna see Brooklyn. 402 00:15:48,251 --> 00:15:50,079 I want you to show me, point some things out. 403 00:15:50,210 --> 00:15:51,606 -You know what I'm saying? -Say less. 404 00:15:51,689 --> 00:15:53,086 Teach your Queens brother about Brooklyn, 405 00:15:53,169 --> 00:15:53,953 you know what I mean? 406 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:55,214 -Say less, baby. -Love. 407 00:15:55,215 --> 00:15:58,740 ♪ 408 00:15:58,827 --> 00:16:02,831 [siren wailing in distance] 409 00:16:02,962 --> 00:16:04,354 [engine revs] 410 00:16:04,441 --> 00:16:06,226 ♪ 411 00:16:06,313 --> 00:16:10,056 Do this feel Black Pearl, in particular, people-ish? 412 00:16:10,143 --> 00:16:12,623 [laughs] Just need the pine tree air freshener. 413 00:16:12,710 --> 00:16:14,151 LL COOL J: The pine tree air freshener. 414 00:16:14,234 --> 00:16:15,278 -Yeah. -[laughs] 415 00:16:15,626 --> 00:16:17,759 ♪ 416 00:16:17,889 --> 00:16:19,326 So, we're gon' go up to your school, 417 00:16:19,456 --> 00:16:21,283 where a lot of Big Daddy Kane battles 418 00:16:21,284 --> 00:16:22,677 took place and all that? 419 00:16:22,807 --> 00:16:24,200 A lot of rap battles. 420 00:16:24,287 --> 00:16:28,204 The majority of time, I would be in class, 421 00:16:28,291 --> 00:16:31,425 and someone would come to the door... 422 00:16:31,512 --> 00:16:33,083 -"Yo." -...and let me know that someone 423 00:16:33,166 --> 00:16:34,345 outside wanted to battle. -Wanted to battle. 424 00:16:34,428 --> 00:16:35,907 -Yeah. -And you'd go out there. 425 00:16:35,995 --> 00:16:37,391 Yeah, I get the bathroom pass, go out there, 426 00:16:37,474 --> 00:16:39,041 wear somebody ass out... -[laughs] 427 00:16:39,128 --> 00:16:41,652 ...then bring the pass back, like, a period later. 428 00:16:41,739 --> 00:16:43,350 LL COOL J: Yo, that's hilarious. 429 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:45,138 -BIG DADDY KANE: Yeah. -[school bell rings] 430 00:16:45,221 --> 00:16:48,529 [engine rumbling] 431 00:16:48,616 --> 00:16:51,096 Hold up. 432 00:16:51,097 --> 00:16:52,359 MAN: Peace, I. 433 00:16:52,489 --> 00:16:54,839 -Peace, baby. We here. -[horn honks] 434 00:16:54,926 --> 00:16:57,537 Sarah J. Hale High School. 435 00:16:57,538 --> 00:16:59,848 What's the first thing come to mind when you look over here? 436 00:16:59,931 --> 00:17:01,455 That sign wasn't there. 437 00:17:01,542 --> 00:17:03,500 [laughter] 438 00:17:03,587 --> 00:17:05,937 For my man B.D.K., 439 00:17:06,068 --> 00:17:08,201 hip hop was born here. 440 00:17:08,288 --> 00:17:12,508 In here, like, it used to be me and the guidance counselor. 441 00:17:12,509 --> 00:17:14,510 -Like, he knew that I rap. -Right. 442 00:17:14,511 --> 00:17:16,191 So, he would, like, during official period, 443 00:17:16,296 --> 00:17:17,906 he would let me get on the microphone 444 00:17:17,993 --> 00:17:20,778 and say a rhyme about attendance, 445 00:17:20,865 --> 00:17:23,259 about staying off of drugs. -Oh, really? 446 00:17:23,346 --> 00:17:25,696 Then by noon, we go cut class and go get drunk. 447 00:17:25,783 --> 00:17:27,089 [laughter] 448 00:17:27,176 --> 00:17:28,743 BIG DADDY KANE: Nah. But it was, like, 449 00:17:28,830 --> 00:17:31,224 so much support in this here school. 450 00:17:31,354 --> 00:17:34,662 I had the whole school in my corner. 451 00:17:34,749 --> 00:17:35,967 -Mm-hmm. -The whole school 452 00:17:36,055 --> 00:17:37,534 rooting for me. -Mm-hmm. 453 00:17:37,621 --> 00:17:40,233 BIG DADDY KANE: I felt like one day I'm-a make it. 454 00:17:40,363 --> 00:17:42,495 And let me ask you a question. Why did you wanna make it? 455 00:17:42,496 --> 00:17:45,455 ♪ 456 00:17:45,586 --> 00:17:47,936 When I was younger, I always wanted to be Marvin Gaye. 457 00:17:48,067 --> 00:17:51,070 -I just can't sing. -[laughing] 458 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:55,030 You know? But I knew I could rap my ass off. 459 00:17:55,117 --> 00:17:58,512 INTERVIEWER: So, I understand you're the Marvin Gaye of rap. 460 00:17:58,599 --> 00:18:00,601 That's what people are saying. 461 00:18:00,688 --> 00:18:02,993 Are they? Good. 462 00:18:02,994 --> 00:18:06,346 It wasn't about, you know, selling a bunch of records. 463 00:18:06,433 --> 00:18:09,000 It wasn't about, you know, buying a Bentley or a Rolls. 464 00:18:09,088 --> 00:18:10,441 -Yeah, just being the dopest... -Just wanted to be 465 00:18:10,524 --> 00:18:11,659 the dopest MC, that's all. -Yeah. 466 00:18:11,742 --> 00:18:13,226 That's all I really envisioned at that time. 467 00:18:13,309 --> 00:18:15,572 Everything is still the same, you know? 468 00:18:15,659 --> 00:18:18,271 I'm still living the same place I was living before. 469 00:18:18,401 --> 00:18:20,490 Well, I got more things than I did before, 470 00:18:20,621 --> 00:18:24,407 you know, like all big jewelry and Dapper Dan suits. 471 00:18:24,494 --> 00:18:29,325 ♪ 472 00:18:29,412 --> 00:18:33,329 Okay, one word. Talk to me about it... "legacy." 473 00:18:33,416 --> 00:18:37,027 I mean, nothing means more to me 474 00:18:37,028 --> 00:18:40,031 than to have someone say that my music 475 00:18:40,162 --> 00:18:43,164 helped them get through high school, 476 00:18:43,165 --> 00:18:46,299 through college, through Desert Storm. 477 00:18:46,386 --> 00:18:48,649 If I can give you just something motivational 478 00:18:48,736 --> 00:18:51,217 to make you do better in life, 479 00:18:51,304 --> 00:18:53,871 I feel like then I did a good thing with my music. 480 00:18:54,002 --> 00:18:57,484 I'm not trying to tell nobody, you know, to do this or do that, 481 00:18:57,571 --> 00:19:00,226 you know, trying to tell nobody right from wrong. 482 00:19:00,313 --> 00:19:02,271 I'm just trying to show you that I was 483 00:19:02,402 --> 00:19:04,273 in that same position where I had a choice, 484 00:19:04,360 --> 00:19:07,058 you know, to go this way or that way. 485 00:19:07,146 --> 00:19:09,452 And I believe that I went the right way. 486 00:19:09,539 --> 00:19:11,976 It's like, we're not paying the fans. 487 00:19:12,063 --> 00:19:14,370 -Mm-hmm. -They're paying us. 488 00:19:14,501 --> 00:19:17,068 Right. They're paying for that inspiration and that escape. 489 00:19:17,156 --> 00:19:18,809 -Right. -It's our spirit 490 00:19:18,896 --> 00:19:21,160 sharing with their spirits. -Exactly. 491 00:19:21,290 --> 00:19:22,857 There it is. You know what I'm sayin'? 492 00:19:22,944 --> 00:19:25,599 My man. King Asiatic, baby. 493 00:19:25,686 --> 00:19:27,253 That's what it is. 494 00:19:27,601 --> 00:19:33,476 ♪ 495 00:19:33,563 --> 00:19:36,349 SINGER: ♪ Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Brooklyn ♪ 496 00:19:36,436 --> 00:19:38,394 ♪ We go hard ♪ 497 00:19:38,481 --> 00:19:39,743 ♪ 498 00:19:39,830 --> 00:19:43,573 LL COOL J: From B.D.K. to B.I.G. to Lil' Kim, 499 00:19:43,660 --> 00:19:45,401 countless more, 500 00:19:45,488 --> 00:19:47,795 there's no doubt Brooklyn goes hard. 501 00:19:47,882 --> 00:19:50,885 Now I'm headed north to visit a Harlem rapper who, 502 00:19:50,972 --> 00:19:54,410 in my humble opinion, is hip hop personified. 503 00:19:54,497 --> 00:20:02,497 [beat boxing] 504 00:20:02,940 --> 00:20:05,421 [continues beat boxing] 505 00:20:05,508 --> 00:20:07,902 -Yo. -What's up, man? 506 00:20:07,989 --> 00:20:11,252 -My man Doug! Doug with an E! -Come on, man. Come on, man. 507 00:20:11,253 --> 00:20:12,472 Chillin' with... uhh! 508 00:20:12,559 --> 00:20:13,864 ♪ Hit it ♪ 509 00:20:13,951 --> 00:20:15,736 LL COOL J: Doug E. Fresh, 510 00:20:15,823 --> 00:20:18,042 the human beat box. 511 00:20:18,129 --> 00:20:21,872 While other MCs and DJs used drum machines and turntables, 512 00:20:21,959 --> 00:20:23,526 the equipment that Doug E. Fresh used 513 00:20:23,657 --> 00:20:26,486 was basically Doug E. Fresh himself. 514 00:20:26,573 --> 00:20:28,618 ♪ Somebody say... [high-pitched] "Oh, my God!" ♪ 515 00:20:28,749 --> 00:20:31,230 LL COOL J: The most ionic beat boxer of all time. 516 00:20:31,317 --> 00:20:33,319 Doug E. took the art mainstream 517 00:20:33,406 --> 00:20:35,325 with his partner, Slick Rick and the Get Fresh Crew. 518 00:20:35,408 --> 00:20:37,236 The toast of America's rap generation, 519 00:20:37,323 --> 00:20:39,760 Doug E. Fresh. 520 00:20:39,847 --> 00:20:42,937 LL COOL J: The single, "The Show/La Di Da Di" 521 00:20:43,067 --> 00:20:44,808 is a hip hop classic 522 00:20:44,939 --> 00:20:47,115 and one of the most sampled tracks in all of music. 523 00:20:47,202 --> 00:20:48,682 [beat boxing] 524 00:20:48,769 --> 00:20:52,728 - ♪ Excuse me, Doug E Fresh - ♪ Yes ♪ 525 00:20:52,729 --> 00:20:56,211 Me and you, in terms of our industry, we are true peers. 526 00:20:56,342 --> 00:21:00,128 We really came out together. How were you exposed to hip hop? 527 00:21:00,259 --> 00:21:02,522 You know, my sister just came home 528 00:21:02,609 --> 00:21:04,915 and started talking about DJ Hollywood. 529 00:21:05,002 --> 00:21:07,570 She started saying the rhyme... "ring-a-ding-a-ding, 530 00:21:07,657 --> 00:21:09,877 da-dong, the dong-dong, the dang, the dang-dang, 531 00:21:09,964 --> 00:21:12,053 the ding, the dong-dong to the hip hop..." 532 00:21:12,140 --> 00:21:13,620 And all of a sudden, I said, 533 00:21:13,750 --> 00:21:15,709 "Wow, that's crazy. Do that again." 534 00:21:15,796 --> 00:21:18,189 Right now, rap music is number one over here. 535 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:19,930 Rap music is ruling. 536 00:21:20,017 --> 00:21:22,629 The main message to our rap music is have something 537 00:21:22,716 --> 00:21:24,417 to believe in and be yourself and let people hear 538 00:21:24,500 --> 00:21:29,288 that we're not as stupid and as ignorant as they think we are. 539 00:21:29,375 --> 00:21:32,160 Know what I'm saying? 540 00:21:32,247 --> 00:21:33,595 I used to write poetry all the time. 541 00:21:33,596 --> 00:21:35,816 -Oh, wow. -So, I wrote poetry in school. 542 00:21:35,903 --> 00:21:40,429 I won the Langston Hughes award. But when hip hop started, 543 00:21:40,516 --> 00:21:45,304 it turned from poetry into just coming up with rhymes. 544 00:21:45,391 --> 00:21:48,263 Y'all be beatin' on the lunch table. 545 00:21:48,350 --> 00:21:49,525 Yeah. 546 00:21:49,612 --> 00:21:52,223 So, all of these different things collectively 547 00:21:52,311 --> 00:21:54,616 just changed my whole perspective. 548 00:21:54,617 --> 00:21:55,966 [cheers and applause] 549 00:21:56,053 --> 00:21:57,403 LL COOL J: As Doug E. was evolving 550 00:21:57,490 --> 00:21:59,274 into the hip hop icon he is today, 551 00:21:59,405 --> 00:22:01,232 something else popped on the scene 552 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:03,147 that completely changed the game 553 00:22:03,234 --> 00:22:08,109 and further spread the gospel of hip hop in an all new way. 554 00:22:08,196 --> 00:22:10,807 Now let's talk about the boombox. 555 00:22:10,894 --> 00:22:15,421 The boombox is like an icon of hip hop culture. 556 00:22:15,508 --> 00:22:17,988 GEORGE: The boombox is not just music that you can hear... 557 00:22:18,075 --> 00:22:20,426 everybody can hear. 558 00:22:20,513 --> 00:22:24,255 OSORIO: The whole point was to make sure that everybody heard 559 00:22:24,386 --> 00:22:26,735 so when you hear the music, 560 00:22:26,736 --> 00:22:28,434 you can start looking for what's going on. 561 00:22:28,564 --> 00:22:31,741 It really was a way to call people in. 562 00:22:31,828 --> 00:22:33,787 ♪ 563 00:22:33,874 --> 00:22:35,876 Whoever it was that had the biggest boombox 564 00:22:35,963 --> 00:22:38,444 had the party on the block. 565 00:22:38,531 --> 00:22:40,054 GEORGE: It played cassette tapes. 566 00:22:40,141 --> 00:22:42,230 It also had a radio component. 567 00:22:42,317 --> 00:22:45,754 You could carry it outside. You have enough D batteries, 568 00:22:45,755 --> 00:22:48,932 then you can take your boombox outside. 569 00:22:49,019 --> 00:22:51,065 ♪ 570 00:22:51,152 --> 00:22:55,765 SHANTÉ: We're talking anywhere from 12 to 18 D batteries. 571 00:22:55,852 --> 00:22:57,113 They also had to have money 572 00:22:57,114 --> 00:22:58,681 'cause D batteries was expensive. 573 00:22:58,768 --> 00:23:04,165 ♪ 574 00:23:04,252 --> 00:23:06,602 The boombox came from the b-boys. 575 00:23:06,950 --> 00:23:09,083 ♪ 576 00:23:09,170 --> 00:23:11,259 They needed to dance to some music, 577 00:23:11,346 --> 00:23:13,695 so the bigger the radio, the louder the music, 578 00:23:13,696 --> 00:23:15,350 the more people gon' come around 579 00:23:15,437 --> 00:23:16,656 and make that circle again. 580 00:23:16,743 --> 00:23:18,353 ♪ 581 00:23:18,484 --> 00:23:20,442 The boombox became a fashion statement. 582 00:23:20,529 --> 00:23:23,053 LL... he was the first one to be talking 583 00:23:23,140 --> 00:23:25,491 about how big his radio was. 584 00:23:25,578 --> 00:23:27,144 SHANTÉ: Then they got the two speakers, 585 00:23:27,275 --> 00:23:28,672 then they got the four speakers, then they got the six speakers, 586 00:23:28,755 --> 00:23:30,713 then they got the three parts. 587 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,149 [laughs] We're talking about a big strap 588 00:23:33,150 --> 00:23:34,674 and somebody having a strong back. 589 00:23:35,022 --> 00:23:36,893 ♪ 590 00:23:36,980 --> 00:23:38,504 LL COOL J: When I would see a dude 591 00:23:38,591 --> 00:23:40,114 walking down the street with a boombox, 592 00:23:40,201 --> 00:23:42,464 it was so much power. 593 00:23:42,595 --> 00:23:44,466 You know, look, when you growing up 594 00:23:44,597 --> 00:23:46,642 in New York in that time, you feel invisible. 595 00:23:46,729 --> 00:23:48,165 -Right. -Your friends get killed. 596 00:23:48,252 --> 00:23:50,603 It means nothing to anybody. Nobody cares. 597 00:23:50,733 --> 00:23:54,258 -Right. -But there was so much joy 598 00:23:54,389 --> 00:23:56,347 and such high vibration around this. 599 00:23:56,435 --> 00:23:58,567 And it was all about the dude walking 600 00:23:58,654 --> 00:24:01,831 down the block like this. He just walking. 601 00:24:01,918 --> 00:24:03,707 LL COOL J: No doubt. Or with it on his shoulder. 602 00:24:03,790 --> 00:24:05,709 -Right, right, right, right! -With it on his shoulder. 603 00:24:05,792 --> 00:24:08,576 And it's so crazy because it's right in his ear. 604 00:24:08,577 --> 00:24:11,406 -Blowing his ears off the frame. -[laughs] 605 00:24:11,493 --> 00:24:12,759 LL COOL J: All right, so this what we gon' do. 606 00:24:12,842 --> 00:24:15,062 This what we gon' do. We gon' hit the rooftop, 607 00:24:15,149 --> 00:24:17,586 and you gon' be able to see the whole city from where we at. 608 00:24:17,673 --> 00:24:20,022 And I'm-a show you where the beat box was first done. 609 00:24:20,023 --> 00:24:21,503 All right, let's get to it, baby. 610 00:24:21,590 --> 00:24:24,288 ♪ Ain't no half steppin' ♪ 611 00:24:24,375 --> 00:24:28,249 [siren wailing in distance] 612 00:24:28,336 --> 00:24:30,251 [speaking Dutch] 613 00:24:30,381 --> 00:24:31,948 ...the human beat boxer. 614 00:24:32,035 --> 00:24:34,255 [resumes in Dutch] 615 00:24:34,385 --> 00:24:37,998 ...in studio, Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh crew. 616 00:24:38,085 --> 00:24:41,914 Doug here... [speaks Dutch] and Rick. [speaks Dutch] 617 00:24:41,915 --> 00:24:45,092 Uh, could you explain what a human beat box is, Doug? 618 00:24:45,179 --> 00:24:46,833 [beat boxes] Ladies... 619 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:48,704 [beat boxes] 620 00:24:48,791 --> 00:24:50,793 ...and gentlemen... [resumes beat boxing] 621 00:24:50,924 --> 00:24:52,099 We are... 622 00:24:52,186 --> 00:24:53,883 [resumes beat boxing] 623 00:24:54,014 --> 00:24:55,494 ALL: The Get Fresh Crew! 624 00:24:55,581 --> 00:24:56,538 ♪ 625 00:24:56,625 --> 00:24:59,409 [seabirds calling] 626 00:24:59,410 --> 00:25:01,761 So, yo, origins of the beat box. 627 00:25:01,848 --> 00:25:05,504 Okay. All right. I went to a school over here. 628 00:25:05,591 --> 00:25:06,983 LL COOL J: Mm-hmm. 629 00:25:07,070 --> 00:25:08,463 -I had a teacher... -Mm-hmm. 630 00:25:08,550 --> 00:25:09,246 ...who wanted me to play the trumpet. 631 00:25:09,333 --> 00:25:10,552 Mm-hmm. 632 00:25:10,639 --> 00:25:12,467 So, I'm taking this trumpet home. 633 00:25:12,554 --> 00:25:15,035 Every day I'm practicing. I'm practicing. 634 00:25:15,122 --> 00:25:17,167 And then one day I come to school, 635 00:25:17,254 --> 00:25:19,648 and he is no longer there. 636 00:25:19,735 --> 00:25:21,132 It ain't 'cause of your trumpet playing, is it? 637 00:25:21,215 --> 00:25:24,043 -No, no, no! [laughs] -Terrible teacher. That's... 638 00:25:24,044 --> 00:25:26,350 But I... what it was is that they cut the music program 639 00:25:26,437 --> 00:25:28,309 in most of the urban schools. 640 00:25:28,439 --> 00:25:30,572 -Of course. -And that's what happened. 641 00:25:30,703 --> 00:25:32,487 So, long story short, I'm walking home. 642 00:25:32,618 --> 00:25:34,533 But while I'm walking home, 643 00:25:34,663 --> 00:25:36,273 every day I'm hearing these musics. 644 00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:37,583 I'm hearing... ♪ It was a party night ♪ 645 00:25:37,666 --> 00:25:39,538 ♪ Everybody was breakin' ♪ 646 00:25:39,625 --> 00:25:42,453 - ♪ Was breakin' in the house - Oh, man, that gave me... Whoo! 647 00:25:42,541 --> 00:25:44,581 ♪ And it won't be long till everybody knowin' that ♪ 648 00:25:44,673 --> 00:25:46,065 ♪ On that beat box goin' that... ♪ 649 00:25:46,066 --> 00:25:47,154 -[laughs] -And... 650 00:25:47,284 --> 00:25:48,590 ♪ Sha-na-na ♪ 651 00:25:48,677 --> 00:25:50,504 ♪ Italian, Caucasian, Japanese ♪ 652 00:25:50,505 --> 00:25:53,682 ♪ Spanish, Indian, Negro, Vietnamese ♪ 653 00:25:53,769 --> 00:25:56,946 DOUG: We hear that, Spoonie, Treacherous, everything. 654 00:25:57,077 --> 00:25:59,209 So, I'm walking home. I'm hearing... 655 00:25:59,296 --> 00:26:01,690 [hums] 656 00:26:01,777 --> 00:26:04,258 So, now you got the bass and the beat box, right? 657 00:26:04,345 --> 00:26:05,302 -Yeah. -Then you got... 658 00:26:05,389 --> 00:26:08,479 [humming, clicking] 659 00:26:08,567 --> 00:26:11,265 Then you putting the hi-hat in there, and the crash is... 660 00:26:11,352 --> 00:26:13,528 [humming, clicking] 661 00:26:13,615 --> 00:26:15,835 Then you putting the other thing in there. 662 00:26:15,965 --> 00:26:18,838 [humming, clicking, making blooping sounds] 663 00:26:18,925 --> 00:26:20,840 And now you starting to... now you going... 664 00:26:20,970 --> 00:26:23,537 Now it's starting to get real crazy, right? 665 00:26:23,538 --> 00:26:26,715 -[laughing] -So, now I'm doing it outside. 666 00:26:26,846 --> 00:26:28,978 Everybody lost they mind. 667 00:26:29,109 --> 00:26:31,720 That was the beginning, and then it took off. 668 00:26:31,851 --> 00:26:35,681 [beat boxing] 669 00:26:35,768 --> 00:26:38,073 Yeah. Come on. 670 00:26:38,074 --> 00:26:39,728 ♪ 671 00:26:39,815 --> 00:26:43,558 [beat boxing] 672 00:26:43,645 --> 00:26:45,386 No, I'm working out, y'all. 673 00:26:45,473 --> 00:26:51,739 ♪ 674 00:26:51,740 --> 00:26:53,699 LL COOL J: Okay. And this is something 675 00:26:53,786 --> 00:26:55,226 I've been asking people... your legacy. 676 00:26:55,309 --> 00:26:56,919 What's legacy mean to you? 677 00:26:57,006 --> 00:26:59,792 What is my legacy? Uh... 678 00:26:59,922 --> 00:27:02,185 I never really put too much thought into that. 679 00:27:02,272 --> 00:27:05,711 I'm so busy living in the now, 680 00:27:05,798 --> 00:27:08,104 in this moment right now, 681 00:27:08,191 --> 00:27:10,541 that I don't even really think about the legacy. 682 00:27:10,629 --> 00:27:13,457 I think it writes itself. 683 00:27:13,588 --> 00:27:15,072 I think it writes itself. You know that? 684 00:27:15,155 --> 00:27:16,373 Yep. 685 00:27:16,504 --> 00:27:20,073 And I mean this so sincerely. 686 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:21,595 There's no words. 687 00:27:21,596 --> 00:27:24,991 There's nothing that I can ever say 688 00:27:25,078 --> 00:27:28,081 to thank God enough... 689 00:27:28,168 --> 00:27:29,256 Amen. 690 00:27:29,386 --> 00:27:33,564 ...for giving me this moment right now 691 00:27:33,652 --> 00:27:35,697 and the opportunities that I've had 692 00:27:35,784 --> 00:27:38,134 and just to be here now with you 693 00:27:38,221 --> 00:27:41,616 and us growing up together and us standing here 694 00:27:41,703 --> 00:27:45,751 from the time when we were little kids, man. 695 00:27:45,838 --> 00:27:47,882 -Doug E. Fresh. -Appreciate you, brother. 696 00:27:47,883 --> 00:27:49,624 -You already know. -Hip hop was born here. 697 00:27:49,755 --> 00:27:50,756 -Yes, sir. -Here. 698 00:27:50,843 --> 00:27:51,626 -Yes, sir. -No doubt, no doubt. 699 00:27:51,757 --> 00:27:54,020 -Let's roll. -Yeah. 700 00:28:00,069 --> 00:28:01,074 [Boogie Down Production's "South Bronx" playing] 701 00:28:01,157 --> 00:28:02,158 ♪ South Bronx ♪ 702 00:28:02,245 --> 00:28:03,985 ♪ The South, South Bronx ♪ 703 00:28:03,986 --> 00:28:05,813 I got the GOAT with me, baby. 704 00:28:05,814 --> 00:28:08,077 LL Cool J! Get over here! 705 00:28:08,164 --> 00:28:10,209 [laughter] 706 00:28:10,210 --> 00:28:14,344 [crowd cheering and laughing] 707 00:28:14,431 --> 00:28:15,828 ♪ South Bronx, the South, South Bronx ♪ 708 00:28:15,911 --> 00:28:18,827 ♪ South Bronx, the South, South Bronx ♪ 709 00:28:18,914 --> 00:28:21,395 ♪ South Bronx, the South, South Bronx ♪