Did you know 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop?
The genre has lived through many different iterations from acts like Grandmaster Flash to LL Cool J to Tupac and Drake.
It has become the number-one genre in the world with nearly 250 No.1 albums on the Billboard 200 and over 100 No.1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
So how did hip-hop begin?
Who were the key players?
What is the future of Hip-Hop?
This is Billboard Explains: The Origins of Hip-Hop.