"Stamped from the Beginning" (Part II)
By the time Hip Hop emerged in 1973, centuries of racialized policy had shaped where Black communities could live, work, and build stability, proving that culture is often a response to this broader structural force.
What is systemic inequality (or structural racism)?
In the section Future Shock Remix, the book describes Interscope Records releasing this soundtrack for a movie that starred Will Smith, which featured a number #1 song titled "Bailamos."
What is "Wild Wild West"?
A _____ is an occupation of someone who produces maps. Working with bankers and gov't officials, they played a major role in creating a visualization of what neighborhoods were "deemed worthy" of investment through creating color coded lines on city maps.
Who is a cartographer?
This legendary hip hop magazine was founded in 1988 by two Harvard students and began as a simple newsletter reviewing rap music, and later became known as “The Hip-Hop Bible."
What is The Source?
This innovation by DJ Kool Herc involved isolating and extending the instrumental “break” of a song using two turntables.
What is the breakbeat (or Merry-Go-Round technique)?
The ownership, buying and selling of human beings for the purpose of forced and unpaid labor roots can be found as early as the 9th century with this group of Eastern European people.
Who are the Slavs?
Tanning of America describes millennials as having a mentality that is inclined to make brands their own and within their diverse social networks leveraging brands as creative new material in composing self-image and style also known as a collective _______
What is mind-set?
After surviving a long online ticket queue and questioning his financial decisions, Dr. Jae finally secured seats for this artist’s upcoming 30-year anniversary performance of the legendary album Reasonable Doubt at Yankee Stadium.
Who is Jay Z?
This radio station played a significant role in amplifying hip hop culture in Boston through its college radio programming.
What is WERS?
Known as the “Master of Records,” and his fascination with "spinning things," this pioneer transformed DJing into a competitive art form through scratching and technical precision.
Who is Grandmaster Flash?
Although the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery, its exception clause allowed forced labor to continue through this system, reshaping racial control in a post-1865 America.
What is incarceration / convict leasing / the prison system?
On page 270 Steve Stoute references Jim Stengel who said "business and brands that are breaking records are those that inspire trust and affection and loyalty by being authentic, by not being arrogant, and by being ______ to those they serve.
What is empathetic?
The son of a South African poet, this artist first gained recognition as Sly Tendencies, but after joining Odd Future under Tyler, the Creator, he changed his name and later built a critically acclaimed career with introspective projects, including his latest project on April 3, 2026, titled Pompeii Utility, which features 33 tracks.
Who is Earl Sweatshirt?
The Source’s famous “Unsigned Hype” column helped launch the careers of major artists like this legendary Brooklyn rapper, who was murdered on March 9, 1997, and later became a global icon.
Who is Notorious B.IG.?
This Bronx collective, founded by Afrika Bambaataa, helped transform Hip Hop into a cultural movement rooted in peace, unity, and knowledge.
What is the Zulu Nation?
The process by which a minority group (context: Black people) or culture comes to resemble a society's majority groups (context: White People) values, behaviors, and beliefs, whether fully or partially, as a means of survival and acceptance.
(Hint: it is one word)
What is assimilation?
The author references an article in this iconic magazine that stated, "Hip Hop got its start in Black America, but now more than 70% of hip hop albums are purchased by whites. In fact, a whole generation of kids- Black, White, Latino, Asian- has grown up immersed in Hip Hop.
What is Time Magazine?
Following a string of melodic trap hits, this artist dropped Octane in 2026, further blurring the line between rap and R&B in the streaming era.
Who is Don Toliver?
This Boston-born rapper and member of Gang Starr became one of the most respected lyricists in hip hop history, bridging Boston roots and New York dominance.
Who is Guru?
This 1979 single by the Sugarhill Gang is widely credited as the first commercially successful rap record.
What is “Rapper’s Delight”?
This author wrote "How to Be An Anti- Racist" and the book "Stamped from the Beginning". He was also one of the lead scholars featured in the Netflix Documentary of the same name.
Who is Dr. Ibram Kendi?
In the book Steve Stoute says “the problem in urban trends is that if you are not careful, you can allow the urban trend to ______ ______ ______, because they want to move quickly.”
What is "eat you alive?"
In 2024–2025, this rapper briefly entered a high-profile lyrical feud involving Kendrick Lamar and Drake before later stepping back from the conflict.
Dr. Jae said it "was super wack" for true Hip Hop fans.
Who is J. Cole?
This Boston nonprofit provides affordable recording studios, mentorship, and resources to support emerging artists in the city’s music scene.
What is the Record Co?
This Queens trio, formed by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell, helped bring Hip Hop into the MTV era.
Who is RUN-D.M.C.?