Rapstars

Rap music grew from an isolated cultural movement into an international industry. The Sugarhill Gang released the first major commercially successful rap single, "Rapper's Delight," in 1979. Kurtis Blow was one of the first rap artists to become a mainstream performer, along with Run DMC and LL Cool J. In the late 1980s, rap music's focus turned to gangsta rap, which became incredibly successful. Artists such as Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. scored big hits on the pop charts. Rap music evolved into one of the most popular genres of music in the late 1990s and 2000s with the help of mainstream artists such as Emimen, Lil Wayne and T.I.