Hip-Hop:
Hip hop as a whole started emerging as a powerful force in the late 80s, and by 1990, there were many artists that had either already laid the foundation or were looming on the horizon. Among the artists that have already made an impact were 'Public Enemy', 'Boogie Down Productions', 'Run-DMC', and 'LL Cool J'. Artists such as 'A Tribe Called Quest', 'De La Soul', and 'Gangstarr' were establishing their positions in the game to complement the group of existing pioneers.
In the upcoming years, hip hop has been through a number of transitions, the industry and market for hip hop has grown exponentially as the culture has made its mark on society, with the majority of the artists coming out of the NYC area. Artists such as 'Nas', 'The Notorious B.I.G.', 'Jay-Z', 'Big L', 'DMX' and 'Big Pun' are taking the genre to the next level. Although, hip hop expanded beyond the Northeast (although the West Coast had already established itself with the likes of 'NWA', 'Ice-T', 'Snoop Dogg' and 'Tupac') to bring artists including 'Common' (Chicago), 'Outkast' (Atlanta) and 'Eminem' (Detroit) to the masses.
Several Canadian hip-hop artists have also found their way into the spotlight. Toronto rapper 'Choclair' made an appearance in the "hip-hop bible", 'The Source Magazine's' unsigned-hype column. In addition, the Canadian rap group 'Rascalz' continues to succeed, with their album 'Northern Touch', featuring many up and coming Canadian hip-hop artists.
During this time, different artists have joined forces to create supergroups. Groups such as 'DITC', 'NWA', 'Cypress Hill', 'The Roots', and 'Wu Tang Clan' emerged combining the versatility of different emcees with the creativity of the producers. Many of these artists also went on to release their own solo projects.
Over the past few years this decade, a countless number of classic albums have hit the streets, each bringing their own flavor. Fans have been able to enjoy a broad range of