Hip Hop’s Origin Story, Told by the Legends Who Lived It

Before hip-hop was a global industry, Kurtis Blow remembers building the culture in a New York where “we had nothing.” In this Paid in Full fireside chat, Nas, Rev Run, and Roxanne Shanté celebrate one of hip-hop’s foundational artists and trace the influence he had on the generations that followed. Kurtis takes Nas back to 1970s Harlem, when hip-hop wasn’t even called hip-hop, and explains how disco, DJing, block parties, and a city in crisis helped give rise to a new culture. Rev Run shares how Kurtis took him under his wing as a teenager, from carrying records and DJing his shows to developing the stage presence that would eventually define Run-DMC. And Nas explains why Kurtis’ “If I Ruled the World” meant enough to him to revisit it with Lauryn Hill years later. The conversation closes with Roxanne Shanté reflecting on what Paid in Full is ultimately about: recognizing the passion, accomplishments, and contributions of the pioneers who helped make hip-hop what it is today. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:47 Built From Nothing: Hip Hop's Origins 5:19 Hip Hop Was "Ghetto Disco" 7:02 A Fake ID and Every Disco in New York 9:27 Meeting Russell Simmons (and Little Joey) 12:12 Breakfast, Flyers, and "My Heart" 16:17 Krush Groove and "This Is My House" 18:43 Bob Marley, Prince, and the Jheri Curl 20:32 "If I Ruled the World" and Lauryn Hill 23:00 Paid in Full: The Final Tribute Resources: Learn more about the Paid in Full Foundation: https://paidinfullfoundation.org Follow Kurtis Blow on X: https://x.com/KurtisBlow1 Follow Nas on X: https://x.com/Nas Follow Rev Run on X: https://x.com/RevRunWisdom Follow Roxanne Shanté on X: https://x.com/ImroxanneShante Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711 Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see http://a16z.com/disclosures.