Google Celebrates the 44th Anniversary of the Birth of Hip Hop

On August 11, 1973, DJ Kool Herc threw a back-to-school jam at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, New York. During his set, instead of playing the songs in full, he played only their instrumental sections, or “breaks” – sections where he noticed the crowd went wild. During these “breaks” his friend Coke La Rock hyped up the crowd with a microphone. And with that, Hip Hop was born.

Google celebrates the 44th anniversary of that very moment with a very dope Doodle featuring a custom logo graphic by famed graffiti artist Cey Adams, interactive turntables on which users can mix samples from legendary tracks, and a serving of Hip Hop history – with an emphasis on its founding pioneers. In addition to the classic records featured in the digital milk-crate, legendary producer and artist, Prince Paul, has provided three never before heard beats. Those instrumentals are exclusive to the campaign. The whole experience is narrated by Hip Hop icon Fab 5 Freddy, former host of Yo! MTV Raps.

Don’t miss the opportunity to test your dj skills with the interactive set up. The Hip Hop Doodle will be active over the weekend.