Looking Back
From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History
accessible at thejewishnews.com
Hip Hop and
Jewish Detroit
D
id you know that the music genre
“hip hop” just marked its 50th
birthday? What began in low-
income African American and Hispanic
neighborhoods in New York City in the late
1970s is now a mainstream
American and global art
form.
I thought I should take
a look into this massive
phenomenon. I began with a
bit of online research about
hip hop. I discovered that its
history is not readily defined.
One account has Clive Campbell (a.k.a. DJ
Kool Herc) from the Bronx as the point of
origin on Aug. 11, 1973. His particular mix
that intertwined instrumental “break” of
songs into a continuous loop was a novel
approach. It does appear that, at the least,
hip hop was born in the environs of New
York City.
How did the name hip hop evolve?
There are several theories. One of them
cites “hip,” which means trendy coupled
with the leaping nature of the music, the
“hop.” Another theory is that a member of
a pioneering rap group was teasing a friend
who had enlisted in the Army, noting that
the friend would soon be marching hip/
hop/hip/hop. Others say it came from the
1979 single “Rapper’s Delight” by Sugar
Hill Gang. But no one really seems to know
precisely how the name evolved.
The truth is — I’m out of my league
in terms of hip hop and rap history.
What I can tell you is that hip hop has
had a tremendous impact on our local
community. I know this after a cruise into
the William Davidson Digital Archive of
Jewish Detroit History.
I was surprised that, beginning in the
1990s, hip hop appears on 735 pages of
the Davidson Archive. Moreover, there
are a wide range of stories about the
contributions of young Detroit Jews
(some are now middle-aged) to
the development of hip hop. They
provide a reader with some insight
into the genre’s history.
Take Mike Posner, for example. He was
the cover story for the June 3, 2010, JN,
which presciently stated that he was “on
the verge of stardom.” Posner is now one of
the most prominent Jewish hip hop artists
in America. Born in Detroit and raised in
Southfield, he is a rapper, a songwriter and
producer. His “I Took A Pill In Ibisa” has
been streamed 1.7 billion times on Spotify
and was nominated for a Grammy.
“The Music Maker” is about Jake Bass,
a “one-man band” who has “worked with
hip-hop royalty” such as LL Cool J. Jake’s
father, Jeff, is one of the Bass brothers
who discovered a young Eminem, one of
Detroit’s most famous rappers (Sept. 15,
2022, JN).
“Hip-Hop Jew” is a story about former
rapper MC Serch (Michael Berrin). This
story in the Sept. 19, 2003, JN, is about
Berrin landing a job on local radio at
WJLB-Detroit. “From the Streets: Jews and
Hip Hop” is another interesting read that
speaks to the history of the genre.
Finally, there are stories about the main
effect of hip hop music; that is, pure and
simple listener enjoyment. “Time to Rap”
and “The Beat Goes On” are two of these
(July 5 and 14, 2005).
Regardless of some of the controversy
over certain lyrics or some unsavory
aspects of hip hop culture, it has musical
staying power and meaning for millions
of Americans. It has changed our modern
world.
Want to learn more? Go to the DJN archives,
available for free at thejewishnews.com.
Mike Smith
Alene and
Graham Landau
Archivist Chair
SEPTEMBER 28 • 2023 | 61
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