DJ Kool Herc is widely regarded as the father of rap. Born Clive Campbell in Jamaica, he moved to the Bronx, New York, where he pioneered the use of breakbeats in the 1970s. His innovative technique involved isolating and extending the instrumental breaks of funk and soul records, which became the foundation of hip-hop music.
Herc’s parties in the Bronx were legendary, and his influence on the genre is immeasurable. He not only laid the groundwork for rap music but also inspired a generation of DJs and artists who would go on to shape the future of hip-hop.