A Party in the Bronx: The Beginnings of Hip-Hop
On August 11, 1973, a party took place in a recreation room at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, a borough of New York City. People came to dance and enjoy music. They could not have known that the gathering would become famous as an important starting point in the history of hip-hop.
The party was organized by Cindy Campbell, who wanted to raise money for back-to-school clothes. Her brother Clive Campbell, known as DJ Kool Herc, provided the music. He had been born in Jamaica and moved to the Bronx as a child. At the party, he played records for a crowd ready to dance.
A new way to play records
Kool Herc noticed that dancers often became especially excited during a song’s break. A break was a section when the singing stopped and the rhythm instruments, such as drums, stood out. These sections were usually short. Herc found a way to give dancers more time to enjoy them.
- borough:
- A large section of a city with its own name.
- extended:
- Made something last longer.
- rhythmically:
- In a way that follows a pattern of beats.
- experimented:
- Tried different ideas or methods to see what happened.
- poverty:
- The condition of not having enough money for basic needs.
- talents:
- Natural abilities or skills.
- movement:
- A shared effort or development involving many people and ideas.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why did Cindy Campbell organize the party, and what made it important later?
- 2How did dancers’ reactions help Kool Herc develop a new way to play records?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“A Party in the Bronx: The Beginnings of Hip-Hop” is a explanatory article reading passage about The origins of hip-hop, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (493 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.