In honor of Black History Month, The Current is exploring the origins of Black music in America, what came after, and how it has impacted the sounds of today. The genre of hip-hop emerged from vinyl collections and sampling to create an unstoppable movement.

Artists like Grand Master Flash, Run-DMC, and Queen Latifa paved the way for their modern-day counterparts like Kendrick Lamar and Megan Thee Stallion. Today, let's highlight some of the founders of hip hop.

So, for today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs from hip-hop pioneers would you like to hear?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive.

Songs Played
Kurtis Blow- The Breaks (Part 1)
Run DMC- It's Tricky
Queen Latifa- Ladies First
A Tribe Called Quest- Can I Kick It
Incredible Bongo Band- Apache
MC Lyte- Paper Thin
Salt-N-Pepa- Push It