1973 is often credited as the birth of Hip Hop when the legendary DJ Kool Herc began hosting parties at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx. Not having enough funds to rent out a venue, Herc decided to move his parties to nearby Cedar Park where he saw construction crews tapping into power from the base of a lamp post. Herc hooked up his DJ equipment into a lamp post and over 3000 people showed up to watch him spin his records - beginning the birth of the DJ & Hip Hop as we know it today. 

Tommy Boy Records started in New York in 1981 as one of the earliest record labels that focused on Hip Hop. Some of the label’s first releases included artists The Jonzun Crew, Planet Patrol, G.L.O.B.E & Whiz Kid, and Afrika Bambaata & Soulsonic Force. The label later went on to release classic Hip Hop music from Stetsasonic, Brand Nubian, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Prince Paul, House of Pain, Naughty By Nature, Grand Puba, Lord Finesse, Coolio, and many more.

National DJ Day takes place on January 20 every year to celebrate both amateur & professional DJs and to celebrate the importance of Hip Hop and the long lasting impact it has had on culture. The team at Tommy Boy Music has collaborated with Adaptr to curate a playlist in honor of the day, featuring our favorites among these formative tracks. We hope you enjoy being transported back to the 80s & 90s as much as we do.

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