While some old school hip-hop fans never tire of arguing over who “created” hip-hop, there is no denying that it was Kool Herc’s jam thrown on August 11, 1973, was a pivotal party that helped get the aural revolution started. To celebrate the forty-fourth anniversary of that boogie-down night, Google celebrates with hip-hop-inspired Doodle (designed by Def Jam icon Cey Adams) that clicks through to feature an interactive turntable, iconic breakbeats, and hip-hop history content. Partnering with Mass Appeal, producer Prince Paul was commissioned to supply the project with three different beats constructed from records featured in the Doodle.
“The challenge was that all the beats had to be 110 bpm, which is a disco tempo, but I figured out how to make it funky,” Prince Paul says. “I tried to find a bridge between the original school and what I do. The end result, I think, came out pretty cool.” The respected producer began his career as DJ for Stetsasonic and later gained fame as the producer for De La Soul, 3rd Bass, Gravediggaz. and Vernon Reid; his solo albums include Psychoanalysis: What is It? and A Prince Among Thieves. “There are a lot of young rap fans who think the music started with G-Unit, so hopefully this project will give them a chance to learn a bit of history.”
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