1979 - Rapper's Delight hit the airwaves, bringing rap music to the mainstream. Others followed suite: Grandmaster Flash, LL Cool J, Run DMC, Fat Boys, Dougie Fresh, Slick Rick, etc. Hip-hop became the party music of the 80s until Public Enemy in the late 80s and reflected a new era ahead.

1981-1989 - Ronald Reagan was president. Reaganomics reduced the growth of government spending, reduced the marginal tax rates on income from both labor and capital, reduced regulation, and reduced inflation by controlling the growth of the money supply. Yet, spending was at a higher point than any time in recent history. What were so many people spending money on?

1985 - Cocaine was the drug of choice. The increase in demand led to a drop in price. This led to the development of 'crack cocaine', a cheap mix of cocaine and baking powder (sodium bicarbonate) which, when smoked, gives an intense, short-lived but compelling hit. As a result, crack cocaine flooded into US cities and crippled urban - often black - communities.

Cocaine use hit its peak in the US in 1985 with over 5.7 million users (nearly 3% of the population) using cocaine at least "once every month". It was popular at parties and with folks in music and entertainment. It was big business, supply and demand. Who was selling it?

Late 80s - Gangsta Rap hit the airwaves. Gangsta rap focused on the violence and misogyny inherent in the gangster lifestyle, this lifestlye was often centered around drug selling, esp. cocaine and crack. Gangsta rappers, on the tail of party and rebel rap music, expressed the reality of inner-city ghetto life. The audience for gangsta rap has become overwhelmingly white...this was the music of the late 80s and early 90s, until the "bling, bling" era.

So, we got the birth of mainstream hip-hop, crack, Reaganomics, and gangsta rap all in the same decade? Coincidence? I don't think so.