Crappy music has existed since the dawn of time.

Crappy pop music has existed since the transistor radio days.

Crappy _black_ music, however, didn't start becoming big hits in such massive numbers until starting in or about 1998. It took a while to ramp all of the way up.

I stopped listening to the radio in 2002, when 50 Cent was at the height of his popularity. I never understood the appeal of his music (he's a decent rapper, but most of the production on his albums was so...yeesh). This is also when Ja Rule was crooning rap ballads ("WHAT WOULD I BE WITHOUT MY BAYBAAAAAY") and Ciara and her three-note vocal range was scoring hit after hit.