This playlist, the first of three created to accompany our Black Music Month special tracing hip-hop's evolution, soundtracks the fertile early days of recorded rap—from 1978-89. It features such familiar names as Grandmaster Flash, Kurtis Blow, Afrika Bambaataa, Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, Public Enemy and N.W.A, as well as a few that aren't quite so well known.

We wish we could play it for you on vinyl, but them's the breaks.

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Having issues playing this embedded playlist? Go here.