Old school hip hop
The very first hip hop to come out of the block parties of New York City in the 1970s and early 1980s is called old school hip hop. Compared to more modern, new school rap, old school has relatively simple rhythms and cadences that occur on the beat instead of wrapping around the rhythm, as has become common. Generally, subject matter was simple, good times, parties and friendship, with only a handful discussing political or social themes (Grandmaster Flash was a notable exception). Also compared with later hip hop, old school had a high amount of female artists, even though none reached quite the level of fame of their male counterparts. Rappers usually performed over disco or funk tracks.
The first recordings of old school hip hop were The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" and Fatback's "King Tim III". by Eric B. & Rakim (1988); note the rapid-fire delivery and the strength and clarity of the voice -- this duo, and this song, are often considered the peak of the Golden Age of Old School, which ended in approximately 1989. This is not seen as old school rap according to traditional definition.
