When we talk about the origins of hip-hop, names like DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash often dominate the conversation—but true heads know that Coke La Rock is where the mic work really began. Recognized as hip-hop’s first MC, Coke La Rock is credited with giving birth to the art of rapping itself. Recently, he reminded us why he holds that title by performing an authentic 1970s-era rap, just like he did back in the park jams of the Bronx.
Coke La Rock raps an original 1970s rap for Recording Business. Coke La Rock never wrote lyrics down on paper. Wearing his signature hat and unmistakable Bronx swagger, Coke delivered lines that weren’t just rhymes—they were history. The cadence, the energy, the wordplay… all spoke to a moment when hip-hop was being birthed.
