East Coast
Hip-hip owes its origins to the Bronx in New York City. The genre grew out of block parties that took place in African-American communities within the different neighborhoods of the city. DJs such as DJ Kool Herc would set up at these block parties, rerouting electricity from neighborhood streetlights to power their sound systems. There were also regional identities within boroughs, with the West Side, Bronx River, and South Bronx all having competing sound systems and DJs. Rivalry between the different regions paralleled and intertwined with street gang culture. DJing and breakdancing became an alternative to physical violence and brought communities together. Although DJ Screw's tapes did not utilize the East Coast as much as the West Coast, artists such as Jay-Z and DMX can be found within his record collection.
