TIMELINE
Explore the History of Bay Area Hip-Hop
This timeline of Bay Area hip-hop history is a living, evolving collection of key events from the past five decades. Explore by filtering or by decade to discover big cultural-impact moments as well as small acts that had a ripple effect over time. Know of something that should be included? We want to hear from you.
Contributors: Gabe Meline, Eric Arnold, Nastia Voynovskaya, Pendarvis Harshaw
![Illustration of man with large afro holding microphone, surrounded by small photos of Betty Davis, building ruins, Sun Ra, the Black Resurgents and women of the Black Panther party.](https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/83/2023/01/BAHH-Timeline-60s-70s@2x-1020x1020.jpg)
Image credits (clockwise from upper left): Just Sunshine Records; Warner Bros. Records; ABC-Dunhill Records; 'The Jay Payton Show' courtesy AAMLO; Prikl Jones courtesy BAMPFA. Illustration of Sly Stone by Noah Haytin/NOH8TIN.
’60s - ’70s
The social, political and musical building blocks of Bay Area hip-hop
![Illustration of man in white T-shirt wearing a beeper and gold chain, surrounded by small photos of MC Hammer, a newspaper headline about crack, a Home Turf logo, Motocycle Mike and graffiti artists against a colorful wall.](https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/83/2023/01/BAHH-Timeline-1980s@2x-1020x1020.jpg)
Image credits (clockwise from upper left): Bustin' Records; Oakland Tribune archive; KRON-4; Hodisk Records; James Prigoff archive. Illustration of Too Short by Noah Haytin/NOH8TIN.
1980s
An exciting new art form finds its sound, style and voice
![Illustration of a man in large jacket and ball cap with glasses, surrounded by small photos of the Conscious Daughters, Mike Dream Francisco, Saafir, The Coup and the Invisibl Scratch Piklz.](https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/83/2023/01/BAHH-Timeline-1990s@2x-1020x1020.jpg)
Image credits (clockwise from upper left): Thud Rumble LTD; Anthony Pidgeon/Getty Images; 'The Dream Kontinues'/courtesy photo; Alex Asher Daniel/Skyfre Productions; Anthony Pidgeon/Redferns. Illustration of E-40 by Noah Haytin/NOH8TIN.
1990s
The golden era of major players, mobb music and global attention
![Illustration of a man in backwards baseball cap and gold chain, surrounded by small photos of Mac Dre, Mystic, Turf Fienz, Keak Da Sneak and a car in a sideshow.](https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/83/2023/01/BAHH-Timeline-2000s@2x-1020x1020.jpg)
Image credits (clockwise from upper left): Ray Tamarra/Getty Images; Bay Curious/YouTube; Thizz Entertainment; Good Vibe Recordings; YAK Films. Illustration of Mistah FAB by Noah Haytin/NOH8TIN.
2000s
Lemme tell you ’bout this hyphy movement we got goin’ in the Bay
![Image of a woman in track pants and Fila visor, holding a microphone, surrounded by Lil B, Chinaka Hodge, a mural of Oscar Grant, Kehlani and Nef the Pharoah.](https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/83/2023/01/BAHH-Timeline-2010s@2x-1020x1019.jpg)
Image credits (clockwise from upper left): Artist photo; Stephen Hawk; Sonja Hutson/KQED; Estefany Gonzalez/KQED; courtesy Nef the Pharoah. Illustration of Kamaiyah by Noah Haytin/NOH8TIN.
2010s
Digital platforms, new aesthetics, and it don’t stop… ’til infinity