▁had ▁transformed ▁American ▁popular ▁music . ▁A ided ▁by ▁the ▁techn ological ▁innov ations ▁of ▁radio ▁and ▁ph on ograph ▁records , ▁rag time , ▁jazz , ▁bl ues , ▁and ▁swing ▁also ▁became ▁popular ▁over se as , ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Jazz ▁Age . ▁The ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁also ▁saw ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁Broadway ▁shows , ▁films ▁such ▁as ▁King ▁Vid or ' s ▁ ▁Halle lu j ah !, ▁and ▁oper as ▁such ▁as ▁George ▁G ers h win ' s ▁P org y ▁and ▁B ess . ▁ ▁Rock ▁and ▁roll , ▁do o ▁w op , ▁soul , ▁and ▁R & B ▁developed ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 2 0 th ▁century . ▁These ▁gen res ▁became ▁very ▁popular ▁in ▁white ▁aud ien ces ▁and ▁were ▁influ ences ▁for ▁other ▁gen res ▁such ▁as ▁sur f . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁the ▁do z ens , ▁an ▁urban ▁African - American ▁tradition ▁of ▁using ▁rh ym ing ▁sl ang ▁to ▁put ▁down ▁one ' s ▁enemies ▁( or ▁friends ), ▁and ▁the ▁West ▁Indian ▁tradition ▁of ▁to ast ing ▁developed ▁into ▁a ▁new ▁form ▁of ▁music . ▁In ▁the ▁South ▁Bron x ▁the ▁half ▁speaking , ▁half ▁singing ▁rh yth mic ▁street ▁talk ▁of ▁" ra pping " ▁grew ▁into ▁the ▁h ug ely ▁successful ▁cultural ▁force ▁known ▁as ▁hip ▁hop . ▁ ▁Contempor ary ▁ ▁H ip