Almost 40 years ago , the 20th century 's most influential sub-culture was born . Today , hip hop is a way of life that dominates fashion , music , art , dance and advertizing . It is a far cry from the humble beginnings of experimental rap , graffiti , and break-dancing in the run-down areas of 1970s New York City , which sparked a revolution . Watching from the sidelines were photographers Janette Beckman , Joe Conzo and Martha Cooper . And now , their glimpses inside the seminal years between 1977 and 1990 will be put on show at the Museum Of The City Of New York . Revolutionary : This image of The Almight Kay Gee , of the Cold Crush Brothers in 1981 , is one of 80 documenting the start of hip hop . Fashion , dance and music : JDL of Cold Crush enraptures a crowd at Skatin Palace in 1981 . Iconic : New York City 's experimental artists , including JDL and Grandmaster Caz pictured at Club Negril in 1981 , led the movement . Breaking : Martha Cooper captures the High Times Crew break-dancing outside Washington Heights police station in 1980 . Little Crazy Legs strikes an impromptu pose during a shoot for Wild Style at Riverside Park , Manhattan , in 1983 . The series charts early performances of the Cool Crush Brothers in the early 1980s , and impromptu breakdances on the streets of Manhattan . In one shot DJ Kool Herc , who is widely credited with creating hip hop by fusing the violent Bronx culture with early disco , stares down the barrel of the lens from behind tinted , wide-rimmed sunglasses . Other key figures are seen posing for their first photo shoots , including the members of Boogie Down Productions , a hip hop group from the Bronx which masterminded a fusion of dancehall and reggae . Big Daddy Kane , one of the most revered rappers in history who found fame with the Juice Crew in 1986 , exhibits the archetypal haircut for hip hop fans during his hey day of 1988 . Afrika Bambaataa , who pioneered electro funk , poses for London-born photographer Janette Beckman in front of a graffiti-strewn brick wall in 1983 , in a nod to the street roots of the movement . And Queen Latifah , who made waves by rapping about domestic violence in 1990 , also makes an appearance . Later photos show the colorful album covers produced for girl band Salt N Pepa and Busta Rhymes . The exhibition will run from April 1 to September 15 . Mainstream : The movement bore global acts such as Salt N Pepa , pictured in 1987 , as it came to dominate the music industry . Rapper KRS-One and DJ Scott La Rock , pictured in 1987 , rose to fame with Boogie Down Productions . Cold Crush 's Tony Tone poses up alongside Kool Herc , a DJ widely credited with inventing hip hop , in 1979 . Charlie Chase of the Cold Crush Brothers at Norman Thomas High School in 1981 . Big Daddy Kane , pictured in 1988 , found fame with the Juice Crew in 1986 . He is known as one of the most highly-skilled rappers to date . Afrika Bambaataa , who pioneered electro funk , poses for London-born photographer Janette Beckman in front of a graffiti-strewn brick wall in 1983 , in a nod to the street roots of the movement . Busta Rhymes , a member of the rap group Leaders Of The New School , is pictured in a promotional shot in 1990 . Queen Latifah cemented her place in the annals of hip hop history by rapping about women 's issues and domestic violence . Long Island became a satellite hub for hip hop , from which EPMD ( photographed in 1989 ) was borne . Chuck D and Flava Flav , of Public Enemy , exhibit typical styles of the time in 1987 . Filmmaker Charlie Ahearn , who made the hip hop movie Wild Style , is pictured on set in 1982 . LL Cool J , with Cut Creator , E Love and B-Rock in Manhattan in 1987 .
Three photographers Janette Beckman , Joe Conzo and Martha Cooper charted 1987-1990 in New York . Experimental rappers , breakdancers , DJs , and graffiti artists were rising up from the Bronx to create hip hop . The early pioneers such as Cool Crush Brothers , Museum Of The City Of New York and Kool Herc changed the industry . These images from a set of 80 exhibited at Boogie Down Productions give glimpse into the hey day .