The hip-hop movement emerged in the mid-1970s out of the social dislocations and
structural changes that formed the post-industrial urban climate of the South Bronx; one of
the poorest communities in New York City—and the country—at the time (Martinez 1997,
272). It was an area of urban decay and cultural tension that was fraught with gang violence.
As prominent hip-hop figure Afrika Bambataa says in the documentary on turntablism called
Scratch, the Bronx was often called “Little Vietnam; it was crazy at one time, when even the
police wouldn’t come in.” Bambataa is credited with starting the Zulu Nation that aimed to
turn gang affiliations into something positive through the vehicle of hip-hop in all its forms.
Suddenly the urge to demonstrate territorial dominance began to be expressed through battles
in breakdancing and rap, rather than with weapons and fists (McGuigan et al 1984).
Everything about hip-hop in its original form can be read as a statement of protest and
condemnation to the dominant culture, which was born out of frustration with the system of
institionalized racism that left marginalized groups with minimal power both economically
and politically (Martinez 1997).