Artists / Conscious Hip-Hop

KRS-One

"The Teacha": Bronx MC of Boogie Down Productions and one of the founders of conscious hip-hop.

Key albums
Criminal Minded (Boogie Down Productions)By All Means Necessary (Boogie Down Productions)Return of the Boom Bap
Key tracks
South BronxThe Bridge Is OverMy PhilosophySelf Destruction (Stop the Violence Movement)Sound of da Police

Who is KRS-One?

KRS-One (Lawrence Parker) is a rapper from The Bronx, New York. With DJ Scott La Rock, who was killed in 1987, he formed Boogie Down Productions.

Known for

The albums Criminal Minded (1987) and By All Means Necessary (1988), the "Bridge Wars" with MC Shan and the Juice Crew ("South Bronx", "The Bridge Is Over"), and "Sound of da Police" (1993). He started the Stop the Violence Movement, which recorded "Self Destruction".

Style

A loud, authoritative voice and a preacher's delivery. His lyrics are about knowledge, self-respect, police violence and the history of hip-hop, often with Jamaican dancehall influences.

Impact

KRS-One is one of the godfathers of conscious hip-hop and a lifelong teacher of hip-hop culture. Countless lyricists, from Common to Black Star, followed his lead.

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