For the inspired innovation of playing a montage of breaks instead of whole records, Kool Herc is the founding father of hip hop. In this brilliant 1998 interview he takes us on a guided tour of the sacred sites of early hip hop.

An access-all-areas pass to the early years of hip hop. Wonderful unguarded photos from when it was all still a party.

The great ambassador of hip hop waxes lyrical about the early scene with a sense of detail that puts you right in the heart of the action.

Wowed by the first flowerings of hip hop, Englishwoman Ruza Blue gave the emerging culture a wild weekly showcase at her legendary nights at the Roxy.

Hip-hop history is mostly made of records and clubs, John Klaess shows that radio deserves more of a look-in, arguing that these on-air communities were key to the development of the culture.