The Bridge Wars Remembered

Since it's Throwback Tuesdays, I'm in the mood to take it wayyyy back to the Bridge Wars of the mid '80s in the dawn of hip-hop's golden years. This originally was a battle of the boroughs. Queens rappers MC Shan and Marley Marl came out with a track called "The...

By Jonathan Cunningham

April 29, 2008

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Since it's Throwback Tuesdays, I'm in the mood to take it wayyyy back to the Bridge Wars of the mid '80s in the dawn of hip-hop's golden years.

This originally was a battle of the boroughs. Queens rappers MC Shan and Marley Marl came out with a track called "The Bridge" that posited hip-hop culture in New York was strongest in the borough of Queens. Billing themselves as the Juice Crew, which consisted of Big Daddy Kane, Marley Marl, MC Shan, Roxanne Shante, Mr. Magic, Biz Markie and others, they were considered by many to be the most respected crew in hip-hop at the time. So when "The Bridge" dropped in 1985 it was a major hit but it did spark some controversy.

Led by KRS-One, Bronx rappers Boogie Down Productions begged to differ. And in 1986, BDP dropped this video below sparking one of the first real rap wars.

As if that wasn't enough, BDP followed up with this joint below to help folks remember what part of New York hip-hop really got started in. It's just a couple of fun tracks to listen to on an overcast Tuesday.

--Jonathan Cunningham

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