151: Listen Now: Class of 88 Featuring Will Smith

All Def SquADDCast

All Def

Improv, Comedy

5 • 780 Ratings

🗓️ 13 February 2024

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the US, hip hop reigns as the genre that influences every aspect of our culture. From
fashion to film, the dominance of this prolific sound can be traced back to one year -
1988.
From Public Enemy to The Fresh Prince, these twelve months gave rise to the
superstars and styles that still resonate in songs released today. Through the unique
perspective and personal experiences of Will Smith, Class of ’88 reveals the milestone
moments, albums and artists that inspired a sonic evolution and secured 1988 as hip

hop’s most important year. Rich with archival material, new interviews with hip hop’s
biggest stars, and personal recollections from Will himself, Class of ’88 delivers fresh
untold stories from the year that hip hop overcame the forces that were hell bent on
blocking its rise.
This series features interviews and stories from the revolutionary Artists that impacted
that year and many more afterwards, including: Queen Latifah, Jazzy Jeff, DMC, Salt-N-
Pepa, Chuck D, Fab Five Freddy, Rakim, Slick Rick, DJ Red Alert, and Rick Rubin.
Follow Class of ‘88 on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can
binge all episodes of Class of ‘88 early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ in the
Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Listen now:

Wondery.fm/C88_ADS

Transcript

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0:00.0	Today, hip-hop dominates pop culture, influencing every genre of music, from country to K-pop.
0:07.1	But it wasn't always like that.
0:09.1	And the story of how that change can be traced back to a single year, 1988.
0:15.5	From Wondery and Audible comes Class of 88, a new podcast hosted by Will Smith and the one game-changing year that sparked the world's obsession with rap and hip-hop.
0:27.6	Before 1988, a lot of people didn't take hip-hop seriously.
0:31.9	People said hip-hop was a fad, and the big record labels at the time wanted nothing to do with the genre of music that they couldn't control.
0:40.4	But hip hop touches.
0:42.0	Today, everything from film to fashion to sports.
0:46.2	So what changed?
0:47.8	Will Smith would talk and walk you through the historical moments and milestones from that year.
0:53.9	Interview superstars who were in
0:55.5	the room, and reveal never before heard stories about legends like public enemy, salt and pepper,
1:02.4	Queen Latifah, and Chuck D. I'm about to play a clip from Class of 88.
1:08.5	Follow Class of 88 on the Wondery app
1:11.0	or wherever you get your podcast.
1:17.5	To show.
1:21.3	Back when I was a teenager,
1:23.5	before hip-hop ruled the world,
1:25.5	there was a DJ competition called the Battle for World Supremacy.
1:29.8	Every year, the best DJs would cram into a hotel ballroom in Times Square to fight for the title of world champion.
1:38.0	In 1986, my guy, DJ Jazzy Jeff, made it into the lineup.
1:44.7	You know, so we mobbed up there, Philly style, to cheer him on.
	...

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