Northwest Hip Hop Timeline
King Khazm and Bler One formed MAD Krew (or Madness After Dark), as a graffiti and Hip Hop crew that cultivated a presence in South Seattle.
Digable Planets, a group led by Seattle artist Ishmael Butler, aka Butterfly, releases its debut album, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space).
Georgio Brown broadcasts the first episode of Coolout Network on Seattle Community Access Network (SCAN).
Criminal Nation from Tacoma releases its debut album, Release the Pressure, on NastyMix Records.
Jonathan “Worddayer” Moore and Negus 1 combine to form the group Source of Labor.
Cousins Mia “Angel Face” Black and Doretha “Playmate” Johnson form the Emerald Street Girls.
Eddie “Sugar Bear” Wells, James “Captain Crunch” Croone, and Robert “Sweet J” Jamerson form the Emerald Street Boys. “Nasty” Nes Rodriguez is the DJ.
1250 KKFx’s (KFOX) FreshTracks hosted by “Nasty” Nes Rodriguez becomes the first all-rap radio show on the West Coast.
Eddie “Sugar Bear” Wells and James “Captain Crunch” Croone form The Terrible 2. They lose a rap contest to Gary Jam and Big Boss Cross (aka Jam Delight), at Lateef’s, Seattle’s first hip-hop club.
Radio station KYAC 1250 AM changes its call letters to KKFX (KFOX).
The Rocket, a local alternative arts and music newspaper, is launched.
KYAC 1250 AM program director Robert L. Scott plays “Rapper’s Delight” on Seattle radio for the first time in October.
The Sugarhill Gang release their landmark single “Rapper’s Delight” on New Jersey-based Sugar Hill Records on September 16.
On May 6, 1908, Local Lodge #29 of the Danish Brotherhood celebrated the grand opening of Washington Hall.