Since hip-hop emerged out of New York City, for a time all rap music was 'East Coast rap.' By 1979, hip-hop parties were being exposed to communities outside the South Bronx--where the music had all started--and this eventually led to the art form being recorded and released on vinyl. Among the first were the Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" and Fatback's "King Tim III." As the music gained momentum, the MC slowly evolved from being the DJ's hype man to become the music's main focal point. Run DMC was the first rap group to legitimize the genre by gaining acceptance from mainstream media. East Coast rap was individualized as a genre after artists from other parts of the United States (chiefly the West Coast) emerged with different styles of hip-hop. As a general rule, East Coast MCs emphasize lyricism coupled with production centered on the use of a drum machine.

Notable Artists: Slick Rick, Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Gang Starr, the Notorious B.I.G., Nas