1973:
- DJ Kool Herc's block party in the Bronx, the birth of Hip Hop

1979:
- Sugar Hill Gang releases Rappers Delight

1982:
- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five release "The Message"

1983:
- Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons form Def Jam Recordings

1984:
- Run-D.M.C. releases debut album, Run-D.M.C

1985:
- Def Jam Records releases first full length album, LL Cool J's Radio
- The start of the "Bridge Wars" fued

1986:
- Run-D.M.C. releases third studio album, Raising Hell
- Beastie Boys release debut album, Licensed to Ill
- Ice-T releases the single 6 in the Mornin'

1987:
- Public Enemy releases debut album, Yo! Bum Rush The Show
- Eric B. and Rakim release debut album, Paid in Full
- N.W.A/Eazy E release Boyz-n-the-Hood
1988:
- N.W.A releases debut album, Straight Outta Compton
- Public Enemy releases sophomore album, It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back

1989:
- Ice Cube leaves N.W.A
- Kool G Rap & DJ Polo release their debut album Road to the Riches.

1990:
- Ice Cube releases solo debut, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

1991:
- N.W.A releases second and final album, EFIL4ZAGGIN
- Dr. Dre leaves N.W.A, launches Death Row Records with the assistance of Suge Knight, The D.O.C., & Dick Griffey
- 2Pac releases debut album, 2Pacalypse Now

1992:
- MC Ren releases solo debut, Kizz My Black Azz EP
- Ice-T and Body Count release "Cop Killer"
- Dr. Dre releases solo debut, The Chronic

1993:
- Snoop Dogg releases debut album, Doggystyle
- Wu-Tang Clan releases debut album Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

1994:
- The Notorious B.I.G. releases debut album, Ready to Die
- 2Pac is robbed and shot 5 times in New York recording studio
- Nas releases his highly influential debut, Illmatic
1995:
- 2Pac releases third studio album, Me Against the World
- Eazy E dies of AIDS-related complications
- The 1995 Source Awards controversy
- Mobb Deep releases classic album The Infamous
- Raekwon releases classic album OB4CL
- GZA releases classic album Liquid Swords

1996
- Dr. Dre leaves Death Row Records, forms Aftermath Entertainment
- Snoop Dogg cleared of murder charges
- Jay Z releases debut album, Reasonable Doubt
- 2Pac murdered in drive-by shooting in Las Vegas

1997:
- Notorious B.I.G. murdered in drive-by shooting in LA
- Notorious B.I.G.'s 2nd album, and 1st posthumous album, Life After Death, is released

1998:
- Big Pun releases Capital Punishment

1999:
- Big L killed in drive-by shooting in Harlem
- Eminem releases major label debut, The Slim Shady LP
- Dr. Dre releases long-awaited second album, The Chronic 2001
2000:
- 50 Cent is shot 9 times
- Big Pun dies of a heart attack
- Eminem releases The Marshall Mathers LP

2001:
- Eminem performs "Stan" with Elton John at 2001 Grammy Awards
- Jay Z-Nas feud officially commences
- Jay-Z releases The Blueprint

2002:
- Eminem releases The Eminem Show and stars in 8 Mile
- Eminem releases "Lose Yourself"
- Jam Master Jay murdered in New York recording studio

2003:
- 50 Cent releases major-label debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'

2004:
- Eminem releases Encore

2005:
-The Game releases debut album, The Documentary
- 50 Cent's The Massacre sells 1.14 million copies in its first week of release
- 50 Cent drops Game from G-Unit Records, and Game leaves Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment

2006:
- Rapper Proof is fatally shot in Detroit nightclub

2007:
- Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 50 Cent's Curtis sales battle with Kanye West's Graduation
- Eminem overdoses on methadone, collapses in bathroom

2008: Lil Wayne releases Tha Carter III

2009:
- Eminem releases Relapse, his first album since Encore
- Drake releases his third official mixtape, So Far Gone
- Run D.M.C. inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

2010:
- Drake releases debut studio album, Thank Me Later
- Eminem releases Recovery
- Guru of Gangstarr fame dies
- Kanye West releases My Meautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2011:
- Nate Dogg dies
- Drake releases Take Care
- Drake releases The Motto

2012:
- Beastie Boys inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Kendrick Lamar releases major-label debut, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
- Capital Steez commits suicide

2013:
- Public Enemy inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Eminem releases The Marshall Mathers LP 2
- Lord infamous dies

2014:
- Run the Jewels releases critically acclaimed album RTJ2
- Mobb Deep releases their final album The Infamous Mobb Deep

2015:
- N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton released in theaters
- Sean Price of Heltah Skeltah dies
- Drake and Meek Mill beef
- Kendrick Lamar releases To Pimp a butterfly

2016:
- N.W.A inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Phife Dawg of ATCQ dies
- ATCQ releases their final album

2017:
- Prodigy of Mobb Deep dies
- Lil Peep dies