What were the most important albums in hip-hop history? Rap was different before that album — and afterwards, it was forever changed?

That's the question that Morning Edition posed to cultural critic Kiana Fitzgerald for its new series Hip-Hop's Game Changers. Fitzgerald is the author of the book, Ode to Hip-Hop: 50 Albums That Define 50 Years of Trailblazing Music.

Hip-hop started at block parties in the Bronx 50 years ago, but it took nearly a decade before the top DJs and MCs immortalized their sound in recording studios.

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