The Icons That Built America returns with a new episode, “Fight the System: Hip Hop & Grunge,” airing on History on Sunday, August 4, 2024.
In the late 1980s, a small-time drug dealer from Compton, California, formed a hip-hop group that would challenge the norms of the music industry. Their brand of “reality rap” drew intense backlash from law enforcement and the government, who sought to silence their provocative voice.
Meanwhile, in Seattle, a rock band emerged, channeling the angst and disillusionment of suburban life into a new sound. As they broke into the mainstream, both groups faced external pressures from the music establishment and their own internal struggles.
From the controversial lyrics of N.W.A to the groundbreaking sound of grunge, these artists left an indelible mark on American culture. However, their journeys were not without turmoil, and the episode examines the inner demons that plagued them as they fought to maintain their artistic integrity.
The Icons That Built America: Fight the System: Hip Hop & Grunge airs on Sunday, August 4, 2024, on History.
