Urban music went mainstream in the late 1980s, and few programs spread the hip-hop revolution faster or further than MTV’s two-hour program devoted to it. In 1988, MTV invited New York City radio DJs Doctor Dre and Ed Lover and noted street artist Fab 5 Freddy to host Yo! MTV Raps, adapted from an existing show on the network’s European counterpart. The program featured videos from and interviews with some of the biggest names in rap history, including Run DMC, Public Enemy, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, LL Cool J and Salt-N-Pepa. It ran until 1995.
Top 10 MTV Moments
For everyone who remembers when MTV used to play music videos, the news that the cable channel had removed the phrase "Music Television" from its logo only made its long metamorphosis into a reality-tv channel official. TIME takes a look at some of the best moments in MTV history.
