Terry Gross

Rodgers' "Good Times" guitar groove was later sampled in the Sugar Hill Gang's 1979 hit "Rapper's Delight," widely considered the first crossover hip-hop song. Originally broadcast in 1996.

McDaniels co-founded Run-D.M.C., the first rap group to have their videos played on MTV, to earn a platinum record and to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Originally broadcast in 1997.

Melle Mel was the rapper on the 1982 hit "The Message." He spoke to Fresh Air in 1998 about the early days of rap, music with a social message and how the genre and his life had changed.