![Background show artwork for The Nod](https://gimlet.spotifycdn.com/hero/fa6bbfb0-ad54-4a61-8e1f-09c46991b58c/fallback.jpg)
The turbulence and violence of the late 1980s pushed hip-hop away from its party music roots, giving birth to a new subgenre: conscious rap. Groups like and Public Enemy and artists like KRS-One became stars, creating music that emphasized pro-Black political messaging. But just as conscious rap was reaching its height, one song threatened to bring the whole movement crashing down.