1989

1989 NEWS

In January, the Arsenio Hall Show premiers, making more space for black artists on late night TV.

Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing releases in July

In October, the FBI sent a letter to Ruthless Records, admonishing N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton” – this led to widespread protests of NWA’s music, and backlash against rap, in general.

Rappers boycotted the 1989 Grammy awards, led by Def Jam Records

Galileo Spacecraft Launches in October, sent off to study Jupiter 

The Cold War ends, and the Berlin Wall comes down

The Nintendo Game Boy is released in July

George Bush Sr. Becomes president

Source Magazine launches