 And Questlove's put that knowledge to good use with co-author Ben Greenman. Their new book, Hip Hop is History, is a deep dive into the music genre. The BBC's Nick Ahard spoke to Questlove, who explained that although the birth of hip hop is usually dated back to 1973 when DJ Kool Herc mixed a record at a New York block party, the actual roots of the music spirit go back a lot further.