Legacy of Marva Whitney
Artists and genres Marva Whitney directly influenced — one hop forward on the family tree of music.
Pete RockartistPeter O. Phillips, better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, and is often mentioned alongside DJ Premier, RZA, and Q-Tip as one of the mainstays of 1990s East Coast hip hop production. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Early on in his career, he was also famed for his remix work.
Public EnemyartistPublic Enemy is an American hip-hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as American racism and the American media. Their debut album, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, was released in 1987 to critical acclaim, and their second album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988), was the first hip-hop album to top The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics' poll. Their next three albums, Fear of a Black Planet (1990), Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black (1991), and Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age (1994), were also well received. The group has since released eleven more studio albums, including the soundtrack to the 1998 sports-drama film He Got Game and a collaborative album with Paris, Rebirth of a Nation (2006). Their most recent album, Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025, was released in 2025.
DJ Koolartist
Swayartist"Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)" is a 1981 song by Ottawan. It was the band's second-biggest international hit single, after their 1979 hit "D.I.S.C.O.". The song reached the top 5 across Europe and became a number one for eight consecutive weeks in New Zealand. It was not released in North America until 1991 as a remix.
Mac Millerartist
Maceo Parkerartist
Fred Wesleyartist
Lyn CollinsartistGloria Lavern Collins, better known as Lyn Collins, was an American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s and for the influential 1972 funk single, "Think ".
The Transatlanticsartist
Sharon Jonesartist