With the loss of former Billboard reporter Robert "Rocky" Ford Jr. on May 19 at age 70, the hip-hop world mourns the first journalist to chronicle the genre's existence for a mainstream publication.
From his oft-cited "B-Beats Bombarding Bronx" article in a 1978 issue of Billboard to his writing/production work with pioneering rap star Kurtis Blow, Ford's contributions to the genre are justly celebrated.
While he's best remembered for his rap reporting, one is more likely to come across a Ford byline about disco music while browsing old issues of Billboard – hardly surprising, since the genre's international hub was his native New York City and its chart presence far outpaced hip-hop's in the late '70s.
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