# Remembering When East Coast Hip-Hop Stars Joined in the Charity Single Trend in 1989

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/remembering-when-east-coast-hip-hop-stars-joined-in-the-charity-single-trend-in-1989/
- Published: 2026-07-30T10:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-30T10:14:13+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/remembering-when-east-coast-hip-hop-stars-joined-in-the-charity-single-trend-in-1989/
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- “Self Destruction” united major rappers against violence in 1989.
- KRS-One organised the song through the Stop The Violence Movement.
- The charity single raised over $100,000.

## Summary

In 1989, KRS-One brought together leading East Coast hip-hop artists for “Self Destruction”, a charity single opposing violence. The track mattered because it adapted the established all-star benefit-song format to rap while retaining the energy, creativity and directness of a major collaborative hip-hop record.

The project emerged from the Stop The Violence Movement after violence affected Boogie Down Productions’ community, including DJ Scott La Rock’s 1987 killing and the death of a fan at a 1988 concert. Contributors included Kool Moe Dee, Heavy D, Doug E. Fresh and Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Flavor Flav; LL Cool J, prevented from performing by his label, helped MC Lyte write her verse. Produced by KRS-One, D Nice and Hank Shocklee, the single received heavy hip-hop radio and MTV exposure and raised more than $100,000 for the Urban Defense League.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.