The mid 80s through early 90s were a fascinating transitional period for pop music. Shortly afterwards, rap and pop would become totally symbiotic; here, they’re just starting to pull from each other’s bags of tricks. Pop songs like “Groove Is In The Heart” and “I Wanna Sex You Up” are driven by rap-inspired beats and creative sampling; meanwhile, rap began making use of the pop ‘hook’ on songs like “Friends” and “It Takes Two.” Also in this chapter: earlier, highly influential cuts from Grandmaster Flash and Taana Gardner (with an assist from Larry Levan).