By DJ EFN

Most people have come to associate Miami with South Beach real estate, Cuban cuisine and the bass-heavy music of Uncle Luke. But Miami's hip-hop history runs a lot deeper than that. Few would think of Miami as a playground for b-boys and b-girls, but in the early '90s that's exactly what it was. It's the scene that nurtured my passion for hip-hop and the surrounding culture. The city of Miami would be nothing had it not been for the pioneering music of Luke and 2 Live Crew, Poison Clan, DJ Uncle Al and the Sugar Hill DJs, DJ Laz and Ghetto Style DJs, as well as the blood, sweat and tears shed by the graffiti artists and b-boys.

But for some reason this scene was lost — left out of the history books and denied its proper recognition. It's left to be reminisced about among those that lived it. Many of us veterans still remain and are still strong forces within the Miami hip-hop industry. This is my recollection of this scene, how I experienced it and the people and places that I saw during this period.

In the late '80s and early '90s, New York was the dominant city in regards to hip-hop music and culture, while other cities such as Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston and Chicago were starting to come into their own. Miami had been recognized on the national scene with the success of 2 Live Crew, but it also created a Miami stereotype that made it difficult to take the city seriously as a hip-hop force. Breakdancing pioneers like Chilski and Speedy Legs made sure to inspire young future breakers. The streets of Miami were also covered in art by graffiti crews like Ink Heads, STV, Dam Crew, Aim Crew and BSK, who showcased their talents while avoiding the cops.
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By David Rosario

My name is DRO, or David Rosario as most of my friends know me. I'm a 25-year-old journalist, blogger and hip-hop photographer based out of Miami, Florida. I've pretty much dedicated the last 10 years of my life to covering every aspect of Miami's hip-hop scene and everything associated with it.

I run a Miami-based hip-hop and fashion site called The305.com. The site has been around since 2002 and it has gone through many facelifts, but in the seven years of operation, we've profiled and featured a lot of Miami's hip-hop artists way before they got their chance to be in the mainstream spotlight. I'm talking about featuring Rick Ross before he had his beard. We published one of Pitbull's first interviews. We had DJ Khaled before he had his own radio show. Those are just a few, but I've seen a lot of our artists grow into becoming superstars that have taken our area code toward global status. And seriously, "305" is more than just an area code, it's a lifestyle.

My real passion is photography. I've shot almost every major hip-hop artist in Miami and I've also had a chance to shoot a lot of artists that stop through Miami. I grew up idolizing some of the people I've shot and within the last few years, seeing them and taking photos of them has seemingly become something of the norm for me. And I'm thankful for that.

As a photographer, I've had a lot of memorable shoots throughout the years. Some of my favorite include:

(Check Out More Photos of Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and Other Miami Giants Care of Mr. 305)

» I did a Pitbull photoshoot in front of a bronze map of Cuba during a time when Cubans of all ages were in Miami parading the streets in a later-to-be-known false alarm regarding Fidel Castro's death. It's one of my favorite images because the timing of when it was shot has so much meaning to those who know about it.
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T-Pain's managers, Rocco Valdes and Mike Blumstein of Chase Entertainment, obviously know how to get that mullah. They got their start working in the studio at Slip-N-Slide Records with producer Jim Johnson. One day, the duo were in a parking lot and heard T-Pain's demo through record promoter T.J. Chapman and sought out the singer. Now, in addition to Pain, they help guide the careers of new artists A.B., Sophia Fresh, Young Cash and Sophia Del Carmen, as well as producers Catalyst, All-Star and Detail (who wrote and produced Ray J's "Sexy Can I"). One of their favorite places to break bread? Miami, of course. The pair tell us the spots in Miami that you can get some great business done.

Best Places in Miami to Cut a Deal
» Tootsie's: "Everyone knows Tootsie's," says Valdes. "I've been everywhere, and it's the best strip club in the United States. You take a client to Tootsie's and get a table and throw beautiful women over them all night, and the deal is done."

» Philippe at the Gansevoort South Hotel: "Good food and drinks and beautiful women," Blumstein advises. "It gives people a feel of Miami and is a great place to get someone drunk and negotiate better terms. This is for the more reserved clients."

» Nobu: "Can't go wrong with this spot because this is a lot of people's favorite restaurant," Valdes adds. "Easy deal closer."
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We already know that Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama is a fan of hip-hop. Now Jay-Z, one of the artists he's given a shout-out to on the campaign trail, will return the favor this weekend by putting on two free shows encouraging young voters to get out and support Obama in Detroit and Miami.

Read more about Jay-Z's concerts for Obama here.