Kool Herc, a Jamaican DJ, pioneered hip-hop and rap. West African traditional poets initially influenced him. It wasn't long before both became popular and were employed, particularly in American ghettos. Hip hop has evolved over time into many different genres - from old school to new school, west coast rap to east coast rap. Hip hop originated in Bronx, New York in 1973 by DJs Kool Herc, who used turntables and modems to break down barriers between musicians and their audiences, and the MCs (musicians) that performed alongside them. The term "hip hop" was coined by Leroi Jones, an author and activist who lived in Manhattan. In a 1972 article for The Village Voice, he called the emerging music and dance form "hop hop". Herc's parties were so popular that they attracted thousands of people who wanted to hear the new style of music that he had created. This led to conflict with local residents who didn't appreciate the noise Herc was making with his set up, which included a microphone and a phonograph record player. They would break up his sets by throwing bottles at the machine or hitting it with baseball bats. Herc found another way to resolve this issue: he put a dollar bill on the turntable of one of his decks.