This was another following in the eighties before Electro which hung around before mutating into hip hop in 84'.

As Electro was more drum machine based, the old skool style was based on sampling various hooks or "loops"on funk or rare groove records and blended together with a harmless rap over the top e.g starsigns etc..ho hum.  Usually on top of this was scratching of some sort ( you can find out more about this in the vinyl section ) and the essential set-up of 2 turntables and a microphone..... 

A good example of this is Rappers delight by the Sugarhill gang, again truly original and although not strictly eighties , it was in this country.Its influences can still be heard on records today sampling that old skool flavour -check out Beck or the Beastie boys for examples of this.

This scene also spawned the legend known as breakdance and the bboy style with the essential Adidas shell toes which I still wear today.  I had to send away to America for my first pair but now these trainers are widely available here.

Adidas "shelltoe" or superstar

The eighties truly are here again.....

Graffiti or street art was also a big feature ( and still is ) of this culture- check out a book called "subway art" it was published in about 84 but it should still be available.

Artists to check out

Eric b and rakim   Scott la rock  ice t  just ice  sugar bear   mantronix  epmd  grandmaster flash and the furious five  davy dmx  run dmc

you need this plugin to enter the oldskool

good example of breakbeat

sugar bear - oldskool style rap

oldskool loop and stab for DJ to use