Final answer:
The father and godfather of hip hop played funk music, which served as a foundation for early hip hop, characterized by a rhythmic groove that heavily influenced the genre.
Step-by-step explanation:
The father and godfather of hip hop played music that was a fusion of several genres, but predominantly they drew from the sounds of 1970s funk. This genre of music is characterized by a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums and is often considered the foundation upon which hip-hop was built. Hip hop arose from street musicians who combined elements of funk with beats and lyrics to speak to the experiences of inner-city life with honesty and intensity. Artists like the Last Poets and Gil Scott Heron, as well as Chuck D of Public Enemy are noteworthy for their influential contributions to early hip hop.