Final answer:
Early hip-hop was heavily influenced by 1970s funk and innovative DJs from the South Bronx, later spreading globally through contagious and stimulus diffusion and adapting to local cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most important musical influences on early hip-hop include 1970s funk, the lyrical intensity and honesty of artists like The Last Poets and Gil Scott Heron, and the innovative DJ techniques that replaced traditional instrumentation. Early hip-hop was born in the South Bronx and is considered a cultural hearth for the genre. The genre then spread through contagious diffusion, first influencing nearby parts of New York, and eventually reaching global recognition. Acts like DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and Public Enemy signaled hip-hop's spread beyond its origins. Over time, as hip-hop diffused through various forms including stimulus diffusion, it adapted to local preferences, leading to new sub-genres such as gangsta rap in Los Angeles. Hip-hop's global influence is also evidenced by its adoption in places like Japan, the Middle East, and its recognition in prestigious awards like the Pulitzer Prize won by Kendrick Lamar.