The Hip Hop Years is a three part series of one hour television documentaries, made for Channel 4 in 1999.
The series charts the definitive story of Hip Hop, rising from the streets of the Bronx to become, what Upshal calls, "the new Rock'n'Roll".
[2] The programmes combine archive clips and performance from TV, movies and music videos with specially shot material and interviews with key players.
Contributors include Chuck D and Hank Shocklee from Public Enemy, Darryl McDaniels from Run-D.M.C., Rza from The Wu Tang Clan, Ice-T, Eminem, Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer, Ice Cube, Tom Silverman, Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin, Fab Five Freddy, Afrika Bambaataa, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Flash and Kool DJ Herc.
He also produced the 33-track compilation CD [3] which accompanied the series and co-wrote the book with Alex Ogg, also titled The Hip Hop Years.