Do you remember those big stereos from rap and hip-hop clips from the 80s and 90s? Yes, the ones that the rappers carried on their shoulders! This huge mega sound device has a name - a boombox. It is a portable inexpensive music system capable of playing AM/FM radio stations, cassettes, CDs and other types of recorded music, including mp3. Electronic companies first introduced the boombox in the late 70s, but they quickly gained popularity and became a part of mainstream culture by the 80s.