Hip-Hop is the most popular genre of music in the world. In less than half of a century, the music that originated in the Bronx and can now be heard in the far corners of Siberia has transformed every part of life imaginable.
And so, just as Capitol Hill felt compelled to make Juneteenth a national holiday, it has also doubled back to recognize August 11 as the official birthday of rap music and the culture that birthed it. On Thursday, July 29, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution to make the date from now on the “National Hip Hop Celebration Day” in the U.S.
The Senate tweeted out, “By unanimous consent, the Senate passed S.Res.331 (A resolution designating August 11, 2021, as ‘Hip Hop Celebration Day,’ designating August 2021 as ‘Hip Hop Recognition Month,’ and designating November 2021 as ‘Hip Hop History Month’)”
In addition to the culture getting its own day, August will be now recognized as “Hip Hop Recognition Month” and November will be established as “Hip Hop History Month.”
There is a very important reason why August 11 is considered Hip-Hop’s birthday.
On that day in 1973, Bronx native Clive “DJ Kool Herc” Campbell threw a “Back to School Jam” for his sister Cindy Campbell in the recreational room at 1520 Sedgwick Ave. The party was to raise money for some fresh new school gear: ladies paid 25¢ and the fellas paid 50¢.
From this humble beginning, a whole new way of living emerged. The important is the movement that the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. and the National Museum of African American Music has entire wings dedicated to its preservation.
Now, thanks to a generous donation from New York politicians, Microsoft, and so many rap music patrons and donors, Hip-Hop will not only have its own day, and two months but it’s a dedicated museum.
Slated to open in 2024, the Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) will be the first official institution dedicated to documenting the culture in its entirety.
According to Rocky Bucano, it will be a “Museum, not a Mausoleum,” and a place for legacy artists to be honored and current artists to be embraced.
As a part of Hip Hop Recognition month and the New York City homecoming week, UHHM is partnering with Mayor Bill De Blasio to produce a free multi-borough “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” concert series.
Video Music Box’s Ralph McDaniels will host four days of programming. The concert schedule and performers are as follows:
First Stop: Orchard Beach in The Bronx on Monday, August 16 (3:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.)
- KRS One
- Slick Rick
- Remy Ma
- Busy Bee
- CL Smooth
- DJ Hollywood
- DJ Jazzy Joyce
- DJ Kevie Kev
- Fantastic Five
- Furious 5 featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio
- Grandwizzard Theodore
- Joeski Love
- Kid Capri
- Nice & Smooth
- PopMaster Fabel
- Soulsonic Force
- T La Rock
- Ultramagnetic MC’s
Second Stop: Richmond County Bank Park on Staten Island on Tuesday, August 17 (4:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.)
- Raekwon
- Ghostface Killah
- Crystal Waters
- DJ Chuck Chillout
- EPMD
- Force MDs
- Hakim Green
- HeeSun Lee
- Kool Keith
- Lizzy Ashliegh
- Pharoahe Monch
- Rikki
- Rob Base
Third Stop: Brooklyn Army Terminal in Brooklyn on Thursday, August 19 (4:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.)
- Big Daddy Kane
- Desiigner
- C&C Music Factory
- DJ Mister Cee
- Elle Varner
- Judy Torres
- Lizzy Ashliegh
- Maino
- Obasi Jackson
- Papoose
- PopMaster Fabel
- Special Ed
- Stetsasonic
- Sweet Sensation
- Young Devyn
Fourth Stop: Forest Hills Stadium in Queens on Friday, August 20 (4:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.)
- George Clinton & The P-Funk All Stars with Special Guests – Too $hort
- DJ Hurricane
- DJ Wiz
- EPMD
- Mobb Deep
- Yo-Yo
Free tickets for all four concerts will be copped at nyc.gov/HomecomingWeek starting on Monday, August 2 at 10 a.m. EDT.