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Graffiti art made at our Block Party, the view at the VIP toast (both on August 11th), and the room at our Gala (August 24th)
1973-1983 by BG193 of the Tats Cru (photo by Thrive Collective),
guests in front of the image window introduced during the VIP Toast (photo by Zack O’Malley Greenburg),
and the setup for “50 Years of Hip Hop” at Cipriani Wall Street (photo by Shane Miller)
On August 11, 2023, the day globally recognized by many as the birthday of Hip Hop (shouts to DJ Kool Herc and Cindy Campbell), THHM hosted a block party at Mill Pond Park and a toast for VIPs at the entrance to our location on Exterior Street. The energy was electric, between Van Silk’s RAPAMANIA Showcase, graffiti murals via artists who are part of Thrive Collective, and Red Bull BC One’s Open Cypher, all of which were presented live. If you weren’t able to be with us, check out New York Street’s terrific video on YouTube. An aerial view of the experience can be seen here, thanks to videographers Timur Rakhmatulin and Pamela French and aerial cinematographer Jason Rivera.
The showcase included live performances by Chuck D, Freedom Williams, Melle Mel, everyone on the flyer, and a special appearance by Flava Flav
(shown above and captured perfectly by Elizabeth Feirstein).
Red Bull BC 1 Open Cypher in action
Photographed by Elizabeth Feirstein at Mill Pond Park in Bronx, New York on August 11, 2023
Immediately following the showcase, breakers from around the east coast showed up and skilled out on pavement, inspired by the B-Boys and B-Girls. The performers included legendary Alfred “Pollo” Perez. Mill Pond Park had never been so full of – literally – movers, shakers, and community members.
Flava Flav and Chuck D
Standing in front of the photograph made by Glen E. Friedman, photographed by Pamela French during the VIP Toast at The Hip Hop Museum
in Bronx, New York on August 11, 2023
That afternoon, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson joined executive director Rocky Bucano and the museum’s architect Michael Ford at our in-progress building to inaugurate our first publicly available art. Joined by a litany of renowned leaders, journalists, entertainers, and artists, what was all a dream – back in the day – was brought to visible light thanks to The Notorious B.I.G. (whose lyric from “Juicy” has permanent space on our property) and photographs in our windows taken by Glen E. Friedman, Barron Claiborne, Charlie Ahern, Martha Cooper, Mark Seliger, Christopher Polk, and Hemu Aggarwal. The accomplishments and legacies of pioneer MCs and recent stars have been captured and preserved and are visible on the museum’s exterior.
The Notorious B.I.G. and Missy Elliott (photographs by Barron Claiborne & Mark Seliger),
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (photograph by Hemu Aggarwal),
and DJ Kool Herc & Busy Bee Starski (photograph by Charlie Ahearn)
Each of these was photographed by Glen E. Friedman during the VIP Toast at The Hip Hop Museum in Bronx, New York on August 11, 2023
“One of the highlights of HipHop50 was THHM’s epic toast before the big anniversary show at Yankee Stadium,” said Zack O’Malley Greenburg, guest, THHM donor, and author of the Jay-Z biography Empire State of Mind. “It’s amazing to witness the museum’s progress from idea to institution. In a way, it mirrors the evolution of Hip Hop itself. How fitting that Hip Hop finally has a well-deserved place to record its history as we enter the next 50 years.”
Throughout the afternoon and early evening were mural making, eight in total, each depicting elements and moments during 50 years of Hip Hop. The artists who blessed us with their work – done in person and on site that day – are Tats Cru’s BG183, Bio, and Nicer, Lady Pink, Queen Andrea, Michela “Miki Mu” Muserra x friends, Will Power, and May Bukowski x friends. Their work is shown in order above, via photos taken by Thrive Collective. /
Jeremy Del Rio, Thrive Collective Executive Director, told us, “Hip Hop artistry beautifies public spaces and brings art to the masses. The first element of Hip Hop that captivated the public’s imagination was Graffiti’s visual artistry.” That people surrounded the murals to speak with the artists, and joined Thrive Collective teaching artists Randy Mason, Kevin Toledo, Kadeem Philip, and Andrew “Pips” Lowndes, until sunset confirms Jeremy’s observation.
That all of this happened mere blocks from 1520 Sedgwick Avenue was lost on no one.
THHM does Cipriani
One of the displays arranged for “50 Years of Hip Hop,” photographed by J Boogie at Cipriani Broadway, New York, New York on August 24
The celebration wasn’t over 13 days later. Far from it. On August 24th, luminaries, artists, and guests supported The Hip Hop Museum in advance of our grand opening in 2025 at the Museum’s Inaugural Gala. The culture was met and displayed by landmark renderings and curated archives from the entry point through the banquet hall. You can witness these via this film, courtesy of videographer Timur Rakhmatulin.
Co-hosting with MSNBC’s Ari Melber, Rocky Bucano was joined by icons Dr. Yolanda Whitaker, known to most people as the Hip Hop hitmaker “Yo-Yo,” on the dais and Kool DJ Red Alert on the 1s and the 2s. After we presented awards to Brad Smith (Spirit), Sylvia Rhone (Visionary), Lisa Gomez (Champion), Senator Charles Schumer (Change Maker), and after he received the award for Innovation, Derrick “D-Nice” Jones took to the stage. He was followed uprising R&B star Wé Ani. You’d have thought you were at the Apollo Theater for a sold out show, our guests were so vibrant.
Dr. Michael Eric Dyson
The author and professor spoke at “50 Years of Hip Hop,” photographed by Shane Miller at Cipriani Broadway, New York, New York on August 24, 2023
Following a resonant talk by Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and dinner, the guests were blessedly surprised by De La Soul, where Posdnuos and DJ Maseo reminded everyone why “Me Myself & I,” “Buddy,” “Potholes in My Lawn,” and “A Rolling Skating Jam Named ’Saturdays’” are classic songs forever. They were joined by Talib Kweli, who added “Stakes is High” and “Get By” to what would be a dream playlist for anyone who can hear.
De La Soul’s Posdnuos and legendary MC Talib Kweli
Posdnuos photographed by J Boogie and Talib Kweli photographed by Shane Miller Both photos taken at Cipriani Broadway, New York, New York
on August 24, 2023
THE Hip Hop Museum is announced
The news was broadcast in-house and photographed by J Boogie at Cipriani Broadway, New York, New York on August 24, 2023
Rocky wrapped the night with thanks to all who attended, contributed, and performed, and shared that the museum was now The Hip Hop Museum. We will open to the world in mid-2025.
More photography, and there’s a lot of it, can be seen on our website. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter, and if you’re so moved, please be a part of what we are building. See you soon!
by Kate Harvie, Contributing Writer for The Hip Hop Museum (originally published October 2023)
