Who we are

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Who We Are

The Hip Hop Museum was founded by Rocky Bucano and a group of iconic entrepreneurs and artists including Kurtis Blow, Grandwizzard Theodore, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Joe Conzo Jr., and many others. They joined forces to create the world’s first Hip Hop museum in the Bronx.

MEET OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS AND BOURD OF TRUSTEES

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Rocky Bucano

Business Owner and Entertainment Manager
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Kurtis Blow

Recording Superstar
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Shawn LG Thomas

Music Producer & Host of the Black Spin
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Mickey Bentson

Manager, Ice T
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Grandwizzard Theodore

Inventor of the Scratch
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Joe Conzo Jr

Legendary Photographer
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Grandmaster Melle Mel

Legendary MC
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Rocky Bucano

Business Owner and Entertainment Manager
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Nana Carmen Ashhurst

Chairwoman Emeritus
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Kurtis Blow

Chairman Emeritus
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Rocky Bucano

Executive Director
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Adam Silverstein

Collector & Attorney
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Peter Bittenbender

CEO, Mass Appeal
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Bruce Jackson

Associate General Counsel, Microsoft
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Ruben Diaz Jr.

The 13th Bronx Borough President
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Faith Newman

EVP A&R and Catalog Development, Reservoir Media Management
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Charlane Brown

Attorney
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Lu-Shawn M. Thompson

Entrepreneur 
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Sissi Johnson

Academic and Entrepreneur

MEET OUR FOUNDING MEMBERS AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Rocky Bucano

Business Owner and Entertainment Manager

Kurtis Blow

Recording Superstar

Shawn LG Thomas

Music Producer & Host of the Black Spin

Mickey Bentson

Manager, Ice T

Grandwizzard Theodore

Inventor of the Scratch

Joe Conzo Jr.

Legendary Photographer

Grandmaster Melle Mel

Legendary MC

Nana Carmen Ashhurst

Chairwoman Emeritus

Kurtis Blow

Chairman Emeritus

Rocky Bucano

Executive Director

Adam Silverstein

Collector & Attorney

Peter Bittenbender

CEO, Mass Appeal

Bruce Jackson

Associate General Counsel, Microsoft

Ruben Diaz Jr.

The 13th Bronx Borough President

Faith Newman

EVP A&R and Catalog Development, Reservoir Media Management

Lu-Shawn M. Thompson

Entrepreneur

Sissi Johnson

Academic and Entrepreneur

Meet Our Staff

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Rocky Bucano

President
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SenYon Kelly

Director of Operations
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Donna Davis

Chief Development Officer
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Brett Volker

Chief Brand Officer
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Renee Foster

Director of Communications
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Dr. Courtney Terry

Director of Education
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Denise Allen

Director of Project Management Services
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Reggie Peters

Marketing Manager
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Martin Caba

Manager of Membership Programs
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Adam Silverstein

Director of Archives and Collections
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Paradise Gray

Chief Curator
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Prime Minister Pete Nice

Co-Curator
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SenYon Kelly

Co-Curator
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Elai Tubo

Curator of Sound
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Shawn LG Thomas

Curator of Music Programming
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Mark Green

Chair of Artist Relations
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Vanessa Spiridellis

Archivist
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Asya Blue

Art Direction and Design
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Kylerr Bucano

Social Media Manager
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Tramp Daly

Merchandise and Licensing
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Pamela French

Documentarian and Content Producer
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Kate Harvie

Contributing Writer and Outreach
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Tiara Gray

Social Media Influencer 

Meet Our Advisors

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Edward Young

Senior Advisor
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Robert Reid

Senior Advisor
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Harry Allen

Journalist
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Mandy Aragones

Artist Management
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Dallas Austin

Musician, Songwriter, & Producer
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Will Billings

Financial Executive
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Martin Caba

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Orrin Campbell

Artist/Crypto Advisor
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Mike Carnevale

Technology Futurist at CARNEVALE
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Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis

President, Black Press of America
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Vivian Scott Chew

Music Executive
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Michael A. Dean

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Martha Diaz

Hip Hop Education Center
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Skip Dillard

Radio Executive
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Nicole Duncan-Smith

Hip Hop Editor, Journalist/Author, & Media Maven
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A. Mignon Espy

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Christian Gordon

Asst. Dean of Development, UC Berkeley
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Frederik “Torch” Hahn

German Hip Hop Legend
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Marq Hawkins

West Coast Hip Hop Legend
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Miguel Herrera

Polymath: Data Science/Talent Management
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Michael Holman

Historian
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James Jenkins

Music & Film Executive
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Tracey J. Jordan

Music Executive & Television Producer 
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Neil Levine

Entertainment Executive, THHM Senior Advisor Music Label Relations 
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David Lipsey

Digital Asset Management
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Ralph McDaniels

Video Music Box
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Jennifer R. McZier

Arts Consultant
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Adrian L. Miller

Managing Partner/Executive Producer, Xyion Inc.
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Minister Server

Hip Hop Cultural Strategist
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Thembisa Mshaka

Author & Filmmaker
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Michael Münzer

Apeiron Visuals
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Eric Orr

Fine Artist / Creator Of The First Hip Hop Comic Book
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John Payne

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Jeff Pucillo

TELL-IGNITE
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Dale ‘Rage’ Resteghini

Film & Music Video Director, Writer, Producer
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Richard Rubenstein

Rubenstein Public Relations
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Troy Shelton

Gryscl Entertainment
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Christopher Surrey

Marketing & Creative Strategy Executive
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Dedra N. Tate

Entertainment Executive
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Brett Volker

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Rachel Weingeist

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Jarrod Whitaker

Meet Our CULTURAL AMBASSADORS

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Awesome Two, Teddy Ted, & Special K

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Big Daddy Kane

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Bevi Smith

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Crash

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Christopher “Play” Martin

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DJ Battlecat

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DJ EFN

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DJ Silky D

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DJ Spark

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D-Nice

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Doug E. Fresh

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DJ Hollywood

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Ebro Darden

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Groovy Lew

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Heather B

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Ice T

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Kaos

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King Tee

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Kwame Holland

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