A 50th birthday party is being thrown for hip-hop next month and everyone is invited to join the history, culture, and fun that’ll be shared.
On Friday, August 11, 2023, hip-hop legend KRS-One will host the celebratory “jam” from the Community Center at 1520 Sedgwick in the Bronx, the exact room where hip-hop was born 50 years ago, according to a press release.
Start at 7 p.m., the party will include a live show featuring performances from a variety of artists who helped shape and move the culture forward over the last half-century.
With KRS hosting, it’s sure to be an informative event with the “Bridge Is Over” emcee educating viewers on hip-hop’s history and how it changed popular culture forever. Dancers, painters, DJs, poets, and rappers will showcase their talents.
The show
will be live-streamed free for all to enjoy at www.birthplaceofhiphop.nyc.“Hip-Hop began in the community room at 1520 Sedgwick. The bond is not only to each other but to build a common appreciation for a positive message about life,” KRS-One said.
“A celebration of man’s creativity and appreciation of that communal spirituality is omnipresent, especially in the Community Center at 1520 Sedgwick.”
After what started as just a small culture created and seen in the Bronx, soon grew to a global reach that brought millions of people around the world together.
“No genre has had such a
constant flow of new emerging artists bringing new elements of that spirit to light over the past 50 years,” KRS contained. “That is not a coincidence, it’s a powerful message, it can’t be stopped.”The birthday celebration has support from New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who worked with KRS-One, DJ Kool Herc, Cindy Campbell, and others to ensure the protection of 1520 Sedgwick Ave by having it preserved and turned into affordable housing and a community center.
“Hip-hop is not just music; it’s the soul of a movement that will forever echo through time, reminding us to stay true to our roots and elevate our voices,” Elder Kurtis Blow Walker, another rap legend, said.
“Here’s to fifty years of Hip-Hop—a testament to the power of culture and a testament to the culture of power.”
RELATED CONTENT: Biz Markie Documentary Coming To Showtime On Hip-Hop’s 50th Birthday