BY: PAMELA STERN
This summer marks the milestone of Hip Hop. In its earliest stages Hip Hop music was also called Rap Music. Fifty years of Hip Hop and it seems like it started yesterday. The early pioneers of Hip Hop paved the way for the current artists.
The history of Hip Hop goes far back into the early 70’s, specifically on August11, 1973, when Clive “DJ” Kool Herc Campbell— in the recreation room of the apartment building at 1520 Sedgwick Ave. in the Bronx — reportedly first mixed two copies of the same album into one seamless breakbeat, at what was a Back to School party to raise some money for back to school clothes along with his sister, Cindy Campbell. Hip Hop is not only a style of music but, this music spurred many facets including but, not limited to break dancing, street style clothing, and graffiti. There were movies that showcased all of this: Breaking (1984), and Beat Street (1984).
To commemorate this milestone of Hip Hop Music, a concert was held at Yankee Stadium, this is fitting since the Bronx is the birthplace of Hip Hop. This eight-hour showcase featured many different Hip Hop artists from the Bronx, and from the other boroughs of New York, as well as from the south, and the west coast too!
New York Governor Kathy Hochul spoke to the enthusiastic crowd about how Hip Hop Music paved the way for the younger genera-tion. Hochul had nine-year-old Kayden Hern, Poet Laureate up on the stage with her because she met him outside of the famous Apollo Theatre and asked him what he was doing there and he told her that he is a poet. She promised him that if she got elected as NY State Governor that he could recite his poem at her inauguration (which he did). On the stage at Yankee Stadium, Kayden Hern from Harlem recited his poem called “In My Mind.”
New York State Senator, Chuck Schumer spoke to the crowd and awarded DJ Kool Herc an award as the founder of Hip Hop Music. Schumer stated that he fought to keep 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx open when it was threatened to be torn down.
Dj’s and Hip Hop artists who performed included: Roxanne Shante (Roxanne, Roxanne), Ashanti, Slick Rick (known for Mona Lisa), Doug E Fresh, Kurtis Blow (known for These are the Breaks), Kid Capri, Run DMC, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Lil’ Kim, NAS, Lauryn Hill, Lil Wayne, Trina, Mad Lion, Fat Joe, Remy Ma (Fat Joe, and Remy Ma-were born in NYC), Scar Lip (a new artist from the Bronx, brought out by Snoop Dogg) and his breakout hit “This is New York”, Grandmaster Mellie Mel, The Sugarhill Gang, and more. What was a great surprise to the audience was when Kid Capri brought out a special guest who is no stranger to Yankee Stadium than former NY Yankee Shortstop, Derek Jeter!
Some of the Dj’s paid tribute to other Hip Hop artists and mixed in their music like Biz Markie’s “ Just a Friend”, Naughty by Nature’s “ Hip Hop Hooray”, DMX’s “Party Up”, Newcleus’ “ Jam on It”, Rob Base’s “ It Takes Two”, and Blondie’s “Rapture.” Some of the artists paid tribute to those Hip Hop artists who are no longer here to celebrate this milestone like Biggie Smalls, DMX, Biz Markie, and others.
The performance concluded with Run DMC performing their signature hits: Mary, Mary, It’s Like That, It’s Tricky, King Midas, Peter Piper, Walk This Way and My ADIDAA and they even had ADIDAS sneakers too!
Screenshots by: Pamela Stern
