By Amanda Moses
“I said-a hip, hop, the hippie, the hippie
To the hip hip hop-a you don’t stop the rock
It to the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie
To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat.”
It was a “rappers delight” at Frederick Douglass Academy (FDA) VIII’s “Celebration of Hip Hop” performance on March 1st.
Grades sixth through eighth put on stellar performances highlighting the 50-year history of Hip Hop—which is said to have started in New York City where DJing, freestyle rapping, and break dancing began on the city streets becoming a cultural phenomenon. Trains and boarded up walls became the canvases for graffiti artwork, and words such as MCs and b-boys (break-dancers) were embedded into the American dictionary.
“Today we are gathered to celebrate Black History Month on the first day of Women’s History Month,” Principal Chantal Grandchamps said. “We’ve gathered to honor a particular moment in Black history. For us especially at Frederick Douglass it is not just a month. We pride ourselves in the teaching and learning about all different cultures. In order for you to better know yourself and also for you to honor others. So, today’s performance is but a snippet of time on the impact of hip hop on history.”
Students embraced this part of musical history, and recreated iconic dance moves as they lipped synced to hits by Sugar Hill Gang,Black Street, Notorious Biggie Smalls, Jay Z, TLC and Niki Minaj to name a few.
Photos by Amanda Moses
