{"id":1186579,"date":"2023-05-31T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/?p=1186579"},"modified":"2023-05-31T20:06:34","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T00:06:34","slug":"hip-hops-50th-anniversary-tops-black-music-month-agenda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/hip-hops-50th-anniversary-tops-black-music-month-agenda\/","title":{"rendered":"Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary Tops Black Music Month Agenda"},"content":{"rendered":"
Black Music Appreciation Month kicks off on June 1, and with major concerts filling arenas and stadiums globally, much attention continues to focus on the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.<\/p>
\u201cWe changed the world of music as we know it,\u201d said Theodore Livingston, the groundbreaking DJ known as Grand Wizzard Theodore. <\/p>
\u201cTime has gone by really quickly, but I\u2019m so happy to be a part of something bigger than I am,\u201d Livingston added.\u201cWhen I think about the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, I think about the DJs, MCs, bee-boppers, and others who are not here anymore. But, instead, those are the ones we should be honoring because this is a culture that changed the world.\u201d<\/p>
During a visit to the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) midwinter conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in February, Universal Hip Hop Museum Executive Director Rocky Bucano said the city of New York and Mayor Eric Adams have teamed with the museum for a year-long celebration that includes activities throughout the five boroughs and a global hip-hop concert.\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cThe 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop is a global movement that speaks to the grit, voice, and power of how it came to be in the first place \u2014 we used our voices when they tried to silence us,\u201d said hip-hop legend KRS-One, who in April announced a unique way of celebrating the milestone anniversary by taking residency at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx \u2013 the birthplace of hip-hop.<\/p>
The icon, whose real name is Kris Parker, launched a series of community-based programs and a hip-hop masterclass.<\/p>
\u201cWe created the culture because we wanted to stand out and stand up for our artistry. Hip-hop is the people\u2019s movement,\u201d Parker asserted. <\/p>
\u201cI am excited to showcase this to the world in the space where it all began at 1520 Sedgwick in the Community Center. It feels right to be here, where it all began.\u201d<\/p>
Also, Amazon Music announced it would honor the genre\u2019s influence on music, culture, and society with \u201c50 & Forever,\u201d which the company said would celebrate hip-hop\u2019s legacy and highlight the artists of the future. <\/p>
Rotation\u2019s \u201c50 & Forever\u201d intends to recognize the significance of hip-hop through curated events, live streams, playlists, original content, and brand-new music distributed on platforms like Amazon Music, Twitch, Audible, Amp, and Prime Video.<\/p>
\u201cThis year, hip-hop fans around the world will come together to mark one of the culture\u2019s most important milestones: the 50th anniversary of hip-hop,\u201d Tim Hinshaw, head of hip-hop and R&B for Amazon Music, told Essence. <\/p>
\u201cMore than music, hip-hop has broken barriers and redefined culture across fashion, sports, film, and social movements. From art to activism, hip-hop hasn\u2019t just changed history but is history, and \u201950 & Forever\u2019 pays tribute to the indelible mark that hip-hop has made on the culture,\u201d Hinshaw stated.<\/p>
With an earlier celebration at the 2023 Grammy Awards, this year\u2019s BET Awards also honored hip-hop with special performances and appearances.<\/p>