Hip-hop history continues to grow as it approaches its fourth decade, and the greats of the rap, b-boy and graffiti scenes are set to get their due in New York via the opening of the tributary Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum in Midtown Manhattan and Harlem.
New York Daily News reports that there are plans to erect two separate institutions celebrating the hip-hop genre, which will reportedly display memorabilia such as turntables and posters and more. According to museum organizer JT Thompson, a former producer of the BET network's Hip Hop Hall of Fame Awards, artists contributing to the museum include Run-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Outkast, Young Jeezy, Common, Eminem, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa.
"This will be the home of hip-hop history," he said, adding the focus won't be put solely on performers. "People need to understand the importance of hip-hop, the elements, the DJs, the B-boys and B-girls and the graffiti writers."
The Harlem site is said to feature a 12,000-square-foot museum space, and also include a TV studio, a juice shop, and house a youth education program. The Midtown locale will have a larger, 50,000-square-foot museum space, and offer 90-minute tours and an interactive exhibit for fans. Plans are to start groundbreaking in 2015, with the Museum expected to open in 2017.
Artists Afrika Bambaataa, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Grandmaster Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz Brown (a.k.a. the "Four Fathers" of hip-hop) had lobbied for the museum to be opened in Bronx, the birthplace of hip-hop. While organizers had initially eyes the Kingsbridge Armory as a possible location for the institution, it will instead be turned into a national skating centre for 2017.
The total cost of the Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum project is projected at $80 million, with $50 million having already been raised so far. An Indiegogo campaign is currently trying to raise more funds. You can find out more about the project over here.
New York Daily News reports that there are plans to erect two separate institutions celebrating the hip-hop genre, which will reportedly display memorabilia such as turntables and posters and more. According to museum organizer JT Thompson, a former producer of the BET network's Hip Hop Hall of Fame Awards, artists contributing to the museum include Run-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Outkast, Young Jeezy, Common, Eminem, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa.
"This will be the home of hip-hop history," he said, adding the focus won't be put solely on performers. "People need to understand the importance of hip-hop, the elements, the DJs, the B-boys and B-girls and the graffiti writers."
The Harlem site is said to feature a 12,000-square-foot museum space, and also include a TV studio, a juice shop, and house a youth education program. The Midtown locale will have a larger, 50,000-square-foot museum space, and offer 90-minute tours and an interactive exhibit for fans. Plans are to start groundbreaking in 2015, with the Museum expected to open in 2017.
Artists Afrika Bambaataa, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Grandmaster Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz Brown (a.k.a. the "Four Fathers" of hip-hop) had lobbied for the museum to be opened in Bronx, the birthplace of hip-hop. While organizers had initially eyes the Kingsbridge Armory as a possible location for the institution, it will instead be turned into a national skating centre for 2017.
The total cost of the Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum project is projected at $80 million, with $50 million having already been raised so far. An Indiegogo campaign is currently trying to raise more funds. You can find out more about the project over here.