New York State Recognises the Birthplace of Hip-Hop

BY Cam LindsayPublished Jul 19, 2007

The State of New York has recognised the birthplace of hip-hop, 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, as an official landmark.

A press conference announcing the address's status will be held on Monday, July 23. The New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation stated it "meets the eligibility criteria being that it is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history."

The event will also pay tribute to the father of hip-hop DJ Kool Herc, who Time Magazine recently called "the innovator of hip-hop." Herc, whose real name is Clive Campbell, began throwing parties at the historical address back in 1973 where he cut up funk and soul records on the turntables, thus developing what we've come to know as hip-hop.

Currently 1520 Sedgwick is on the market, and in danger of being sold by owners BSR Management, which is looking to turn what is now a complex for low-income residents into a private investor.

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