Eric Adams has declared himself New York City’s first “Hip Hop Mayor.”
The declaration came after Adams approved $5.5 million in funding for the Bronx Universal Hip Hop Museum, which is scheduled to have its grand opening in 2024.
“First time in New York City history, we have a Hip Hop mayor,” Adams said during a press conference on Wednesday (August 3) standing alongside Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons. Laurie Cumbo, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner, was also in attendance.
“We have the power now where we can use the experience of these men and women here to reform how we use music to educate our children,” Adams said. “To not only build this project but to make sure the young people on this project don’t have a steel gun but a steel hammer so they can be a part of the construction.”
He continued: “I’m saying to my brothers and sisters in the industry: We wanna be your partners. You laid the blueprint that we are following. Too many of us have been singing off key. Now we have to have a universal rap that we all have to say together. So this is only the beginning, and I’m proud to be the mayor at this time. Thank God Bill DeBlasio didn’t open this museum. No hate on him, but this is my museum I should be opening.”
Watch Eric Adams’ full press conference below:
Russell Simmons celebrated the mayor’s donations on Instagram.
“Still inspired by the @nycmayor and the city’s 20 million investment in @uhhmuseum,” Simmons wrote. “Thank you to the architect and founder @rockybucano for his vision hard work and dedication to knocking down walls and seeing this project through!!!!!”
Adams’ sudden support of rap culture comes after he took a passionate anti-drill music stance at the beginning of his term.
The 61-year-old had called for social media platforms to ban drill music back in February as he tried to connect the subgenre to rising gun violence in the city.
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During a tearful press conference on February 10, Mayor Adams was particularly upset by the fatal February 6 shooting of Bronx drill rapper C-Hii Wvttz, who was gunned down in his car after he left a Brooklyn recording studio.
However, Adams then met with Fivio Foreign, Maino and B-Lovee later that month to engage in a dialogue about drill music, and since has gained the support of notable rappers including French Montana, who was born in the Bronx and said it was time to “embrace” the politician.
“In order for us to make a change, we have to embrace people like [Eric Adams] and people in the higher positions that can help see the vision and help these kids because we don’t have no help out here,” French said in an interview with Sway in the Morning.
well i listen to drill rap because it helps my positivity. if drill is what they wanna do let them. but then if rap that puts across a positive message let that be too. Someone such as myself i have been through that shit i am 37 in december. don’t stamp drill out let it be it should be up to the rap hip hop communities about what goes and what doesn’t not a politician.
Some solid pandering.
Dont fall for that trap. I remember they loved Obama cuz he had Jay Z on his playlist. And back then it was cool and we all voted for him, myself included. Unfortunately he gave us Biden and now we are screwed with the transformation of the Democrat party into the party of shit. Ill never trust a politician who listens to hip hop again. I want my politicians to avoid hip hop like the plague and focus on equality, not equity.
U say politicians should stay away from rap culture? Where were u then when Trump pardoned Kodak black and Lil Wayne?????? I’ll wait
You are talking about completely different politicians with wildly different policies. I know we like to pretend that any politician that pays attention to our culture means they are good. Especially if there is a ‘D’ by their name. When they could honestly care less overall. They do it for votes. Both parties do it, but do it for different reasons. What can be considered a good gesture by Eric Adams doesn’t take away from his shitty policies. Considering your tag on here I’m sure I’ll be called all kinds of racial names, or some other nonsensical bullshit. So…guess I’ll wait.
Hell yeah, love to hear equality. Not equity. Equity is unfair and some communist BS. If I work harder and smarter than the next man, I deserve to do better in life.
And vice versa.
79 I remember being in the Bronx as a 5 year old kid taking the subway with my big cousin down the grand concourse – that’s where I first saw grafitti
Scumbag mayor needs to go asap whoever he listens to. Just another puppet pushing the NWO agenda with his policies
Priorities are all messed up. Waste of money in a time where NYC is going downhill in too many ways to count. I told my friends there to vote for the republican dude. Told them this would be another DeBlasio. They didn’t believe me. And now agree he is DeBlasio 2.0