Hip Hop was birthed on August 11, 1973 at 1520 Sedgwick in the Bronx, where pioneering DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy Campbell threw their iconic “Back To School Jam.” As Hip Hop inches toward its 50th birthday, Video Music Box founder Ralph McDaniels has announced a special Spread Love Hip Hop Jam that encompasses several legendary acts.
According to McDaniels’ Instagram post, the event goes down on August 11 — Hip Hop’s 49th birthday — at Brooklyn’s Coney Island Amphitheater with EPMD legend DJ Scratch, Special Ed, Brand Nubian, Black Sheep, Smif-N-Wessun, Kool Herc, Cindy Campbell, Girl Codee and Sweet Tee. As he explained in the caption, “Video Music Box Aug.11th Spread Love Concert Coney Island Amphitheater 6pm Hip Hop Appreciation and special guests.”
Hip Hop’s 50th birthday lands next August, but a plethora of celebratory events, documentaries and television shows have already preceded the monumental milestone.
AD LOADING...
Most recently, Mass Appeal and DJ Premier kicked off the first EP installment of the Hip Hop 50: The Soundtrack with Hip Hop Volume 1. The five-track effort features contributions from Nas, Lil Wayne, Run The Jewels, Slick Rick, Rapsody, Joey Bada$$ and Remy Ma.
“It’s an honor to kick off this iconic Hip Hop 50 music program,” DJ Premier said in a press release. “Hip Hop continues to inspire fans across the globe and it’s incredible to think of what the next 50 years will bring.”
Hip Hop Pioneer Ralph McDaniels To Host "Video Music Box" 35th Anniversary Concert
Mass Appeal has also released numerous documentaries relevant to Hip Hop culture last year, including You’re Watching Video Music Box, Ricky Powell: The Individualist and Rolling Like Thunder. It followed up with Cypress Hill: Insane in The Brain, Bushwick Bill: Geto Boy and The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla.
AD LOADING...
As the flyer notes, the Spread Love Hip Hop Jam is billed as “a special tribute to Hip Hop’s fallen soldiers” and takes place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET. The event is free. Find more information here.
