Museum celebrating the art of hip hop set to open in 2023 in the Bronx, New York.
After nearly 50 years of hip-hop, the unique art form is getting a museum in its birthplace of the Bronx, New York at the Bronx Terminal Market.
"There isn't a physical place that is dedicated to the preservation and celebration of hip hop history and culture.
So that's why it's important to have a museum.
To basically make sure that the history is properly documented so that the stories can be told accurately by the people who created the history themselves," said executive director of the Universal hip hop museum Rocky Bucano.
As a preview, a small rotating exhibit has been set up across the street from its future permanent home.
"Currently, we are telling the story about the early origins of hip hop history.
How it started, the people who started it.
Why it was able to become a culture from basically nothing.
How deejays became innovative and creative and how this music and lifestyle has become so synonymous with everyday life in today's society." Every six months a new era of the culture will be explored until today's present time in history.
Rappers Kurtis Blow, Afrika Bambaataa and Grand Master Melly Mel are among the original founders of the museum which first started as an idea 8 years ago.
Since its opening Nas, Ice-T and LL Cool J have joined the project which will result in a 60,000 square feet space to celebrate rap music.
Construction is set to start this July with the grand opening planned to mark 50 years of hip hop in 2023.
Among the highlights is a 'breakbeat narratives' interactive console created with Microsoft and MIT Center for Advance Virtuality.
"This basically is an AI journey through hip hop history based on how people respond to the different characters called the 'Elementals.'
It forms a custom narrative of hip hop history based on their musical preferences." Other artifacts on display include Kurtis Blow's original best box machine.
And the first and second rap records ever released.
(Production: Alicia Powell, Soren Larson)
Hip hop - the music, dance, art, and fashion phenomenon is getting its own museum. The museum's permanent home will be in the..
Museum celebrating the art of hip hop set to open in 2023 in the Bronx, New York.