ROXANNE SHANTE Leads Women Honored By HIP HOP MUSEUM

OYIZA ADABA Africa-Related, NEW YORK

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and International Women's Day

UHHM Front Bronx Point Render | Photo by UHHM

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and in honor of International Women's Day, the Universal Hip Hop Museum held an exhibition titled [R]Evolution of Hip Hop “Golden Era” 1986-1990s.

The South Bronx is the birthplace of this music genre that spread globally from a basement party in 1973. It has since evolved, creating sub genres of Hip Hop culture, and represented in most countries today.

The museum's Director of Communication Renee Foster, explains the global influence of the music.

Roxanne Shanté, the first female battle rapper speaks on the sacrifices of women in Hip Hop

International Women's Day

To mark International Women's Day, the museum honored women in Hip Hop including Roxanne Shanté, the first female battle rapper and catalyst of the 'Roxanne Wars'. She spoke candidly on the recognition and sacrifices female Hip Hop artists have made for the genre to firmly take root.

Shanté was in the good company of five other women of Hip Hop. Cindy Campbell, the graffiti artist of the 'Back To School Party' fame, Sylvia Robinson of Sugar Hill Records, who is known as the Mother of Hip Hop; MC Sha Rock the first female emcee, Sparky D, a pioneer female emcee; and lastly Lady Pink, a pioneer female graffiti artist.

Carlifonia-based visual artist The D.o.T. aka Dorothy Wilson donated a series of portraits entitled UHHM Hip Hop Flowers Volume 1, celebrating iconic women in Hip Hop culture to the museum's permanent collection. She made a personal presentation to Roxanne Shanté at the event.

The D.o.T. aka Dorothy Wilson donated a series of portraits entitled UHHM Hip Hop Flowers Volume 1, focused on the Women of Hip Hop for the UHHM Collection.

According to the museum, the five elements of Hip Hop are DJ, which is the mixing of the music, emceeing, which is rapping - the vocal elements of Hip Hop; breakdancing which is the dance form of Hip Hop. Graffiti, a visual form of expression, is the fourth element; the fifth and sometimes forgotten element is knowledge - the education part of Hip-hop.

The “Golden Era” Exhibition

The UHHM’s current ongoing [R]Evolution of Hip Hop exhibition, the “Golden Era” 1986-1990 is located at the Bronx Terminal Market at 610 Exterior St. The permanent museum will open to the public in 2024.

The exhibition’s artifacts and memorabilia were curated by Paradise Gray, who used archival materials, storytelling, music etc from the streets and clubs of New York to the suburban neighborhoods of Compton. It highlights the lyrical skills of artists like Rakeem, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane and others that transformed the definition of emceeing; and features the likes of Whodini, Beastie Boys and Run DMC who established rap, making it more marketable leading to the MTV Raps era.