June 8 holds a special place in the hearts of hip-hop enthusiasts as “Global Hip-Hop Day,” but this weekend will also bring forth prime elements of the genre for its birthday (Aug. 11) also known as National Hip-Hop Day.
Curated by creatives DJNY Art and Kate Storch, the event will celebrate artists and visionaries in the channels of graffiti, breakdancing and of course, the music that has now dominated the ears of the nation. Hosted by DJNY Art at First Street Garden in New York, the Summer Classics Block Party will also include DJ sets by legends like Easy Mo Bee, the Rocksteady Crew’s DJJS1 and DJ Leva57, PF Cuttin, and DJ Bazzaro.
“We will be celebrating the indigenous spirit of hip-hop worldwide,” co-creator Anthony Bowman said in a press release. “National Hip-Hop Day is about shining the light on how far it has come, both here and abroad.”
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Graffiti and muralists across the country will also be in attendance to paint in real time like Skeme, T-Kid, Rocky 184, Doves, and Jeff Henriquez, the co-creator of the short-lived, but poignant Prodigy mural in Queens. Brooklyn’s underground hero Sean Price will also be honored in a very special tribute by New Jersey artist-carpenter Albertus Joseph. The rapper, often praised for his personality and bars, died in 2015. Some of his admires included Eminem, Jay Z and actor Ryan Phillippe, who he was close friends with.
On Aug. 11, 1973, DJ Kool Herc hosted a back to school party for his sister in the Bronx, which historians attribute to hip-hop’s birthplace.
The event will kick off this Friday (Aug. 11) from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. EST. If you’re in the Tri-State area, come through with family and friends and show love for hip-hop.