Now, for your wonderful artistic news of the day, we're very pleased to share that a hip-hop hall of fame is being brought back to the genre's birthplace.
The Hip-Hop Hall of Fame was initially created in the 1990s by James "JT" Johnson, and the very same man will revive the museum on 125th Street next month.
The new Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum in Harlem will open offices and classrooms in February, and they will announce the site of the actual museum at an awards ceremony that will be held this spring.
"I think this is a big step for the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame in establishing itself in the cultural fabric of New York City," Thompson told DNAinfo.
Thompson was born in Bed-Stuy, and grew up in Hollis and Harlem. He held the first awards ceremony that inducted hip-hop legends into the Hall of Fame at the Victoria Theater in Harlem from 1995 to 1997.
The awards show, which aired on BET, showcased hip-hop artists and raised money for the museum, but was cancelled after the murders of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G.
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"All advertisers left hip-hop at that point. It was a struggle because we didn't know what was going to happen and the show was the main driving force to raise money for the museum," Thompson said.
This year, the awards show will return, and it will be held in the spring, though the precise date has yet to be announced.
We do know, though, that the museum's office and classrooms will open next month, and will host an educational program for young adults. We also know that when the museum is opened, it'll continue to carve out a necessary space for hip-hop's preservation in history.
The first course at the museum's classrooms will be on fashion. It'll offer students the chance to learn about the industry and design techniques so they can develop their own products and brands.
Thompson said the subjects of future classes will include broadcasting, coding, production, and business.
boom92houston The "Hip Hop Hall of Fame" is set to open a museum and academy in Harlem in late 2016. From the organization who brought the the HOF Awards TV Special in the 90s, the museum and academy will serve as Hip Hop's answer to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Who is inducted on your personal first class list? #ClassicHipHop #HipHopHallOfFame
"Hip-hop really cares," Thompson said. "People don't realize that people in hip-hop have been giving back to the community for years."
The Hip-Hop Hall of Fame building will be more than just a timeless preservation of one of America's most important and influential art forms. It'll also feature a restaurant, sports bar, concert lounge, TV studios, and a retail shop.
Thompson expects that the facility will host 400,000 visitors a year, and that an additional 300,000 will flock to the museum for live events.
The museum and its educational component will be funded by proceeds from the annual award show.
We are beyond ecstatic that hip-hop will be getting the real estate it deserves in the collective, conserved memory of NYC. We'll be visiting as soon as we can.
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[via DNAinfo] [Feature Image Courtesy 6Sqft]