Global Hip Hop Day and the Unveiling of Hip Hop Boulevard

Today, the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, the office of The Bronx Borough President and HOT 97  launched Global Hip Hop Day with an official Proclamation Ceremony and Unveiling of Hip Hop Boulevard at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue (Bronx, New York)– the birthplace of hip hop and home of legendary hip-hop pioneer Kool Herc.

Global Hip Hop Day will acknowledge hip hop’s ability to unite people and create positive cultural impact with the official Proclamation and street renaming Ceremony, followed by a community Block Party at Cedar Playground. Additional invitation only events— including an Industry Conversation and VIP Celebration—are planned to foster the current and future growth of hip hop’s positive influence.

Hip Hop, forged in the five boroughs of New York City, has spread far beyond its origins in the Bronx to become, according to marketing powerhouse Steve Stoute, “a catalytic force majeure that went beyond musical boundaries and into the psyche of young America.” Global Hip Hop Day celebrates this ‘catalytic force’ with the acknowledgment of hip hop’s cultural and commercial capital and the pervasive power of an art form that has become an international behemoth.

“We are thrilled to unveil Hip Hop Boulevard at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx, the birthplace of hip hop,” said Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr. “The Bronx is an iconic, internationally renowned hip hop destination, the home of a once rebellious art form that has, over generations, become a global powerhouse. To designate this area as a landmark and celebrate this occasion with the pioneers who started it all— many of whom still hold close ties to this community— is a remarkable and historic moment for our borough.” “Hip Hop is a global movement that was born in the Bronx,” added Vanessa L. Gibson, councilwoman for the Bronx’s 16th District. “I’m so proud to solidify our borough’s place in hip hop history— and hip hop’s place in the Bronx’s history— through the official unveiling of Hip Hop Boulevard in front of 1520 Sedgwick Ave. Hip Hop has become an international phenomenon that has inspired generations of young people to express themselves and celebrate their culture. As we commemorate hip hop’s birthplace, I thank the many stakeholders and community members who have worked to preserve hip hop’s place in history, as well as the hip hop pioneers and trailblazers who started this movement years ago.” “New York City is the music capital of the world,” said Julie Menin, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “And hip hop, which has become not only a multi-billion-dollar industry, but also a vital way for young people from Paris to Vietnam to share their stories with the world, was forged here in New York City and went on to become the voice of generations across the globe. We are proud to proclaim June 8th as Global Hip Hop Day in the City of New York, part of the City’s inaugural New York Music Month, the first ever citywide celebration of the past, present and future of New York’s music. Beyond history and economics, Global Hip Hop Day celebrates the musical diversity that is a central part of who we are as a city.”

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