DC's Af Am Museum to host historic hip hop block party in August
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine

The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is set to throws it’s first Hip-Hop block party this summer, according to the Smithsonian.

The block party will be in celebration of the one-year anniversary of the “Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap” which will feature performances by national and local DMV artists, per The Root. There will also be presentations and other activities allowing attendees to explore the influences and origins of the dopest music genre of all time.

According to WTOP, last year, the museum released the anthology that chronicles “hip-hop’s growth and impact from the parks of the Bronx to the broadest areas of the American experience and worldwide influence,” a Smithsonian news release said.

According to WUSA9, it’s a one of a kind collection chronicling hip-hop’s growth and impact on American and the world stage. The collection was launched in partnership with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Attendees will also be able to tour the museum’s exhibitions, including “Represent: Hip-Hop Photography.” The museum’s Sweet Home Café will also cook up a hip-hop-inspired menu.

Taking place on Saturday, Aug. 13 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., the performances and presentations inside the first floor of NMAAHC’s in Heritage Hall and outside on a main stage just a couple of blocks away from the museum. Hosted by local radio personality Vic Jagger, some of the artists performing include Alphabet Rockers, O-Slice, Phuzz, YungManny, Mumu Fresh, The Halluci Nation and D. Smoke.

Dwandalyn Reece, the associate director for curatorial affairs at NMAAHC, said in a statement, “The origins of hip-hop and rap rest in community where people gathered together in basements, on street corners, neighborhood dance parties and community shows to tell the stories of the people and places that brought it to life in a language all its own.”

She continued, “It is only fitting that NMAAHC celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap with a block party in our front yard. Like a true block party, we invite all ages to come together to enjoy activities and performances in honor of the museum’s greatest homage to the music and culture of hip-hop.”

On Sunday, Aug. 14, the museum will also premiere gOD-Talk 2.0: Hip-Hop & #BlackFaith, the seventh episode of the web-based series, live on Facebook.

The Hip-Hop Block Party is free, but tickets are required for entry and are available through the museum’s website starting July 22.

Hailing from Charlotte North Carolina, born litterateur Ezekiel J. Walker earned a B.A. in Psychology at Winston Salem State University. Walker later published his first creative nonfiction book and has...

2 replies on “National African American museum to host hip-hop block party”

  1. They didn’t even post the tickets they kept saying go to the site and they would make you go in circles and then out of nowhere all the tickets were gone sold out I waited all night and was on the side every hour and then out of nowhere I’ll take a Sold Out they knew exactly that they didn’t want certain folks there this is not a party for people it’s a party for certain people in the district the people that get the tickets without even trying the nepotism in this in city is ridiculous

  2. In response to Tarsha Devoe, I guess we need to get a head start & plan in advance for next year. Smh, ridiculous!

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