Ahead of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman joined together on Jan. 29 at the construction site of the Universal Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx to announce $5 million in federal funding to help preserve and celebrate hip hop music’s history and influence over American culture.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum will become a tourist hub honoring the music genre’s influence over art, music, fashion, film, marketing and entertainment, and celebrating the pioneers who built the culture, such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, DJ Red Alert, Run DMC and KRS-One.
The funds attained by Gillibrand, Schumer, and Bowman will go toward the construction of the facility, as well as K-12 educational programming.
The lawmakers were also joined by state Sens. José Serrano and Jamaal Bailey, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Andre Rainey, a hip-hop artist and the former mayor of Peekskill Mayor, KRS-One, G. Simone, Roxanne Shanté, Grandmaster Flash, Eric B. and Grand WizzardTheodore.
“The Bronx has historically been a creative incubator, nurturing so many genres of music ranging from doo-wop to salsa, but few genres have left a greater mark than hip hop music,” said Gillibrand. “It is amazing to see that what started as a party in the basement of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue became a global phenomenon that spawned artists and entrepreneurs like Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, Pitbull, and 50 Cent. With the 50th anniversary of hip hop right around the corner, I am proud to have secured funds to help the Universal Hip Hop Museum celebrate everything that is beautiful about hip hop culture.”
Schumer said the funding will allow visitors from around the world to learn more about hip hop culture.
“Since its birth in the Bronx 50 years ago, Hip Hop culture has transcended language, race, age, in addition to geographic and socioeconomic…
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