As reported by HipHopWired and The New York Daily News, hip-hop forefathers Afrika Bambaataa, Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz and Grand Wizzard Theodore have come together to raise funds for the new "Windows Of Hip-Hop" art campus in New York City's Bronx borough, the undisputed birthplace of the genre. They'd previously aimed to open a hip-hop museum, but this definitely seems like a step up.
"We want people to realize [that] the true essence of hip-hop is peace, unity, love and having fun," said Grand Wizzard Theodore, a pioneering DJ credited with inventing scratching. "That's why Windows Of Hip-Hop is so important."
The quartet of veterans would like the facility to function not only as an educational institution but a museum and civic centre as well. A crowd-funding initiative is well underway, and collaborations with other hip-hop artists and benefactors are in the works, with plans for a lecture series as well as a promotional video. Although the campus was originally supposed to be part of the $320 million Kingsbridge Armory development in the area, those involved are aiming to keep it autonomous.
"Our long-term goal is to build a hip-hop campus that will honor and preserve the history of hip-hop," said Windows Of Hip-Hop CEO Melissa Libran. "Hip-hop was born in the Bronx, so it would be best to have a place in the Bronx to honor the world-changing genre."
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