Hip Hop Hall of Fame facts for kids
The Hip Hop Hall of Fame is a special non-profit organization in New York. Its main goal is to celebrate and preserve the history of hip hop music and culture from all over the world. Think of it like a museum and a school combined, all about hip hop!
History of the Hip Hop Hall of Fame
The Hip Hop Hall of Fame was started in 1992 by James 'JT' Thompson. He grew up in New York City and loved hip hop. The idea for the Hall of Fame was first shared with the world in 1995 at a famous restaurant called Sylvia's in Harlem. At this event, they announced plans for the museum, educational programs, and a TV show deal with BET.
The plan was for the Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum to get its money from the Hip Hop Hall of Fame Awards TV shows. This idea was similar to how the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame works. However, because of some challenges in the music industry at the time, the Hip Hop Hall of Fame + Museum lost its advertisers and sponsors. This meant the TV show couldn't continue for a while, and the museum building plans had to be put on hold.
The Hip Hop Hall of Fame tried to restart in Los Angeles in 1997. Many famous hip hop artists and personalities were there, like Kurtis Blow and Grandmaster Caz. But even then, the awards show couldn't return to television until 2014.
Who Gets Inducted?
The Hip Hop Hall of Fame has held special ceremonies to welcome new members, called inductions. These happened in the 1990s on BET, and again in 2014 in New York City. The 2014 show was hosted by hip hop star Roxanne Shante and shown on the Soul of the South TV network.
The Hip Hop Hall of Fame now holds its yearly induction ceremony every November. This month is known as Hip Hop History Month in New York City. Artists and people who have greatly helped hip hop culture can be inducted. They usually need to have been active for at least 20 years since their first record came out. People can be inducted for their impact on hip hop music and culture. This includes:
- MCs (rappers)
- DJs
- Graffiti artists
- B-Boys and B-Girls (dancers)
- Music executives and producers
- Record labels
- Fashion designers
- Business leaders
- Scholars
- Community leaders
Plans for the Museum
As of 2023, the Hip Hop Hall of Fame does not have a physical museum building. Its main offices are in Harlem, New York City. The plan is to create a community space that will show hip hop art, music, digital videos, and dance. It will also be a place for community events and educational programs with partner organizations.
The original plan for the Hip Hop Hall of Fame + Museum was to build a huge 20-story complex on 125th Street. This big building would have included:
- The actual Hall of Fame
- A gift shop
- An arcade
- TV broadcast studios
- A sports bar
- A restaurant
- A concert venue that would host over 100 events each year
The Hip Hop Hall of Fame also planned to have educational programs, including a youth arts and media training academy. This academy would welcome over 25,000 public school kids from New York City each year for field trips and special programs. The first part of this complex was supposed to open in 2018, but that did not happen.
It is currently unclear where the museum will be located if it opens in the future, whether in midtown or Harlem.
See also
- List of music museums
