August kicked off with a celebration of hip-hop music and culture in honor of the 50th anniversary. Local businesses Route 87, LLC, and Black Canvas paid tribute to commemorate the memory of hip-hop.
Route 87, LLC, a social event planning business, hosted the Art of Hip-Hop. The event took place at the Fayetteville Arts Council earlier this month. The event featured a slide show presentation of hip-hop legends, including DJ Kool Herc (founder of Hip-Hop), hip-hop décor, DJ Stizzy’s music, and Hip-Hop dance performance by local dancer Ayinde. This social gave guests a platform to mingle with the music played from the golden era of hip-hop to the current. The founders of Route 87 LLC, Courtney Banks-McLaughlin and Tracey Morrison, share their love of hip-hop and excitement about bringing this event to the community in an interview with Up and Coming Weekly Magazine. The founders wanted to pay homage to the hip-hop culture while creating a fun experience for guests.
Black Canvas also hosted a Mixtape Show on August 24th. This spectacular jam session featured a live DJ performance from the following lineup: DJ VI, DJ Problem, DJ Yodo, and DJ Wolf. Twitch TV broadcast the performance, where the DJs showcased their skills. Deejaying is a sub-genre of hip-hop involving scratching (pushing the record back and forth) to extend the rhythmic instrumental segments or breaks. DJ Kool Herc, the founder of hip-hop, did DJ performances at block parties in his Bronx neighborhood. He was influenced by James Brown, using a mixture of his music to deejay songs. He and other legends Grandmaster Flash, Jam Master Jay, and Grand Wizzard Theodore, to name a few, paved the way for DJ performers globally. Black Canvas’ illuminated lights and hip-hop cultural art design created an artistic vibe for guests to emerge into music.
Hip-hop has come a long way since its formation on August 11, 1973, with a global influence throughout mainstream media. These two events were an excellent experience to recognize hip-hop culture.
To stay abreast of future events by these two businesses, follow Route 87, LLC on Facebook and Black Canvas on Instagram.
