Hip Hop 50 is a media project by Mass Appeal to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop. The project is planned to include documentary films, EPs, podcasts, and other media.[1][2][3]
Music
editIn November 2021, Mass Appeal announced Hip Hop 50 the Soundtrack, a series of 10 EP records highlighting various subgenres of hip hop.[4][5]
Volume 1
editVolume 1 highlights the early days of hip hop and is produced by DJ Premier.[2] The EP was announced on July 11, 2022 and released on July 15.[6]
All music is composed by DJ Premier
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lettin' Off Steam" (featuring Joey Bada$$) |
| 3:26 |
| 2. | "Remy Rap" (featuring Remy Ma & Rapsody) |
| 2:46 |
| 3. | "Beat Breaks" (featuring Nas) |
| 2:39 |
| 4. | "Terrible 2's" (featuring Run the Jewels) | 2:52 | |
| 5. | "The Root of All" (featuring Slick Rick & Lil Wayne) | 2:17 | |
| Total length: | 14:02 | ||
Volume 2
editVolume 2 highlights East Coast hip hop and is produced by Swizz Beatz.[7] The EP was announced on April 11, 2023 and released on April 21.
All music is composed by Swizz Beatz
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Runaway" (featuring Nas) | 3:00 | |
| 2. | "This Shit Right Here" (featuring Lil Wayne) |
| 2:37 |
| 3. | "Take ‘Em Out" (featuring Jadakiss, Benny the Butcher & Scar Lip) |
| 4:24 |
| 4. | "City Sound Like" (featuring Fivio Foreign & Bandmanrill) |
| 3:07 |
| 5. | "Say Less" (featuring Lil Durk & A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie) |
| 2:54 |
| 6. | "Khalas" (featuring Jay Electronica) | 3:19 | |
| Total length: | 19:24 | ||
Future plans
editVolume 3 highlights West Coast hip hop and to be produced by Mustard.
Volume 4 highlights R&B and is produced to be The-Dream.
Volume 5 highlights Southern hip hop to be produced by Mike WiLL Made-It.
Volume 6 highlights Midwest hip hop to be produced by No I.D.
Volume 7 highlights lyricism to be produced by Hit-Boy.
Volume 8 highlights alternative hip hop to be produced by Take A Daytrip.
Volume 9 highlights global hip hop to be produced by Tainy.
Volume 10 to be a fan curated EP.
Documentaries
editIn May 2021, Showtime announced a collaboration with Mass Appeal to produce a number of documentaries to celebrate the anniversary.[8] Released in December 2021, You're Watching Video Music Box, focuses on the television program Video Music Box and its host Ralph McDaniels.[9] Ricky Powell: The Individualist chronicles photographer Ricky Powell and his touring with the Beastie Boys.[10] Rolling Like Thunder follows Roger Gastman on the history of contemporary graffiti.[9] Push It, named after the Salt-n-Pepa song, covers the contributions of women in hip hop.[8] Hits From the Bong follows the history and impact of the hip hop group Cypress Hill.[11] Supreme Team looks into the New York City gang of the same name.[12]
Other planned Showtime projects include a documentary on Biz Markie, and on SoundCloud hip hop.[13]
Live events
editIn June 2022, Live Nation announced a partnership with Mass Appeal to create hip hop events, such as festivals, live DJ sessions, interactive experiences, and pop-up shops.[3] At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, a 50 Years of Hip-Hop concert was performed.[13] In June 2023, Live Nation announced a number of tours and events.[14][15] Events include the F.O.R.C.E. Live Tour featuring LL Cool J, The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and DJ Z-Trip; the Final Lap Tour featuring 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, and Jeremih; the N.Y State of Mind Tour featuring Wu-Tang Clan and Nas; and Hip Hop 50 Live at Yankee Stadium featuring Run-DMC, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Eve, Lil Kim, Remy Ma, Trina, T.I., Fat Joe, Common, EPMD, Ghostface Killah, Lupe Fiasco, Slick Rick, DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Caz, Kurtis Blow, Melle Mel, Roxanne Shante, the Sugarhill Gang, Clark Kent, Marley Marl, Mannie Fresh, and Battlecat.[14][15]
Other projects
editOn Juneteenth 2023, ABC documentary series Soul of a Nation released an episode titled "Hip-Hop @ 50: Rhythms, Rhymes & Reflections", featuring various hip hop artists, producers, and executives throughout history.[16][17]
In January 2023, Mass Appeal announced a partnership with Sony Music to highlight their R&B and hip hop digital catalog program.[18] Mass Appeal and Sony Music announced a photography exhibition dedicated to hip-hop history at Fotografiska New York titled “Hip-Hop: Conscious, Unconscious”, running from January 2023 to May 2023.[19]
In March 2023, Sean Diddy Combs announced a partnership between Hip Hop 50 and Cîroc, naming it as the official vodka for the anniversary.[20] In April, Google Pixel announced a partnership with Mass Appeal and Live Nation to celebrate women in hip hop.[21]
In June 2023, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced a new exhibit titled "Holla If Ya Hear Me" celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip hop.[22]
Support
editA portion of all proceeds from the project will be donated to the various charitable organizations, including the Universal Hip Hop Museum.[2] The Google Pixel partnership includes a contribution to Femme it Forward’s Next Gem Femme mentorship program, a content series re-imagining five classic records by women, and an interactive exhibit at Rolling Loud.[21][23]
References
edit- ^ Powell, Alicia; Ross, Rollo (2022-12-09). "U.S. rapper Nas is leading hip-hop's 50th anniversary celebrations". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ a b c Grant, Shawn (2022-07-12). "Mass Appeal Announces 'DJ Premier: Hip Hop 50 Volume 1' Featuring Nas, Lil Wayne and More". The Source. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ a b Aderoju, Darlene (2022-06-21). "Mass Appeal & Live Nation Urban Partner to Celebrate #HipHop50 With 'One-of-a-Kind Experiences'". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ Aswad, Jem (2021-11-04). "Swizz Beatz, Tainy, No I.D. and More Top Producers to Drop EPs Via Mass Appeal's 'Hip Hop 50' Soundtrack". Variety. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ Ivey, Justin (2021-11-04). "DJ Premier, Hit-Boy, Swizz Beatz & More To Produce EPs For Mass Appeal's 'Hip Hop 50'". AllHipHop. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ Corrine, Amber (2022-07-11). "Mass Appeal Announces 'DJ Premier: Hip Hop 50 Volume 1' With Nas, Lil Wayne And More". Vibe. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ Powell, Jon (2023-04-12). "Swizz Beatz, Lil Wayne, and more are celebrating #HipHop50". Revolt. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ a b Allen, Matthew (2021-05-19). "Showtime partners with Nas, Mass Appeal to celebrate 'Hip Hop 50'". TheGrio. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ a b Allen, Matthew (2021-10-28). "Showtime kicks off 'Hip Hop 50' initiative with 3 new documentaries". TheGrio. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ Shaffer, Claire (2020-05-29). "Legendary Hip-Hop Photographer Ricky Powell Gets His Own Documentary". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ Neale, Matthew (2021-08-15). "Cypress Hill announce new documentary 'Hits From The Bong' on the way". NME. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ Cole, Ty (June 17, 2022). "Get A First Look at the Nas-Directed Trailer for the Docuseries 'Supreme Team'". BET. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ a b Mitchell, Gail (2022-11-17). "Paramount's Slate of Brands Have Big Plans to Salute Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
- ^ a b McMillan, Keith (2023-06-16). "Ain't no party like a hip-hop party: 50th anniversary ushers in shows for the ages". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
- ^ a b Gee, Andre (2023-06-05). "Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, Ice Cube to Join Run-D.M.C. at Hip Hop 50 Live". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
- ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (2023-06-14). "ABC News to Air Special on 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop With Angie Martinez, Master P, The Lox, MC Lyte (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
- ^ Jones, Okla (2023-06-14). "ABC News Studios Honors Black Music Month With 'Hip-Hop @ 50: Rhythms, Rhymes & Reflections'". Essence. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
- ^ Lamarre, Carl (2023-01-30). "Mass Appeal Partners With Sony Music Entertainment For #HipHop50 Initiative". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ Allen, Matthew (2023-01-26). "Mass Appeal co-curated hip-hop photo exhibition opens at Fotografiska New York, celebrating hip-hop's 50th anniversary". TheGrio. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ Fofana, Oumou (2023-03-06). "CÎROC announced as official vodka of hip hop's 50th anniversary". Revolt. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ a b Jags, Devi (2023-04-06). "Google Pixel's Latest Partnership Celebrates Women In An Ode To 50 Years of Hip Hop". Her Agenda. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ^ Haidet, Ryan (June 1, 2023). "'Holla If Ya Hear Me': Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces new 50 years of hip-hop exhibit opening in June". WKYC. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
- ^ "2023 Grammys will celebrate 50 years of hip-hop". CBS News. Retrieved 2023-04-24.