Where to Go to Experience Hip-Hop History in New York
Peter Neely is a Brooklyn-based writer and poet who's been bounding between cities for a decade, with stops in San Francisco, Budapest, Montreal, and Lyon. Changing NYC apartments like socks, Peter has lived in Harlem, Greenpoint, Sunnyside, and Crown Heights, though Coney Island is his spiritual homeland. Spot him reading on the subway, or complaining about the slice at your favorite pizzeria.
Peter Neely is a Brooklyn-based writer and poet who's been bounding between cities for a decade, with stops in San Francisco, Budapest, Montreal, and Lyon. Changing NYC apartments like socks, Peter has lived in Harlem, Greenpoint, Sunnyside, and Crown Heights, though Coney Island is his spiritual homeland. Spot him reading on the subway, or complaining about the slice at your favorite pizzeria.
Hi, I'm Peter!Peter Neely is a Brooklyn-based writer and poet who's been bounding between cities for a decade, with stops in San Francisco, Budapest, Montreal, and Lyon. Changing NYC apartments like socks, Peter has lived in Harlem, Greenpoint, Sunnyside, and Crown Heights, though Coney Island is his spiritual homeland. Spot him reading on the subway, or complaining about the slice at your favorite pizzeria.
Hi, I'm Peter!Peter Neely is a Brooklyn-based writer and poet who's been bounding between cities for a decade, with stops in San Francisco, Budapest, Montreal, and Lyon. Changing NYC apartments like socks, Peter has lived in Harlem, Greenpoint, Sunnyside, and Crown Heights, though Coney Island is his spiritual homeland. Spot him reading on the subway, or complaining about the slice at your favorite pizzeria.
Hip-hop is a cross-cutting cultural movement that means different things to different people. But however you understand hip-hop, one thing's for sure: it began in New York City. Blossoming in the Bronx of the 1970s, a generation of DJs, emcees, rappers, dancers, and graffiti artists emerged. DJ Kool Herc hosted block parties, groups like the Rock Steady Crew brought music to the masses, and pretty soon, record labels started signing these young artists. Today, hip-hop is largely synonymous with rap music, proving that this home-grown NYC art form still influences the world of pop culture.
Graffiti Hall of Fame
Visual arts meets hip-hop at 106th Street and Park Avenue, in East Harlem.
Hip-hop culture and New York's street art scene come together at the Graffiti Hall of Fame, located at the Jackie Robinson Educational Complex in East Harlem. This decades-old destination for art fans features graf work and murals from street artists from around the world. Be sure to walk around—there's art inside and outside the playground's fence.
Apollo Theater
Name a jazz or blues artist—they've played this 125th Street Harlem venue.
The Apollo Theater is a legendary performance space with deep roots in Harlem's African American cultural history, and the artistic heyday of the Harlem Renaissance. Music fanatics should plan to attend one of the club's Amateur Night contests; the Apollo has been hosting these spirited showcases since 1934.
Brooklyn, New York
An NYC borough just east of Manhattan that's steeped in hip-hop culture.
Home to a host of rap legends, Brooklyn is a borough where hip-hop is in the air. From the Bedford-Stuyvesant corner where Notorious B.I.G freestyled, to the stash spot name-dropped by Jay-Z in Empire State of Mind, there's no end to the hip-hop sights in this energetic borough. Rap fans shouldn't miss a photo op with late Wu-Tang Clan member ODB's mural on Franklin Avenue.
Bronx Walk of Fame
Famous names immortalized on East 161st Street, in the Bronx.
Located on Grand Concourse in the Bronx, you can spot a handful of hip-hop icons on this stretch celebrating the heroes of New York's northernmost borough. Keep your eyes open for musical legends. Highlights include Grandmaster Caz, Funkmaster Flex, and rapper-producer Slick Rick.
SOBs
Celebrated outpost for live hip-hop, in Lower Manhattan.
Though hip-hop is traditionally associated with uptown Manhattan and outer-borough hot spots, hip-hop heads have flocked to this downtown music venue for decades. Founded in the 1980s and dedicated to the musical heritage of New York's Afro-Latinx communities, this place quickly emerged as a breeding ground for top hip-hop artists. Numerous legends have played here over the decades, including notables like Kanye West, Jill Scott, and Kendrick Lamar. Don't miss the chance to see a live show.
DJ Kool Herc's House
The Morris Heights site of NYC's first hip-hop block party, in the Bronx.
Head uptown to see the home of legendary DJ Kool Herc—the first hip-hop impresario to isolate and loop a record's drum beat. This act of musical genius not only germinated hip-hop for decades to come, but led to some epic parties. According to NYC hip-hop lore, the block party that birthed the genre happened right here. Hip-hop fanatics can snap a selfie with the building's famed address: 1520 Sedgwick Avenue.
Weinstein Hall
NYU dorm where a music label was born, on University Place in Greenwich Village.
Renowned hip-hop label Def Jam Records started in 1984 in a dorm room at New York University, when would-be moguls Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin combined forces to create a new music venture. They would go on to release albums from famous artists like LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys. Though you can't go inside, it's easy to stroll from here to Washington Square Park.
Universal Hip Hop Museum
Celebrating NYC's hip-hop legacy, in the Concourse area of the Bronx.
The Bronx reaffirms its place in hip-hop history at the Universal Hip Hop Museum. Though the current exhibition is just a pop-up—the museum is officially slated to open in 2023—you can still check out interactive displays, vintage ephemera, and multimedia installations. For a dose of nostalgia don't miss out on the recreated, graffiti-tagged subway car.
New York City Hip-Hop Tour
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