theworldismine13
God Emperor of SOHH
City Council Hails Hip Hop Pioneers
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2014/03/city-council-hails-hip-hop-pioneers
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2014/03/city-council-hails-hip-hop-pioneers
Early pioneers of hip hop were honored at City Hall Wednesday for their role in creating a musical genre.
Our Jennifer Fermino and I report:
Artists like Afrika Bambaataa, a famed Bronx DJ, Grandmaster Melle Mel, the first rapper to be known as an “MC,” and Kurtis Blow, the first rapper to sign with a major record label, got formal proclamations on the floor of the City Council.
“It is truly an honor to stand here with the founders, the legends, the pioneers of hip hop,” said Councilman Fernando Cabrera (D-Bronx).
Also honored were Joe Conzo, Grand Wizard Theodore, Cutman LG, Rocky Bucano, Grandmaster Caz, and Jorge Fabel Pabon, and a posthumous proclamation went out to Pete “DJ” Jones, who died in January.
Rappers spit a few sample tunes as Council members jockeyed for pictures with the aging legends.
“We’ve been here for 40 years, and we’re still going strong,” said Grandmaster Melle Mel. “We’ve been doing it for so long, and we did it for nothing. There wasn’t no money. And we gave all we had, you know what I mean, we laid it down.”
He later said today’s hip hop doesn’t hold a candle to the early days.
“They promote that image like there’s something cute about standing on the street selling drugs,” he said. “They make these guys out like a hero. Would you want one of those guys dating your daughter? No!”
The group is pushing for a hip hop museum to be included in the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx. The armory is set to be turned into a massive ice rink center, but includes some community space that has yet to be divvied up.
“This museum is so important so that people coming up can understand the roots of hip hip,” said Councilman Jumaane Williams (D-Brooklyn). “Understand the power of the community. That’s what hip hop means to me.”
