By: Stephanie Woods-McKinney
Hip Hop Icon, “The Teacher” Lawrence “Kris” Parker (aka 'KRS-One'), recently held a press conference announcing new strategies to save the culture of hip hop at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue - the birthplace of hip-hop in the Bronx and the home of Clive “DJ Kool Herc” Campbell, the Father of hip-hop.
Sunday, August 11, 2024, will be the day of several events taking place to help stop the violence in hip-hop. The theme for this new movement to save hip-hop is titled: Non-Violence Conflict Resolution and according to KRS-One, who lived at 1600 Sedgwick Avenue as a youth, 1520 is considered sacred ground.
As Hip Hop's 50th anniversary officially comes to a close, the 51st anniversary will be celebrated with a bang! A walk for positive change is currently in plans. The walk is expected to begin in Manhattan’s Central Park and will end at Crotona Park in the Bronx.
The walk will include a ‘’Pre-Celebration’’ on August 10, 2024 at Roberto Clemente -River Park Houses in the Bronx and will be concluded the following day with the walk. August 11, 1973, is the official date of hip-hop's birthplace thanks to DJ Kool Herc who played music at his home and organized a celebration for his sister Cindy on that day.
The press conference included several inspiring pioneers such as Coke La Rock (first original rapper); Tony Crush(founding member of the iconic hip hop group The Cold Crush Brothers); Master Gee(music executive and original member from the pioneering hip hop group SugarHill Gang); Jerry Leader (original resident of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue and hip-hop historian); Hot 97 Radio Station Dee Jay and Bronx native DJ Funkmaster Flex; First Lady Simone Parker( KRS-One’s wife), and The Grand Wizard Theodore (the first DJ to scratch on wax).The press conference was organized by legendary “Right On Magazine” publicist, entertainment media giant and NYABJ member Cynthia Horner, and closed with guest speaker Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson who vowed to support the much needed walk.
According to KRS-One, the walk is being organized to not only celebrate hip-hop but to put an end to the recent rumors trolling the internet and the universe insinuating that there is a generation gap between the originators of the culture and the new hip hop artists. The rumors say the pioneers are out of touch and do not understand the new generation of artist. According to the Teacher KRS-One and many of his supporters, the new cannot carry the torch if they don't know where it came from.
“I am now determined to educate the world, since hip hop is a Global Phenomenon. Let's stop the killing and take it back to the old days,” he said. “If there was 'beef' they took it to wax and the gangs took it to the dance floor and break dancing was the nonviolent alternative to fighting or killing and the winner reigned supreme,” KRS-One continued before noting that hip-hop was made from “good times”, not violence.
The press conference had all the makings of a Master-Class on hip-hop-all of the guests spoke and educated the press on the history of hip hop and how they played a vital role in the origination. Tony Crush discussed how working at a music store in the Bronx influenced him and made it clear that the music being sold was not the inspiring factor, it was DJ Kook Herc spinning records at the store that inspired him.
Herc played music Tony had never heard before. Master Gee wowed the room with his story of meeting KRS-One and being even more inspired with the culture by his knowledge, friendship and recalled a time when he heard rapper, producer, actor songwriter and entrepreneur Kendrick Lamar speak at a Black college and he told the crowd "he would always represent Compton because Compton needs to be given a better voice". Master Gee decided at the moment to help give hip hop a better voice.
According to KRS-One, hip hop should be enjoyed by all, as a universal genre hip hop culture requires some intervention, and he is determined to continue conversations to save the culture and he plans on working harder to save the state of hip-hop and to continue to educate the youth while stopping the violence in the culture. At the end of the walk in Crotona Park, a massive hip hop celebration and concert will be held, and KRS-One plans on rocking the mic!
For more information about KRS-One’s continued journey to saving and enriching hip-hop, check out the website here.
Photos Courtesy: Stephanie Woods-McKinney
Copy Edited: Breanna Robinson
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