Ivy League gets some hip-hop

I can hear them now..."Say hooooo!" Today and Saturday, Cornell University in Upstate New York will get a gem of hip-hop culture in a unique event called "Born in the Bronx: A Celebration of Hip Hop".

Who's in da house? Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Caz, Joe Conzo Jr., Charlie Ahearn,
GrandWizzard Theodore, Pebblee Poo, DJ Tony Tone, DJ Disco Wiz, Roxanne Shante and Popmaster Fabel.

Now why are these legends and commentators like Jeff Chang heading to Ithaca, NY aka 'middle-of-nowhere' to speak and perform?! Well, Cornell University's Ivy League library has acquired a major collection of hip-hop history. Johan Kugelberg, a collector, curator and author of "Born in the Bronx", donated his 2,000-piece collection. "Born in the Bronx: The Legacy and Evolution of Hip Hop" is a unique collection that captures the early days of hip hop, featuring nearly 1,000 sound recordings, the photographic archive of Bronx photographer Joe Conzo, Jr. and a collection of more than 500 original party fliers designed by Buddy Esquire. Crazy!

Word is Bond "By paying tribute to those who laid the foundation, we tell our own history," Bambaataa said. "Preserving Hip Hop's early years will help future generations understand the places they come from."

"We want the community at large to celebrate hip hop's contributions to American culture through a better understanding of its origins, which are the focus of this unique collection,” said Katherine Reagan, curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts at Cornell University Library.

If you're on the east coast...or have a G4 Registration is free but space is limited. Register here. The schedule can be found here and for visitor info just click this link.
Press contact: rareref@cornell.edu