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Bay Area Hip Hop artist Jahi, his company Microphone Mechanics and The African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO) will establish the first Bay Area Hip Hop Archive at AAMLO. The launch takes places on February 3 from noon to 2pm PST at 659 14th Street in Oakland. 

"The Bay Area Hip Hop Archives will chronicle various artists, culture keepers, activists and educators who have made significant contributions to Hip Hop culture in the Bay Area," the press release explains. "The special collections will include never before heard sound recordings, interviews, research notes, photographs and negatives, playbills, posters, maps, booking contracts, business records, tour routes and other memorabilia designed by the artists.

Macklemore has a history of enlisting Hip Hop legends for his musical endeavors. On Friday (January 20), the Seattle-bred MC released a video for "Heroes" featuring one of his—DJ Premier. Mack expounded on his admiration for the Gang Starr luminary in an Instagram post and marveled at how far he's come. 

"DJ Premier's production defined my childhood," he wrote in part. "He was the soundtrack to my adolescence. I used to STUDY his drums. The way he chopped samples. The way his scratches had a personality to them, a voice. [...] I love this shit. I love this era. And I miss it. I make a lot of rap songs that will probably never see the light of day. The specific sound that I've been reminiscing on isn't contemporary anymore. It isn't trending on TikTok. And chances are this is

The Hip Hop Alliance, touted as Hip Hop's first union, was founded by KRS-One, Chuck D and Kurtis Blow in 2021. Since then, their mission has been to improve the lives of creatives within the culture. On January 14, Bow Wow tweeted about the need for Hip Hop to unionize. Many people responded with a link to the Hip Hop Alliance in an attempt to educate the So So Def rapper on its existence. 

In response, Chuck D, KRS-One and Kurtis Blow have decided to hold a Clubhouse meeting on Friday (January 20) at 7 p.m. EST to address some of Bow Wow's concerns. On Thursday (January 19), the three Hip Hop legends shared a joint statement inviting everyone, including Bow Wow, to the table. 

"Like every other aspect of society’s workforce, the artists and creators of Hip Hop need

Snoop Dogg is among the 2023 inductees being ushered into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. On Wednesday (January 18), the committee announced Snoop, Sade and Teddy Riley are being honored with the prestigious award at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on June 15. 

“The music industry does not exist without songwriters delivering great songs first. Without them there is no recorded music, no concert business, no merch . . . nothing, it all starts with the song and the songwriter,” SHOF Chairman Nile Rodgers said in a statement. “We are therefore very proud that we are continually recognizing some of the culturally most important songwriters of all time and that the 2023 slate represents not just iconic songs but also diversity and unity across genres, ethnicity and

Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, Master P, Missy Elliott and N.O.R.E. are among the dozens of acts booked for the upcoming Lovers & Friends Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. Held at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on May 6, the annual music event brings together R&B and Hip Hop for an all-day concert extravaganza. 

The inaugural Lovers & Friends Festival was scheduled to take place in 2020 but was canceled due to the pandemic. It was ultimately rescheduled for May 2022 and sold out in less than hour, prompting promoters to extend the event to two days. 

The festival, however, was plagued by issues. On the second day, fans thought they heard gunshots and ran to take cover. Although it was a false alarm, many attendees missed performances by headliners such as Lauryn Hill

Martin Luther King Day is intended to celebrate the life of civil rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr. Courthouses shut down, business is quiet and social media lights up with tributes to MLK. Killer Mike, Daddy-O of Stetsasonic and Public Enemy's Chuck D are just a handful of Hip Hop artists commemorating Dr. King's legacy. 

Born in Atlanta, Dr. King was a Baptist minster before becoming the face of the civil rights movement in 1955. He organized and led marches for the right to vote, desegregation, labor rights, and other civil rights. In 1955, he oversaw the Montgomery bus boycott and later became the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize for combating racial inequality through nonviolent resistance in 1964.