A collection of significant articles, artwork and items of hip hop culture will soon be accessible to the public in 2017. The Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) is planned to be located at the Old Bronx courthouse, a block away from where chief curator, Claude “Paradise” Gray went to high school. The UHHM president Rocky Bucano and Gray have had a long work history together, joining forces in the 80’s. Both Bucano and Gray bring valuable knowledge of the hip hop scene, Bucano ran a successful hip hop label in NYC and Gray developed himself in different areas of hip hop including rapping, dancing, journalism, and as a casting director.
The content of the Universal Hip-Hop Museum will showcase a collection of old flyers and photographs that Gray has captured throughout the decades which will be featured as “The Paradise Collection”. Gray’s collection will be the foundation for the museum however there will be collaboration of other artists which who will be added to the museum’s walls. In an interview with City Lab, Gray shared his objective of the project saying “Our job is to document the history of every culture that ever contributed to hip hop”. The museum will have a strong emphasis on the word ‘Universal’ “Meaning it’s not just about New York,” Gray explained.
Discussing the influences of hip-hop, Gray uses Muhammad Ali, The Last Poets, The Watts Prophets, Moms Mabley, Pigmeat Markham, The Jubalaires as a few of his examples. He also goes on to mention the influence of pop culture saying “Popular culture has been inspired by hip hop, but it also inspired hip hop. I’m interested not just in the works of people like Warhol” … “but also artists like Keith Haring, who was himself inspired by hip hop and ended up influencing hip hop back”.
The UHHM will be an informative and creative space for hip hop and pop culture enthusiasts to come and observe and possibly be inspired by the art work. Gray summaries his intentions of the collection stating, “That’s what I’m about: Creating a symbiotic relationship between hip hop and the larger art world, using media ranging from photography to digital graphics to sculpture”.
You can read to full interview here
For Courteney Tobin by RAPstation.com
