The nation is celebrating 50 years of hip-hop this month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The history of hip-hop extends back to the Bronx, New York, on the evening of August 11, 1973. Many people consider Philadelphia to be New York\u2019s \u201clittle sister,\u201d but there\u2019s nothing small about their contribution to the culture.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Philadelphia has been trailblazing in hip-hop culture for decades. In 1979, the genre first began its momentous takeover when the genre\u2019s foundations were laid as Lady B from west Philly dropped her single \u201cTo The Beat Y\u2019all.\u201d Lady B is known as an emcee, a DJ and a rapper, and she had a 43-year run in radio programming in the city that helped elevate the role and significance of hip-hop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNew York is the soil, hip-hop is the plant and Philly is the water,\u201d said Darien \u201cMighty Flip Side, ESQ\u201d Fripps, a hip-hop historian, lyrical emcee and overall Philadelphia hip-hop connoisseur. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For decades, Philly has been producing some of hip-hop\u2019s brightest minds: Schoolly D, The Roots, Will Smith, Black Thought, Beanie Sigel, Eve, Ice-T, Kurupt. In a more modern sense, the city is responsible for producing local legends, including Meek Mill, Lil Uzi Vert, PnB Rock, Tierra Whack and 2Rare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe only thing I ever wanted to do was be an emcee and, more specifically, I wanted to do a music video,\u201d Fripps said.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fripps, who also teaches at West Philadelphia High School, has been enthralled by the city\u2019s underground hip-hop scene since his childhood, when he first began rapping. After being frustrated over how to create the perfect video, Fripps learned how to edit and create, gained multiple accolades and degrees and went on to work for companies and organizations, including Penn Medicine and the Philadelphia School District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI feel like hip-hop music and its culture really has the potential to change the world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fripps got really involved in Philly\u2019s hip-hop scene at a young age. When he was 16 he got signed to Ruffhouse Records. He has been contributing to Philadelphia\u2019s hip-hop culture for his entire life. He runs a lot of promotional events, activations, hip-hop series, parties and he DJs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He is also a teacher in media production. As a career and technical education teacher, he prides himself in educating his students on all types of career possibilities, including those in the creative arts fields. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe culture that saved my life, I want it to help save someone else,\u201d Fripps said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to Philly\u2019s hip-hop culture, Fripps is confident that the beauty of the culture can move forward in a way where it is not overshadowed by underlying themes of violence that stem from jealousy, rivalries, tensions and a lack of resources to go around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere cannot be a shadow without some light on the other side,\u201d is the teacher\u2019s philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the current state of hip-hop in Philly, Fripps believes a turning point is on the edge, and artist 2Rare<\/a> is one of the current trail blazers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The recent 50 year anniversary of hip-hop was celebrated widely in Philly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the celebrations of hip-hop in Philadelphia was Hip-Hop In The Park<\/a> on August 12 at Eakins Oval, hosted by Black Soul Summer<\/a>. This free event included \u201call four elements of hip-hop: Graffiti, Breakin, MC, DJs\u201d and the organization continues to sponsor gatherings throughout the year to bring the community together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPeople really don’t appreciate Philly enough in my opinion,\u201d said Earl Hopkins, an arts and culture reporter at the Philadelphia Inquirer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think it\u2019s amazing because of how varied some of the talents are and how deep it is,\u201d said Hopkins on the Philly hip-hop culture. \u201cI\u2019m still learning about new sounds, new talent, even from South Jersey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think it [the city] is one of the most influential and best out there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Hopkins has recently been interviewing local Philadelphia musicians and DJs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe interviewed 10 Philly DJs,\u201d he said. \u201cWe talked about what songs, to you, represent Philly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the favorite answers included \u201cJust Wanna Rock\u201d by Lil Uzi Vert and \u201cDreams & Nightmares\u201d by Meek Mill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Along with the music, some aspects of Philly\u2019s hip-hop culture include art such as graffiti wall art, along with a heavy emphasis on different forms of dancing including break dance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Kojin Tashiro is a music producer and a composer for LWC Studios, where he composes soundtracks and audio for podcasts the company creates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think that a lot of people need to actually be educated on the flow of music,\u201d Tashiro said. \u201cMore people need to study and understand the flow of how music came from one city to another. And Philadelphia was in the center of all of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c[Philly] needs its flowers as much as any other city that had its origins in hip-hop history and culture.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Philadelphia is a city that naturally has a large sense of community, and Fripps believes the culture is for everybody. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHip-hop music and its culture is open to everyone. Even Kool Herc said this. Hip-hop is the only thing that has ever realized Martin Luther King\u2019s dream.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A trend uniquely individual to Philadelphia, the city\u2019s hip-hop scene has been within the hearts of many ever since their childhoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rahaman \u201cKil\u201d Kilpatrick grew up in uptown before attending Morgan State University. He runs his own hip-hop podcast, \u201cApartment 5B<\/a>,\u201d and has been loving the culture since 1984. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During his time at MSU, he helped coordinate and host hip-hop shows and that passion has been following him ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to the 50-year celebration, Kilpatrick believes in a more year-round approach to loving hip-hop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing the last 39 years,\u201d Kil said. \u201cDon\u2019t be the husband who only brings his wife flowers on Valentine\u2019s Day, bring her flowers every day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kilpatrick\u2019s aim is to love hip-hop all year long and he does his podcast <\/a>every week. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHip Hop at 50<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Uniquely Philly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n