“Night in the Library: The Philosophy of Hip-Hop” begins June 17 at the Central Library.
Photo credit: Gregg Richards/BPL
The Brooklyn Public Library is gearing up to host ““Night in the Library: The Philosophy of Hip-Hop” is an all-night philosophy series that includes keynotes, music, discussions and culturally inspired activities in the genre, taking place June 17th at the Central Library .
“We are thrilled to once again welcome New Yorkers to join us in one of Brooklyn’s most exciting cultural celebrations and exchanges of ideas,” said Laszlo Jakab Orthos, Vice President of Arts and Culture at BPL. “As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we are honoring the legacy of the genre and taking a deep dive into this multifaceted art form that has profoundly impacted our cultural fabric beyond music and on a global scale. I am proud to be able to do it.”
Really Just Hip-Hop founders LeBrandon Smith, Kelly Harrison, and Akila Worksongs founder April R. Silver have teamed up to co-curate an event with special speakers, speakers and music. bottom.
“It’s special to me to celebrate the institution and this art form that nurtured my love of reading in my native Brooklyn,” Smith said. “A Night in the Library allows us to explore the genre from multiple perspectives as a versatile art form that is provocative, vulnerable and always thought provoking.”
Brooklyn native Smith said he’s excited to see how the event will give the community a chance to challenge their own ideas and push the art form forward.
“I think there are so many conversations happening online in the hip-hop community, and I think we’re going to be able to capture some of those conversations online and meet them in person,” Smith told the Brooklyn Papers. Told. “I think we’re not just celebrating, we’re even allowing people to critique what they see in some of these different panels and talks.”
Prominent hip-hop artists such as Grammy-nominated rapper Rhapsody, Johnny Cocoa, HDBeenDope, and Ruben Vincent from Roc Nation will perform.
According to BPL’s head of programming, Meredith Walters, the event is just one of many ways the library network is celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and its culture.
“I’m so excited about this year because hip-hop has so many philosophies built into it and because of this it brings together so many generations that Brooklynians and New Yorkers of all ages are really very, very excited. It’s going to be a productive, celebratory get-together,” Walters said.
library nightwas a BPL event first introduced in 2017 that attracted thousands of attendees to enthusiastically discuss a variety of topics. Walters and other BPL leaders felt that there was no more noteworthy theme this year than hip-hop, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
“It made sense to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop philosophy this year,” said Walters. “This is an opportunity to bring together people who may disagree on some topics.”
The event will also feature performances by the National Double Dutch League led by Lauren Walker, film screenings, rap recitations by dancers and choreographers, and sound bests by Not Impossible Labs, which allows the deaf to feel the music. It is
“The fact that we’re only collecting scholars and the Brooklyn era, not just artists, is special,” Smith said.
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