BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn to commemorate 50th anniversary of hip-hop

The stage is set to commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with two days of exciting performances as part of the annual BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn outdoor festival at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park.

On Friday, August 11, Celebrate Brooklyn will present a concert with headliner Digable Planets, the unapologetic precursors of the Afro-Future aesthetic, and the eclectic Southern rapper Kari Faux. The following day BCB, will host a screening of the 2002 romantic comedy film and ode to hip-hop, Brown Sugar. Both events are free.

Digable Planets’ music is described as asserted jazz sampling and a focus on unity across geographies as their unique brand of hip-hop exploration.

According to a release, thirty years after their debut, “Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space)” “the trio continues to impact artists across genres and generations, and their albums still inspire, motivate, and demonstrate what hip-hop can be when it is free, inclusive, and grounded in community.

The epitome of a multidisciplinary artist – rapper, singer, producer, DJ, and clothing designer – Kari Faux boasts an unmatched style of rhyming and sultry vocal harmonizing that has solidified her as a leading force in the new generation of hip-hop.

“Hip-hop gave us everything, something to love, something to work for, something to belong to, and much more,” says Digable Planets member Ish “Butterfly” Butler. “We stay looking forward to giving our energy back to hip-hop in records and especially in live shows. Can’t wait to get it on!”

“We’re beyond thrilled to introduce BRIC hip-hop to the world through this weekend of programming and bring our communities together around a shared love of hip-hop culture. Beginning with this weekend in August, we’re committing ourselves to providing an evergreen home for the education, expression, and evolution of hip-hop not only this summer but for years to come,” said BRIC President Wes Jackson. “We look forward to seeing you out at the Bandshell to celebrate this huge moment for the Culture with us, and stay tuned for even more exciting developments from BRIC hip-hop in the months ahead.”

The vision for BRIC’s hip-hop 50th anniversary eeekend reflects the curatorial direction of the festival: a celebration that places legacy artists and our new generation center stage.

“From Digable Planets’ interplanetary Black Power jazz stylings, to Little Rock’s Kari Faux, to the cult-hit Brown Sugarthat is forever known as ‘a love letter to hip-hop,’ BCB! is proud to do its part to celebrate hip-hop’s 50th birthday.”

Over the past 45 years, the BCB! stage has been a veritable discovery platform showcasing performers from all genres early on in their careers, many of whom have gone on to achieve widespread popularity, said a statement.

Notable hip-hop artists who have performed at the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn festival include J. Cole, Walé, Ari Lennox, and more.

In addition to BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn’s hip-hop 50th anniversary weekend, BRIC will be celebrating the genre’s birthday all year at its headquarters, BRIC House, in Brooklyn’s cultural District. The programming will encompass multiple aspects of hip-hop culture including visual art, fashion, education, film, advocacy and more. The curation is focused on the undeniable impact of women on the culture and the need for us to tell our own stories. More details to come regarding BRIC House fall hip-hop events and programming, said the release.