Curiosity isn’t something you can just teach to someone.
An individual must want to have that inner drive, that hunger for new ideas and insights. If we think about the most creative minds out there, the artists who really leave a mark, they have this desire of infinite curiosity, always on the lookout for fresh ways to shake things up, to redefine what’s possible in their craft. Hip Hop? It’s the very essence of being a renegade, a cultural revolution born from the raw artistic expression of DJs and MCs back in the day in New York’s park of Sedgwick and Cedar. They were all about bending words, crafting wild sounds with whatever was at hand. Now the GRAMMY Museum has curated the “Hip Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit” to dive into this journey, showcasing how a 50-year legacy of curiosity has pushed not just the music but the whole hip hop culture forward.
When you first set foot in the GRAMMY Museum, the iconic name alone sets high expectations.
This place isn’t just a museum; it’s a museum that holds a ton of music history and legendary stories. However, we start the exhibit unexpectedly in the gift shop, doubling as the entrance. Here, the friendly clerks are ready to scan your tickets or help you purchase them on the spot. Next, an elevator ride to the 4th floor is the beginning of your exploration. But there’s more – the 5th floor hosts a chic lounge, perfect for events with its full bar, kitchen, and a raw, unfiltered view of Downtown LA’s urban landscape.
In order to gain access to the 5th floor you either have to be invited to the current event taking place or have a legit reason to gain access.
Exhibit Review | HIP-HOP AMERICA: The Grammy Museum, Los Angeles, Photo Credit: Enrique Bautista
So I took our exit on the 4th floor of the museum where the hip hop exhibit starts. Right when you exit the elevator and enter the first room the guest is presented with glass cases with iconic props from different hip hop artists. On the left and right side of this gallery are two projectors playing images of iconic award show moments, most of them being from the GRAMMY award shows that feature hip hop artists. The collected artifacts featured are SAWEETIE’s customized nails, Shock G from Digital Underground’s Glasses and Nose he wore in the HUMPTY music video, Slick Rick’s eye patch, one of Flavor Flav’s huge clock chains, Lil Wayne’s GRAMMY for Best Rap album for The Carter III, and handwritten lyrics by Tupac in his rhyme book. All these artifacts are very important to the culture of hip hop and have helped push the culture forward by these artists pushing boundaries with their music.
Exhibit Review | HIP-HOP AMERICA: The Grammy Museum, Los Angeles, Photo Credit: Enrique Bautista
I was only greeted by staff upon my entry to the exhibit and while in the exhibit I did not notice any staff, so I do think that the exhibit could have used a lot more staff with knowledge of the exhibit or hip hop for the guests who were new to discovering hip hop to be able to explain and give context to some of the history that was being explained through the gallery. Once you make it past the room with all of the collected iconic artifacts over the past year of hip hop, you see a sign that says “Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit” and to the left you’ll be presented with the late legendary Nipsey Hussle tuxedo he wore to the 2019 GRAMMY award show, and to the right of that sign you’ll see an outfit from Slick Rick. As you walk past those two glass cases you enter the rest of the exhibit.
As you wander through the exhibit, it feels like stepping into the vibrant heart of hip hop culture.
The first area you encounter, dubbed the Hip Hop Soul Room, immerses you in a visual journey. Here, videos showcase the evolution of hip hop’s soul, highlighting the artists who’ve propelled this art form to new heights. Just to the left, a cozy enclave called Hip Hop in STEREO unfolds the tale of the car stereo and boom box, pivotal in shaping the unmistakable sound of hip hop. Venture a bit further, and you’ll find yourself in Lyrical Adventures room, which offers a deep dive into the world of hip hop lyrics, where rhyme and rhythm converge to tell stories, evoke emotions, and paint vivid pictures for the listener. It’s a testament to the power of words and how artists have honed their craft over the last five decades. Adjacent to this is the “Sonic Innovation” room. It’s like a time capsule, tracing hip hop’s roots back to the pioneering DJs who started it all. You’ll learn how DJing, once confined to the turntables, has blossomed into the expansive field of music production. Legends like DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash are celebrated for their groundbreaking work, leading the way to modern maestros like Dr. Dre and Metro Boomin. Each room is a chapter, telling the story of hip hop’s journey from the streets to the studio.
All the different elements of hip hop have small rooms that are placed right next to each other.
Once you complete viewing all of those rooms you are then presented with an interactive area where there are turntables that guests can play around with to develop a sound and scratch records to get an idea of how DJs created their music for parties and concerts. Once you walk past that in the corner to the right is a music booth with a microphone and headphones so guests can have fun rapping and creating their own rap songs to give guests an idea of how artists recorded their voice and lyrics as they spit over dope beats. While I was there, I saw many guests enjoying these features as they tried to scratch and make beats, as well as trying to get in the booth and rhyme their hilarious raps. To the left of the turntable section there is a wall of graffiti that was placed there to encourage guests to take pictures and hashtag they have visited the exhibit, which I thought was smart because most people nowadays with social media are always looking for an aesthetically pleasing backdrop to take photos. While I was in the exhibit there was probably about 8-10 other parties viewing the exhibit as well, and they all seemed to really enjoy the interactive DJ turntables. I will say they could have used a little more instruction explaining the buttons for people who may not have known what each function on the turntable was for, however, fiddling around and learning what each button was for gave a real experience of what DJs had to learn about breakbeats and production and spinning on the 1s and 2s.
As you walk around the exhibit guests are also presented with images of iconic artists such as Master P, Jay-Z, Drake, Wu-Tang Clan, and Roxanne Shante to show the evolution of hip hop over the last 50 years.
The very last room before you exit the exhibit is the hip hop fashion room, which has outfits form iconic moments throughout hip hop from various artists to show how hip hop has been instrumental in expanding the fashion business. Hip Hop has always been about being fly and being fresh, and wearing outfits that curate a style that is unique to each individual but doing it in a fly way. The outfits that are in highlighted range from Andre 3000 to Outkast, Kanye West, Tupac, Notorious BIG, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Public Enemy, Biz Markie, RUN DMC, and LL COOL J. Most of these outfits and costumes were custom-designed for the artists which make them iconic because they were worn at specific times that are pivotal in hip hop history.
Exhibit Review | HIP-HOP AMERICA: The Grammy Museum, Los Angeles, Photo Credit: Enrique Bautista
Walking through the exhibit was like a journey back in time, stirring up a deep sense of nostalgia for the golden days of hip hop. I couldn’t help but get transported back to the pivotal moments of my late teens. Seeing Lil Wayne’s The Carter III on display was a highlight – that album was the soundtrack to my final year of high school and the start of college. It was everywhere in 2008, a masterpiece that seemed to define the era, and spotting his Grammy award for that album was like stepping into a time machine.
Then there was the iconic outfit Andre 3000 donned for his GRAMMY performance of Hey Ya! and Kanye West’s unforgettable drum major costume from the 2006 GRAMMYs. It was like being transported back to those high school days when OUTKAST, Kanye, and 50 Cent dominated the airwaves. Each artifact, each piece of memorabilia, wasn’t just a relic; it was a portal to the past, reigniting memories of a time when these artists were the soundtrack of my life. The exhibit was very inclusive and exemplified cultural representation of all fans of hip hop. Hip Hop is a predominantly Black genre, however over the history of the genre it has transcended pertaining to only one specific group of people. Rooted in Black history it has become a great way for us to share our stories and invite audiences from different cultural backgrounds to be a part of our culture through music.
My experience overall attending the museum was great and I do think it’s a great exhibit for anyone trying to learn more about the culture. However, I do believe they should have included more of the hip hop elements which have also had a major impact on hip hop culture such as street art and graffiti, and break dancing. I understand that the GRAMMY museum more than likely wanted to focus on just the music aspect of hip hop, but the other two elements have helped shaped the culture of hip hop as we know it today.
I would recommend this exhibit to anyone who is wanting to learn more about hip hop or who would want to learn more about the culture. I think it’s a great way to explain and educate viewers on the history of hip hp music and how it has evolved and come so far in the last 50 years.
*****
Having launched on Saturday, Oct. 7, the Grammy exhibit will run through Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024
