Tag Archives: Common Heritage

Join us on Saturday, June 15 for discussion of Graffiti Art in Hip-Hop Culture at Grove Hall Branch of the BPL

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Flyer for BPL graffiti art event at the Grove Hall branch of the Boston Public LibraryWhat: Element of Graffiti Art in Hip-Hop

When: Saturday, June 15, 2019 | 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Where: Grove Hall Branch of the Boston Public Library, 41 Geneva Avenue, Dorchester, Mass. 02121

Click here for directions.

Boston Public Library, UMass Boston, and members of the hip-hop community invite hip-hop enthusiasts of all ages to attend a free event at the Grove Hall Branch of the Boston Public Library on Saturday, June 15, from 1:00-3:00 p.m.

“Element of Graffiti Art in Hip-Hop” is the final event in a series of hip-hop programs to take place as part of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Boston-based artists Rob Stull, Problak (Rob Gibbs), and Fabian Murray will lead a conversation and participate in a panel discussion about their identities as graffiti artists and their careers as graphic designers. Collectively, these gentlemen represent over 100 years of artistic expertise. They will be sharing their stories and individual experiences of maneuvering through the intricate world of professional art. An art demonstration will take place following the discussion. Boston is home. Hip-Hop is the foundation.

Learn more about this event and let us know on Facebook if you’re planning to join us. Read more about past programs in this series here.

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This event is presented in partnership through Boston Public Library and the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston, and made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations in this program do not necessarily express those of the National Endowment of the Humanities.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collects materials related to the university’s history, as well as materials that reflect the institution’s urban mission and strong support of community service, notably in collections of records of urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, and local history related to neighboring communities.

University Archives and Special Collections is working to expand its collections related to hip-hop in Boston and Massachusetts and welcomes donations of archival materials from musicians, DJs, breakdancers, graffiti artists, producers, promoters, and fans that will help document the area’s rich heritage and legacy of hip-hop culture. Click here to learn more about what we collect. For more information about donating to University Archives & Special Collections, click here or email library.archives@umb.edu.

Join us on Saturday, May 25 for a Hip-Hop Dance Jam at the Codman Square Branch of the BPL

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Flyer for BPL HIPHOP DANCE JAM event at the Codman Square branch of the Boston Public LibraryWhat: BPL Hip-Hop Dance Jam

When: Saturday, May 25, 2019 | 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Where: Codman Square Branch of the Boston Public Library, 690 Washington Street, Dorchester, MA 02124

Click here for directions.

Boston Public Library, UMass Boston, and members of the hip-hop community invite hip-hop enthusiasts of all ages to attend a free event at the Codman Square Branch of the Boston Public Library on Saturday, May 25, from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

“BPL Hip-Hop Dance Jam” is the third in a series of hip-hop programs to take place as part of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program will focus on and celebrate the dance element of hip-hop, including demonstrations, narration, and a dance competition featuring local dancers. The event is hosted by Dash Boogy with music by DJ Flyte. The “Freshest Dancer” will take home $400 in prize money. All levels of dancers are welcome.

Learn more about this event here, and let us know on Facebook if you’re planning to join us. Read more about past programs in this series here.

Logo for National Endownment for the Humanities

This event is presented in partnership through Boston Public Library and the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston, and made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations in this program do not necessarily express those of the National Endowment of the Humanities.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collects materials related to the university’s history, as well as materials that reflect the institution’s urban mission and strong support of community service, notably in collections of records of urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, and local history related to neighboring communities.

University Archives and Special Collections is working to expand its collections related to hip-hop in Boston and Massachusetts and welcomes donations of archival materials from musicians, DJs, breakdancers, graffiti artists, producers, promoters, and fans that will help document the area’s rich heritage and legacy of hip-hop culture. Click here to learn more about what we collect. For more information about donating to University Archives & Special Collections, click here or email library.archives@umb.edu.

Cutz Beatz & Blendz: Free event at the Boston Public Library this Saturday about the art of DJing and making beats

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Flyer for hip-hop event at the Boston Public Library, graphic shows outline of DJ as sound board.What: Cutz Beatz & Blendz: Beat Makers, Producers, and DJs!

When: Saturday, November 10, 2018 | 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Where: Boston Public Library, Central Library in Copley Square, 700 Boylston Street, Teen Central

Boston Public Library and UMass Boston invite hip-hop enthusiasts of all ages to attend a free hip-hop event in Teen Central at the BPL’s Central Library on Saturday, November 10, from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Spend the afternoon with Dane “DanejaZone” Bradley and fellow DJs learning the art of DJing and making beats. Enjoy live performances, special guests and more. Participants will wear headphones that allow them to switch to different channels and hear everything going on at the individual DJ stations. Participants will also have a chance to explore Teen Central’s Digital Maker Lab and learn how to use the music software. In addition, Michael Jeffries, Associate Professor of American Studies at Wellesley College, will share a documentary entitled “Scratch” as well as insights about DJ history.

Since 2016, Boston Public Library and the Healey Library at UMass Boston have been working together to preserve and share the history of hip-hop in Boston and Massachusetts. They continued their collaboration to expand awareness and access to the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. As part of this grant, UMass Boston and the BPL hosted the “Show ‘Em Whatcha Got” hip-hop digitization event in May 2019 at the Central Library, which was attended by more than 200 members of the local hip-hop community. View the digital collection here and learn about other grant-related events here.

The Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive at UMass Boston includes a collection of almost 300 demo tapes featuring the biggest artists from Boston’s early hip-hop scene, which were digitized thanks to the support of the Boston Public Library. University Archives and Special Collections in the Healey Library at UMass Boston is currently working to expand the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive and welcomes donations of archival materials from musicians, DJs, breakdancers, graffiti artists, producers, promoters, and fans that will help document the rich heritage and legacy of hip-hop culture in Boston and Massachusetts. Click here to learn more about what we collect.

Download and share the flyer for this event.

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Special thanks to Dane “DanejaZone” Bradley for helping to make this event possible. Cutz Beatz & Blendz is presented in partnership through Boston Public Library and the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston, and made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations in this program do not necessarily express those of the National Endowment of the Humanities.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collects materials related to the university’s history, as well as materials that reflect the institution’s urban mission and strong support of community service, notably in collections of records of urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, and local history related to neighboring communities.

University Archives & Special Collections welcomes inquiries from individuals, organizations, and businesses interested in donating materials of an archival nature that that fit within our collecting policy. These include manuscripts, documents, organizational archives, collections of photographs, unique publications, and audio and video media. For more information about donating to University Archives & Special Collections, click here or email library.archives@umb.edu.

“Show ‘Em Whatcha Got” Mass. Memories Road Show: The Hip-Hop Edition materials online now

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Yhinny Matos and Dash Montalvo at the "Show 'Em Whatcha Got" Mass. Memories Road Show

Yhinny Matos and Dash Montalvo at the “Show ‘Em Whatcha Got” Mass. Memories Road Show.

 

The photographs, objects, and stories collected at the “Show ‘Em Whatcha Got” Mass. Memories Road Show: The Hip-Hop Edition are available online now.

Held at the Boston Public Library in May, the event was a collaboration between UMass Boston’s Healey Library and the Boston Public Library. It was part of a larger project called “Local Rappers, DJs, B-Boys, and Graff: Documenting the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Community from the 1970s to the present” and is supported by a Common Heritage grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor and the UMass President’s Creative Economy Initiatives Fund. Learn more about this project here.

A Phi Ki in the house. Contributor: Troy Ellerbee.

‘A Phi Ki in the house, 1980s.  Spinning at Cambridge VFW.  Pictured: Malcolm (Malibu) and myself Troy Ellerbee (Terminator).’ Contributor: Troy Ellerbee.

 

The digital collection of nearly 300 items features informal snapshots and promotional publicity photographs documenting the experiences of artists and producers involved in the four elements of hip-hop–rap, DJs, dance, and graffiti–in the Boston community from the 1980s to the present.

The Robonauts, 1981. This group was the first and for months was the only dance group of its kind in Cambridge. The Robonauts ushered in the beginning of popping from this area. Contributor: Kevin Layne (Cap Nice).

‘The Robonauts, 1981. This group was the first and for months was the only dance group of its kind in Cambridge. The Robonauts ushered in the beginning of popping from this area.’ Contributor: Kevin Layne (Cap Nice).

 

Many of the photographs in the collection document artists’ and fans’ memories of notable performances and of receiving awards and other public recognition.

My moment to shine, 1996. 'At that moment the room was quiet and all focus was on me. At that moment, I knew I had a voice. I stay in deep thought.' Contributor: Michelle Hunter (Honey Bee).

‘My moment to shine, 1996. At that moment the room was quiet and all focus was on me.  At that moment, I knew I had a voice.  I stay in deep thought.’  Contributor: Michelle Hunter (Honey Bee).

 

Many contributors shared posters, flyers, and other printed matter from performing groups, production companies, venues, and concert performances. They also brought a great number of magazine and album covers from the 1980s to the present, recording the contributions of Boston graphic artists and designers to the local and national hip-hop scene. Several photographs of clothing items, including T-shirts with logos, painted jackets, performance costumes, and shoes, are included in the collection.

Guru's Jazzmatazz Streetsoul poster, 2000. This is the logo and poster I designed for . Contributor: Rob Stull.

‘Guru’s ‘Jazzmatazz Streetsoul’ poster, 2000. This is the logo and poster I designed for hip-hop legend Guru (Keith Elam).’ Contributor: Rob Stull.

 

Note to contributors: We need your help to finish processing this collection! If you see something incorrect or misspelled–names and spellings of individuals and performing groups, for example–we want to fix it.  Please email carolyn.goldstein@umb.edu with the details and our team will make the corrections as soon as we can. Thank you!

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Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations in this program do not necessarily express those of the National Endowment of the Humanities.

The 60 video interviews with community members about their connections to hip-hop in Boston and Massachusetts, also collected at this event, will be added to the collection later this year.

If you have questions about the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive, please contact an archivist at UMass Boston, connect with the project on Facebook, or click here to explore the collections and learn how you can contribute materials.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collects materials related to the university’s history, as well as materials that reflect the institution’s urban mission and strong support of community service, notably in collections of records of urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, and local history related to neighboring communities.

University Archives & Special Collections welcomes inquiries from individuals, organizations, and businesses interested in donating materials of an archival nature that that fit within our collecting policy. These include manuscripts, documents, organizational archives, collections of photographs, unique publications, and audio and video media. For more information about donating to University Archives & Special Collections, click here or email library.archives@umb.edu.

“I EMCEE What You Did There”: Join the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive for a free event this Saturday

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"I Emcee What You Did There" Hip Hop Event flyerWhat: “I EMCEE What You Did There” Hip-Hop Event

When: Saturday, September 15, 2018 | 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Where: Boston Public Library, Central Library in Copley Square, 700 Boylston Street, McKim Courtyard

Boston Public Library and UMass Boston invite hip-hop enthusiasts of all ages to attend a free hip-hop event in the courtyard of the Central Library on Saturday, September 15, from 1-4 p.m.

“I EMCEE What You Did There” is the first in a series of hip-hop programs to take place at the Central Library and branches. Courtney Boston will host the event, with music by DJ Drew and performances by Red Shaydez, Mark Merren, First Lady Sarita, Sondro Castro, BYTC, Dasan Ahanu, and The Hangaz.  The event includes a live hip-hop Jeopardy game.

Additional hip-hop programs are scheduled for Saturday, November 10, at Teen Central at the Central Library, and at the Codman Square and Grove Hall branches in spring 2019.

“Boston Public Library welcomes artists and hip-hop enthusiasts to one of the Central Library’s most beautiful and inspiring spaces to celebrate Boston’s hip hop legacy and gather as a community to share experiences, both new and old,” said David Leonard, President of Boston Public Library. “I am grateful to UMass Boston, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Hip Hop & The Bostonians curating committee for their commitment to promote Boston’s intergenerational hip hop presence locally and beyond, while also preserving this important piece of living history.”

“As we continue to build a collection at UMass Boston related to the history of hip-hop in Boston and Massachusetts,” said Carolyn Goldstein, “we are pleased that this grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities is providing opportunities for Boston’s hip-hop artists to share the legacy of these four hip-hop elements—music, dance, DJs, and graffiti—with a broad citywide audience at the Boston Public Library’s Central and branch libraries.” Goldstein is the grant’s principal investigator and Public History and Community Archives Program Manager in the Healey Library at UMass Boston.

Since 2016, Boston Public Library and UMass Boston have been working together to preserve and share the history of hip-hop in Boston and Massachusetts. They continued their collaboration to expand awareness and access to the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and hosted the “Show ‘Em Whatcha Got” hip-hop digitization event on Saturday, May 19, at the Central Library. Attended by more than 200 members of the local hip-hop community, items collected for digitization included photos, clothing, videos interviews, and more, and will be available to view this month via openarchives.umb.edu. [Update: This collection is now online. Read more and view the digital collection here.]

The Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive is a collective of creatives, hip-hop enthusiasts, innovators, and community and state organizations united by a common passion and purpose to provide resources and opportunities to Boston’s urban arts community. The Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive includes a collection of almost 300 demo tapes featuring the biggest artists from Boston’s early hip-hop scene, which were digitized thanks to the support of the Boston Public Library. University Archives and Special Collections in the Healey Library at UMass Boston is currently working to expand the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive and welcomes donations of archival materials from musicians, DJs, breakdancers, graffiti artists, producers, promoters, and fans that will help document the rich heritage and legacy of hip-hop culture in Boston and Massachusetts. Download this flyer to learn more about what we collect.

Logo for National Endownment for the Humanities

This event is presented in partnership through Boston Public Library and the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston, and made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations in this program do not necessarily express those of the National Endowment of the Humanities.

University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston collects materials related to the university’s history, as well as materials that reflect the institution’s urban mission and strong support of community service, notably in collections of records of urban planning, social welfare, social action, alternative movements, community organizations, and local history related to neighboring communities.

University Archives & Special Collections welcomes inquiries from individuals, organizations, and businesses interested in donating materials of an archival nature that that fit within our collecting policy. These include manuscripts, documents, organizational archives, collections of photographs, unique publications, and audio and video media. For more information about donating to University Archives & Special Collections, click here or email library.archives@umb.edu.