Historical Hip Hop figures such as Grandmaster Flash, Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa all donated artifacts and memorabilia to the renowned Smithsonian Institution in a move to raise awareness and celebrate the music which has made such a significant impact on popular culture in the past thirty-five years.

The exhibition entitled “Hip-Hop Won’t Stop: The Beat, The Rhymes, The Life” will reside at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History in Washington, where it is expected to take up to three to five years to develop with help from private donors.

Several of the items were on display at a news conference at the Hilton New York where guest speakers such as Ice T shared their enthusiasm for the endeavor.

He poignantly declared, “”I’m so happy that right now anybody comes and asks me about my music or hip-hop, I can say, ‘Take your fucking ass to the museum.’ “
Some of the contributions include jackets and jewelry from Afrika Bambaataa, Technics turntables from Grandmaster Flash, and MC Lyte’s private diary.

Valeska Hilbig, a spokesperson for the National Museum says: “It’s here to stay, and it’s part of American culture just like jazz is part of American history.”