The Bronx's Universal Hip Hop Museum has announced a livestream broadcast to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the International Day of Peace. Hip Hop 4 Peace streams on Monday, September 21, at 7 PM ET on YouTube, and benefits the museum's educational programs.
The museum writes:
Hip Hop was created as an artful mechanism through which those who were disenfranchised, marginalized, and underrepresented could speak truth to power and effectuate meaningful change in communities of color. Peace and knowledge are guiding principles of Hip Hop as demonstrated by the “Stop the Violence” movement, the Hip Hop Proclamation of Peace, and the sociopolitical activism of many Hip Hop artists. Composed from the notes of racial injustice and melodies of audible pain, Hip Hop has used music to bring about greater understanding and radical change.
As we reflect on the disproportional effect of COVID 19 on individuals of color and systemic bias in policing which has led to the unnecessary deaths of countless black Americans, the Universal Hip Hop Museum will lead a call-to-consciousness on September 21, 2020, International Peace Day, by producing a one-hour Hip Hop 4 Peace live stream. Hip Hop 4 Peace will include a renewed Hip Hop Proclamation of Peace, performances by Hip Hop artists from around the world, and messages of peace from the Hip Hop community.
The lineup features Rakim, KRS One, Chuck D, Roxanne Shante, Ayo & Teo, O.T. Genasis, Sir Mix-A-Lot, MC Sha-Rock, Nasty C, M.anifest, The Lucas Brothers, Royce 5’9”, Chubb Rock, Arianna Puello, Momentum Crew, DJ Ready D, Mastafive, David Lyn, Lamboginny, Medusa, SINGLTN, Nhandi, DJ Spark and more.
In addition, Kurtis Blow will debut a video for his song "King of Humanity," a tribute to the late Representative John Lewis, and Klondike Blonde will debut a video for her song "Better."
LeRoy Burgess, Patrick Adams, and Lukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski also composed and arranged "Peace Rhapsody," the Hip Hop 4 Peace Score, which will be performed on the stream.