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The Arts Intel Report

A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler
A Cultural Compass
For the World Traveler

Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style

Dapper Dan of Harlem, bomber-style printed jacket, 1987, USA.

Feb 8 – Apr 23, 2023
227 W 27th St, New York, NY 10001, USA

In 1973, in an apartment building in the Bronx, Clive Campbell—stage name: DJ Kool Herc—and his sister, Cindy, put on a “Back to School Jam” party in the building’s rec room. Boys paid 50 cents for entry, girls paid 25. It wasn’t just any party. As Kool Herc has said, it was a party that “would change the world.” Hip-hop was invented then and there, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. It’s 50 years later and rap has since taken over the world, bringing with it a revolution in style. Shearling jackets, Kangol hats, puffers, and athletic wear have come to define the movement. This exhibition traces hip-hop style through several important themes. —Elena Clavarino

Photo: Gift of Dapper Dan of Harlem, 2013