The year-long celebration of 50 years of Hip Hop kicked off
Hip Hop's 50th anniversary is being celebrated in a big way. Now in August, the celebrations have kicked off and will last a full year. As part of the celebration, "The Brand Liason" and "Legends Recordings" have announced an illustrious list of retailers, licensees, brand partners and events that will be part of the 50th anniversary celebration with various promotions or products.
Licensing partners, events and charitable initiatives
The full program consists of various concerts and music festivals, cultural events, TV shows, podcasts, collaborations and global merchandising rights across a wide range of product categories. Licensing partners include representatives from the apparel industry such as Ed Hardy, Mitchell & Ness, and a collaborative collection from Tats Cru.
Representatives from the electronics industry, lifestyle products and accessories are also on board. The licensed items are sold worldwide at well-known retail chains such as Macy's and Walmart, in specialty stores such as Hot Topic and Forever 21, and on e-commerce platforms such as Fanatics, Amazon and Threadless.
In addition, Legends Recording and the non-profit organization Beats Rhymes & Relief have teamed up to launch a charitable initiative called "For The Culture Fund." The "For The Culture Fund" will be used to award grants to at least fifty U.S.-based organizations that provide humanitarian assistance to disadvantaged communities. These include organizations specializing in food and housing security, criminal justice reform, violence prevention, health services, wellness initiatives, and services for marginalized youth, among others.
In the name of Hip Hop: celebration starts now
The celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop in the U.S. begins with the Battle Champs competition, sponsored by streetwear brand Snipes and held in Times Square since August 13 until the 15th. The event features, among other activities, competitions on the key basic elements of hip-hop culture. These include graffiti art, DJing, breakdancing, MCing and beatboxing.
International celebrations starting in October
On October 6th, the international celebration of Hip Hop's 50th anniversary will begin at the European headquarters in Berlin. The global celebration will feature 50 weeks of programming around Hip Hop's 50th anniversary, including multiple pop-up stores, events, workshops and masterclasses. The end of the year-long festivities will be marked by the official opening of the Universal Hip Hop Museum in 2024.
Source: www.thelicensingletter.com