Art + Culture Diaries
Working Playground - Mon, June 4 - Working Playground’s Urban Arts Festival Fundraiser event was held in NYC’s West Village. Student artwork was on display and auctioned, there were live performances in Poetry and African Dance, and a student film was featured. Presenters included NYC legend, FAB 5 FREDDY, and The Wire’s, Michael Kenneth Williams. Guests were treated to sushi, sake cocktails and lots of love. I actually shedded some tears it was so touching…. Watch a student film. (photos: Marcia Moosnick)
Bushwick, Brooklyn - Tuesday, June 19 - Meanwhile on the other side of town….This link was sent to me….Time Multimedia: Hard Times in Brooklyn…..A Serbian photographer discovers the mean streets of Bushwick with music by Dr. Octagon….Charlie Ahearn: Wild Style the Sampler - Friday, June 22 The Powerhouse Arena’sexhibition opening, Charlie Ahearn: Wild Style the Sampler, was off the hook. So much love. The heart and soul of hip hop was alive and well, if only for one night. Grandmaster Caz and Busy Bee got busy and reminded me of how a real hip hop party gets done. B-girls and B-boys rocked all night and legendary hip hop culture aficionados like DOZE and Fab 5 Freddy perculated in the mix. To top it off Ahearn’s, classic hip hop film, Wild Style, was screened live and direct under the stars and the Brooklyn Bridge, making it a perfect evening for all the hip hop lovebirds cozied up on the grass along Dumbo’s waterfront.
3rd Annual Hip Hop Festival - Saturday, June 23 - Another day on the waterfront of Dumbo. Perfect 80 degree, no humidity, weather with a breeze caressed the ample crowd for another day of hip hop history brought to you by Brooklyn Bodegaand hosted by Ralph McDaniels (Video Music Box is still going!). Large Professor, Mad Skillz, Jeru the Damaga, Buckshot, Wu Tang, and more graced the stage. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz declared the day a Holiday - Brooklyn Hip Hop Day - and busted a rhyme. Dres of Black Sheepperformed tracks from his new album that sounded like they might work for the over 30 hip hop crowd? Could a new genre be born? If so I have to ask, where is Special Ed?…As we rolled out through the cobblestoned high rise streets of Dumbo we saw FAT JOE cruise by driving his white Bentley looking for parking…Later we heard he made a special appearance to co-sign with Ghostface to close out the show…only in Brooklyn.
