(AllHipHop News) The Kennedy Center is set to launch a Hip Hop Culture Council. Its mission will be to expand the public’s knowledge of Hip Hop.
A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip was named the artistic director of the council. LL Cool J, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Common, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, MC Lyte, 9th Wonder, and Grandmaster Caz are among the other Hip Hop figures to take part in the organization as advisors/ambassadors.
“The Kennedy Center’s Hip Hop Culture Council reflects the creative, social, and intellectual wealth of the Hip-Hop community,” said Q-Tip in a statement. “The members are the embodiment of what we stand for and all that we aspire to achieve with the Hip-Hop Culture program.”
The Hip Hop Culture Council will also include Bobbito Garcia, Fab 5 Freddy, Grandmaster Caz, Grant Hill, J. Period, Jason King, Kierna Mayo, Large Professor, Mimi Valdes, Robert Glasper, Xavier “X” Jernigan, and Pharoahe Monch. The program will present a 35th anniversary celebration of the film Wild Style as well as a the first live performance from the supergroup August Greene (Common, Glasper & Karriem Riggins).
Common posted on Twitter, “Honored to announce that I’m a founding member of [Kennedy Center’s] Hip Hop Culture Council! I look forward to collaborating with an extraordinary group of visionaries in service of the Culture.”
“I’m honored to announce my participation as a founding member of the Hip Hop Culture Council at the Kennedy Center! The Council will help to expand and preserve Hip Hop’s legacy and presence at one of the [world’s] most distinguishable and reputable Centers in the world,” tweeted Pharoahe Monch.