This year marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop at a recreation room party in the Bronx. From there the art form slowly built and grew through word of mouth and a series of parties and gatherings in the Bronx, Upper Manhattan, and Brooklyn. But according to hip-hop historians, a key moment in the movement’s history came between 1979 and 1984, when it was transformed from an underground phenomenon to a style encompassing multiple “pillars” that gained worldwide exposure. And many key elements of that transformation took place in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, as downtown and uptown mixed, to help launch the ubiquitous genre we know today. 

To salute and celebrate that history, Village Preservation has been working with these historians and experts to conduct a series of tours of our neighborhoods, and are now launching an interactive map of hip-hop history in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. You’ll see where some of the early pioneers of the genre staged key performances and formed history-making connections; where sometimes disparate forms like MCing, DJing, breakdancing, and graffiti art came together as a cohesive threads to form the foundation of hip-hop; how early recordings came about and where critical movement shapers emerged; and more. 

We hope you’ll explore and share our new Hip-Hop History Map!

To explore all our maps and tours, CLICK HERE. To learn more about our efforts to document, celebrate, and preserve our neighborhoods’ diverse histories, CLICK HERE.