Group Black Celebrates 50 Years of Hip-Hop With New Platform

Music, television and film are just some of the main elements that hold a strong influence on culture. For many Black and brown communities hip-hop is more than just a musical genre—it's a cultural movement. In celebration of hip-hop's 50th anniversary, Group Black—a Black-owned media collective—along with some of the most influential voices in hip-hop—Mass Appeal, Rock The Bells, Fader Films, Content Cartel, AllHipHop.com and NTWRK—are collaborating to bring together an exclusive platform with curated programming running throughout 2023. The platform's programming aims to shine a light on hip-hop’s impact and lasting influence over the last half-century, while also focusing on next-generation leaders in the genre who are uplifting brown and Black communities. The platform's content will fall into the three categories of editorial, visual storytelling and tentpole physical experiences, all of which will have an overarching theme of celebrating hip-hop and its cultural contributions. Media company Mass Appeal will be working to launch a variety of activations and initiatives, such as "Refresh" to reset hip-hop's relationship with physical, mental and financial health, with Universal Hip-Hop Museum. Additionally, media content brand Rock The Bells is creating an in-person immersive digital art experience called “50 Years and Running,” curated by LL Cool J. The exhibit will take visitors on a tour of hip-hop's history from 1973 to the present day, celebrating the first 50 years of hip-hop culture through the perspectives of some of its most influential artists. Representing the editorial content, AllHipHop.com’s content team will take consumers on a journey to the subcultures that have influenced the sound, rhythm, fashion, media coverage and culture of hip-hop over the decades through engaging editorial, video and audio content. In addition, Group Black will also work with Fader Films and Content Cartel to create Where Hip-Hop Lives, a documentary that will tell the story of hip-hop’s past and present evolution through the lens of New York and Hot 97, a radio station that elevated the culture. "Hip-hop has proven itself as a culture, an art form and an institution and overcame insurmountable odds to reach this point. 50 years is just the beginning for us to explore the intricacies and depth of the stories that have accumulated,” Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur, co-founder and co-CEO of AllHipHop, said in a statement. “AllHipHop as a platform has always celebrated the greatness of hip-hop and this partnership is an amazing display of power and authenticity—just like hip-hop." Empowering a cultural movement Although Group Black has continued to empower actionable change through several of its partnerships, such as its partnership with SHE Media, an advertising network for publishers and content creators, the Black-owned media company is aiming to not only highlight the cultural impact hip-hop has, but to support communities and talent. "At Group Black we understand and celebrate the sizable impact that hip-hop has not only had on the culture but the world over the last 50 years," Travis Montaque, CEO of Group Black, said in a statement. "From humble beginnings to a billion dollar industry, we look forward to not only shining a light on that impact in 2023, but also supporting the next generation of hip-hop talent." You can look out for more information on Group Black's website. Hip-Hop Legends Show California Love in Energetic Super Bowl 56 Halftime Show