Hip Hop on the Nation's Stage: Celebrating the Multihyphenate

Another core commitment of the Hip Hop Culture Program at the Kennedy Center has been to serve as a creative home and canvas for artists to explore the various facets of their creative expression, passions, and interests. 

We have hosted residencies with The Roots and Robert Glasper, Club Quarantine Live with D-Nice, curatorial projects with MC Lyte, festivals with Beverly Bond, takeovers with Issa Rae, professional development workshops with Black Thought and 9th Wonder, and more.

The Center hosted a two-year residency with four-time Grammy Award®–winning band and founding Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council members The Roots, highlighting the artistic and curatorial projects of its joint front men Black Thought and Questlove.

The Roots Residency activities included professional development workshops like Black Thought's School of Thought Master Class for aspiring emcees and Streams of Thought discussions,  Questlove's Music Is History discussions, concerts, comedy showcases, and more.

Multi-Grammy Award winning pianist, composer, producer, and founding Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council Member Robert Glasper hosts his annual Black Radio residency, collaborating with artists across genres.

Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council Member D-Nice amplifies his multi-hyphenate role as curator and community catalyst with a special offline edition of Club Quarantine, becoming the first DJ and Hip Hop artist to headline the Opera House.

Grammy, Emmy, and Academy Award winning rapper and Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council Member Common has presented a range of projects including performing with the NSO, presenting his supergroup August Greene, and celebrating the book release of Let Love Have The Last Word.

Celebrity DJ, CEO, and founder of BLACK GIRLS ROCK! and Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council Member Beverly Bond partnered with the Center to launch BGR!FEST.  Founded and curated by Bond, BGR!FEST™ features concerts, discussions, and workshops showcasing women of color.

Hip Hop icon, actress, award-winning director, producer, executive, entrepreneur, and Council member MC Lyte has partnered with the Kennedy Center as a curator to present I AM WOMAN: A Celebration of Women in Hip Hop, Beats, Brains. and Business and My Block with Warryn Campbell.

In celebration of the Kennedy Center's 50th Anniversary, Issa Rae's visionary production company HOORAE took over the Center for a special four-day festival highlighting music, comedy, film, television, and the talent of Black creatives—HOORAE x Kennedy Center Takeover.