The BBC Hip Hop 50 campaign will celebrate 50 years of Hip Hop throughout the month of August.
Across BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, there will be a deep dive into the genre’s origins and the legacy it continues to forge with a whole suite of new commissions. BBC Hip Hop 50 will shine a spotlight on the iconic genre and connect Hip Hop fans with the BBC’s treasure chest of archive material.
Celebrating the very best in 50 Years of Hip Hop, BBC Sounds has also launched a brand new Back to Back Sounds offer – Hip Hop 50. From brand new music mixtapes to exclusive specials and more the Hip Hop 50 Back to Back Sounds offer is dedicated to honouring the culturally defining genre in its anniversary month and hosting all of its Hip Hop content in one place. This can be found in the music tab on BBC Sounds and by pressing play on Hip Hop 50.
iPlayer highlights include Rap Roundtable. Hosted by broadcasting legend Trevor Nelson at the iconic BBC Maida Vales Studios, the Rap Roundtable will see some of the biggest cultural icons of our generation – from the worlds of music, acting, sports and more – come together to dive deep into the origins of Hip Hop, the impact it’s had on culture and the legacy it continues to forge. From JME and Ms Banks to Big Narstie and Kenny Allstar, plus many more. The 50 Years of Hip Hop Mixtape. Spanning all eras of Hip Hop, The 50 Years of Hip Hop Mixtape video mix for BBC iPlayer features nearly 500 tracks in under an hour. Featuring everything from the first samples of Babe Ruth, to Grandmaster Flash, Sugarhill Gang and Afrika Bambaataa, all the way through Run DMC, Beastie Boys, NWA, Queen Latifah, Jay Z and Lil Kim, to today’s titans like Nicki Minaj, Drake, Cardi B, Lil Nas X, and absolutely everyone in between.
Radio 2 programming includes Be Bop to Hip Hop. Hip hop obsessive Romesh Ranganathan and jazz-lover Jamie Cullum present a one-off special as part of both Radio 2 Celebrates Jazz and the pan-BBC season marking 50 years of hip hop. Romesh and Jamie will explore the links between these two styles of music, sharing the overlaps between each of their musical worlds and telling amazing stories, bringing the tunes to life, delving into the samples and culture… For The Love of Hip Hop. Comedian, broadcaster and self-confessed hip hop nerd, Romesh, brings his love, knowledge and passion of the genre to listeners in this regular series for Radio 2.
6 Music specials… Hip Hop Forever will also celebrate the 50th anniversary. Every Saturday from 15 July – 12 August, The Huey Show with Huey Morgan (10am-1pm), Jamz Supernova on 6 (1pm-3pm) and Gilles Peterson (3pm-6pm) will be focussing on a different decade each week from the 1970s – 2010s. Huey will hear from rappers and MCs, Jamz will explore the wider culture around hip hop and Gilles will be celebrate DJs and Producers.
Highlights on Huey’s show across the weeks include words from the man who – according to legend – played the set that started Hip Hop – DJ Kool Herc, as well as Fab 5 Freddie, Paradise Gray (X-Clan), Breakbeat Lou, Chuck D, Neneh Cherry, Arthur Baker, Goldie, Mr Freeze, Daddy G, Havoc (Mobb Deep) and KRS-One. He also has guest mixes from DJ Koco, DJ Prime Cuts and more.
Jamz’ shows across the Hip Hop Forever season will include: specials on 70s samples, hip house, women in hip hop, hip hop’s influence on UK music and global hip hop; interviews with Moses Boyd, Mike Dunn, Sally C and Isatta Sheriff; and mixes from DJ Yoda and DJ Krush.
Gilles brings listeners words and insight from the likes of Moor Mother, Dante Ross, Egyptian Lover, Bob James, Morgan Khan, Kahil El’Zabar, Chris Sullivan, Bill Laswell (on Herbie Hancock’s Rockit), Monica Lynch (on Tommy Boy records), Dave Pearce and more, as well as live session from legendary funk group Cymande and a guest mix from DJ Spinna.
