Hip hop has an official birthday — August 11, 1973 — the night DJ Kool Herc threw a back-to-school party in the rec room of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx. He set up his sound system, spun funk and soul records, and pioneered the “merry-go-round” breakbeat style that would ignite an entire cultural movement.
It wasn’t just music. That night was the spark for MCing, breakdancing, graffiti art, and DJing — four pillars that grew from the Bronx streets into a global culture. If it wasn’t for the Bronx, the beats and rhymes that shape our lives today wouldn’t have had the same heartbeat.
For me, this date is more than history — it’s tradition. The spirit of that first party in the park lives on every time we set up our turntables outside, let the bass roll across the grass, and bring people together with music. My own “birthday party” for hip hop is running a little late this year, but that’s okay — the essence isn’t in the exact date. It’s in the energy.
When I spin in the park, I’m channeling the same mission Herc had:
- Make the community move.
- Give people a place to belong.
- Let the music be the bridge.
So when we set up this year — cords snaking through the grass, speakers thumping, vinyl spinning under the summer sun — I’m not just playing records. I’m paying respect. Respect to Kool Herc. Respect to the Bronx. Respect to the pioneers who showed us that a party can start a revolution.
Here’s to another year of keeping that back-to-the-park tradition alive.
Happy Birthday, Hip Hop.
