The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival (BHF) is an annual celebration of Hip-Hop music and culture. It is produced The Bodega Agency a wholly owned subsidiary of Brooklyn Bodega, Inc.
Overview According to the official BHF website, "Our aim is to highlight Hip-Hop’s legacy as an agent of artistic progression, community building and social change."Brooklyn Bodega: About the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival Official Site, Retrieved January 30, 2010.
The festival is held during July at the Brooklyn Bridge Park, which is situated on the shores of the East River and is accessible by multiple subway and bus lines, the thruway and New York Water Taxi service.
Established in 2005, BHF has grown from a parking lot in Williamsburg to the largest hip hop event in New York City. The Festival's format centers around its Hip-Hop Performance Day and includes a variety of affiliated hip hop cultural events that occur in the days leading up to the festival. Besides its music programming, the festival also features a "Family Day" segment that has music, performances, demonstrations and seminars from a host of family centric organizations.
In 2012, the Festival continued its new format of programming with “Busta & Friends” and topped Festival history with a record-breaking 30,000+ in attendance (20,000 on its Performance Day). Busta Rhymes & Friends would feature classic hits performed with Spliff Star and a surprise line-up that included Buckshot of Black Moon, Smif-N-Wessun, Lil’ Fame of M.O.P., Slick Rick, Reek Da Villain. The icing on the cake was a Leaders Of The New School reunion with Charlie Brown and Dinco D which was 19 years in the making. The night ended with L.O.N.S performing “Scenario” and bringing Phife and Q-Tip out just as the cops killed the power.
According to Time Out, "(The BHF is) (d)ifferent from the bigger hip-hop packages like Rock the Bells that will be touring the U.S. all summer, this is a show that seems purely for New York, and it affords an opportunity for the artists to give back... Local businesses also showed their support, with booths ranging from Brooklyn Brewery to FLUD Watches and Hoodman Clothing."Time Out New York: Video from the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival 2009 Official Site, Retrieved January 30, 2010. In 2010, NY1 interviewed Hip-Hop artist Torae who said "It's just awesome, you know, for new, upcoming artists like myself to be out here and perform with legends and get to touch people from young to old, every race." Steele (rapper) of the hip-hop duo Smif-N-Wessun added "It's packed -- no violence -- so it dispels all the myths that hip-hop brings violence and stuff. It's beautiful out there, it's young kids out there, it's older people out there. It's people from all walks."NY1: Annual Hip-Hop Festival Sends Good Vibes Through DUMBO Official Site, Retrieved January 19, 2011.
The BHF is owned by Brooklyn Bodega, which uses the proceeds from the festival to support year-round cultural programming including but not limited to: the blogazine and online home BrooklynBodega.com, and most recently The Bodega Agency, our boutique marketing and branding operation.Brooklyn Bodega: About the Bodega Official Site, Retrieved January 30, 2010.
History
The Festival has been held yearly since 2005 when it was founded by Wes Jackson, entrepreneur and current executive director and President of Brooklyn Bodega and co-founders, Gregory Trani and Douglas Nettingham. Since 2006, it has been hosted by Ralph McDaniels, who was responsible for creating Video Music Box, the first music video show focused exclusively to an urban market—broadcast on public television.
Below is a listing of past BHF performers:
2005 Brand Nubian Little Brother Leela James Medina Green Ge-ology Amir
2006 Big Daddy Kane Lupe Fiasco Rhymefest Sleepy Brown The Procussions Panacea aka Mathis Mootz Strange Fruit Project Cap Cee DJ Eclipse Rik Ducci Ralph McDaniels aka “Uncle Ralph” of Video Music Box
2007 Ghostface Killah Consequence Skillz Dres (rapper) of Black Sheep Large Professor Emily King, Tanya Morgan PackFM El Michels Affair J.Period Ralph McDaniels aka “Uncle Ralph” of Video Music Box
2008 KRS-One DJ Premier Buckshot Blu & Exile Mickey factz 88-Keys Zaki Inrahim Homeboy Sandman J.Period Ralph McDaniels aka “Uncle Ralph” of Video Music Box
2009 Pharoahe Monch Styles P DJ Premier Dead Prez (stic.man and M-1) Grand Puba Smif-n-Wessun(Tek and Steele) Torae and Marco Polo J.Period Ralph McDaniels aka “Uncle Ralph” of Video Music Box Brown Bag All Stars Children Of The Night Donny Goines Keys N Krates Nyle Eagle Nebula Brokn Englsh Tiye Phoenix Metermaids Tanya Morgan Homeboy Sandman Chip Fu aka Roderick Roachford Kel Spencer DJ Parler DJ Misbehaviour
2010 De La Soul Nice & Smooth (Greg Nice and Smooth B) Pete Rock & CL Smooth Q-Tip (musician) of A Tribe Called Quest DJ Premier Currensy Fashawn Buckshot Evil Dee of Da Beatminerz and Black Moon (group) Smif-n-Wessun (Tek and Steele) Bobbito García Masta Ace Dres (rapper) of Black Sheep Group Home (Lil' Dap and Melachi the Nutcracker) DJ Rob Swift of The X-Ecutioners DJ Spinna J. Period Black Milk Diamond District Money Making Jam Boys J Dilla Ensemble Ma Dukes Yancey Skyzoo Waajeed DJ Rhettmatic of Beat Junkies DJ Babu of Beat Junkies Rakka Iriscience of Dilated Peoples Ralph McDaniels aka “Uncle Ralph” of Video Music Box DJ Das DJ Parler Aquil Those Chosen Kalae All Day The Crowd
2011 "Q-Tip & Friends" special presentation: Q-Tip (musician) Kanye West Black Thought of The Roots Busta Rhymes Monie Love Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest M.O.P (Lil’ Fame + Billy Danze)
Additional artists: Random Axe (Sean Price, Guilty Simpson, Black Milk) Kendrick Lamar Artifacts (group) (El da Sensei, Tame One, DJ Kaos) GrandWizzard Theodore Camp Lo (Sonny Cheeba + Geechi Suede) Homeboy Sandman J- Live Mista Sinista of The X-Ecutioners DJ Boogie Blind of The X-Ecutioners Eternia (rapper) Rah Digga Lords of the Underground (Mr. Funke, DoltAll Dupre and DJ Lord Jazz) DJ Roli Rho Diamond District (Oddisee, X.O. + yU) Chairman Mao of Egotripland DJ Twilite Tone Marley Marl Cold Crush Brothers Force MDs Roxanne Shante Craig G of the Juice Crew Keith Murray Jamel Shabazz Nitty Scott, MC Shad (rapper) DJ Parler Kid Glyde DJ GETLIVE! Stalley K. Sparks Joe Conzo James Blagden Phony Ppl The Stuyvesants K-Salaam Sene Sophia Urista Evil Dee of Da Beatminerz and Black Moon (group) Martha Cooper Dr. Larry Simpson of Berklee College of Music Ralph McDaniels aka “Uncle Ralph” of Video Music Box Torae (Final Day host) DJ Meka
2012 "Busta Rhymes & Friends" special presentation: Busta Rhymes Spliff Star DJ Scratch Lil Fame of M.O.P. Slick Rick Buckshot of Black Moon Smif-n-Wessun (Tek and Steele) Reek Da Villain Leaders Of The New School (Busta Rhymes, Dinco D, Charlie Brown and Cut Monitor Milo) Q-Tip (musician) and Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest
Additional artists: Freeway (rapper) KA w/DJ Esquire Clear Soul Forces Jasmine Solano MeLo-X Chuwee Bill Adler Johnny Temple Fred "Bugsy" Buggs Nelson George Tyrone "FlyTy" Williams Charlie Ahearn (director) Chairman Mao of Egotripland Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest Young Guru Fat Tony Ralph McDaniels aka "Uncle Ralph" of Video Music Box Evitan (Dres of Black Sheep and Jarobi of A Tribe Called Quest) Chuck Chillout DJ Scratch Bob Slade Sucio Smash CSC Funk Band Ana Tijoux 1982 (Statik Selektah + Termanology) & Reks Maya Azucena (Final Day host) Kosha Dillz (Final Day Host) M. Will Jay Dixon Top $ Raz (Show & Prove host) DJ RawBeatz Evil Dee of Da Beatminerz and Black Moon (group) DJ DP One Dart Parker KJ Butta Amy Linden Pop Master Fabel Kevie Kev DJ Emskee $amhill DJ Wayneski of Da Beatminerz DJ Jenny Blaze
2013 Redman (rapper) Pusha T EPMD F.Stokes DJ Enuff Dyme-A-Duzin Dizzy Wright Dillon Cooper Lords of the Underground Das EFX Ralph McDaniels aka "Uncle Ralph" of Video Music Box
Additional Artists / Special Guests: Soul Understated Danse of BKLYN STICKUP DJ Raw Beats Kon Boogie
2014 Raekwon The Chef of Wu-Tang Clan Jay Electronica CJ Fly of Pro Era Cyhi The Prince DJ Rob Swift The Audible Doctor Kydd Jones
Additional Artists / Special Guests Jay-Z Talib Kweli J. Cole LC The Poet AZ Mac Miller Bobby Shmurda Brand Nubian Tonya Morgan Beatnuts Troy Ave.
2015 Common Mobb Deep Lion Babe Freeway Charles Hamilton Pitch Blak Brass Band Skyzoo John Robinson Rob Swift Torae "Uncle Ralph" McDaniels Large Professor Consequence Foxy Brown Astro Kid
2016 Nas The Soul Rebels Fabolous Talib Kweli Rapsody DJ Rob Swift Ralph McDaniels Your Old Droog Taylor Bennett Nick Grant Radamiz Torae Skyzoo Money & Violence Moruf Oshun Deray Mckesson Combat Jack Ibrahim H. (Dreamville) Kim Osorio Sam Pollard Bill Adler Masego Kazeem Famuyide Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins Julian Mitchell Jamie "Marlo" Hector Greg Tate Melo X Wayno Jen Bklyn Chrybaby Cozie & Litefeet Nation Lavan Wright Lenny Bass Sean Williams Jason Nelson Calvan Fowler Randy Wilkins Cat Daddy Slim DJ Midnight Kerim The DJ House Arrest 2 Justin Milhouse Fred Daniels Andy Mac B. Seth Mr. D.T. Tia Williams Timothy Wellbeck Trisha Bell Stephen A. Levite Lindsay Fauntleroy Dr. Michael A. Lindsey Dr. Naemma Burgess Wes & Ebonie Jackson Juels Pierrot
Additional Artists / Special Guests Buckshot Smif-N-Wessun Masta Ace Special Ed of the Crooklyn Dodgers Dyme-A-Duzin
2017 Rakim DMX The Lox Bas Cozz Omen Bobbito Garcia Mister Cee Oshun Earthgang DJ Rob Swift Ralph McDaniels Torae Linda Sarsour Fab 5 Freddy Kerim The DJ Soul Summit Sickamore Malik The Drummer Ginny Suss Rob Stone Julian Mitchell Ryan Leslie Nadeska Alexis DJ Midnight Jamilah Lemieux Erik Parker Lite Feet Nation April Walker Datwon Thomas Chuck Creekmur Timothy Anne Burnside Denzil Porter Oswin Benjamin Trent The Hooligan
Additional Artists / Special Guests Buckshot Havoc Smif-N-Wessun Junior M.A.F.I.A. M.O.P.
2018
Black Star (Yasiin Bey & Talib Kweli) Pharoahe Monch w/ DJ Boogie Blind Mister Cee Skyzoo Statik Selektah Ralph McDaniels Torae Dyme-A-Duzin Caleborate Latasha Radamiz Oswin Benjamin Chrybaby Cozie Milo Case Anoyd Don Mykel Clean Fresh Air Kerim The DJ Midnite DJ Scott Lauren April Reign Kameron Mccullough April Walker Lorrie Boula Nadeska Alexis Ali Bianchi John Henry Ebonie Smith Dev Smith Wes & Ebonie Jackson
Additional Artists / Special Guests
Prince Po of Organized Konfusion Lil' Fame of M.O.P. O.C. CJ Fly Termanology Gorilla Nems
See also
List of hip hop music festivals Hip hop culture
References
External links BrooklynBodega.com