The Hip Hop Culture Center is on Hiatus. We would like to thank everyone who have supported us through out the years. We will be relaunching our website soon with new programs and activities. Stay tuned!

New York, NY—The Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem (currently known as H2C2) the artist Barbara Askins and local Harlem business LenoxWines have come together to produce the Centers signature event “Art, Rhyme & Wine 3”. This unique event will feature art exhibitions, spoken word, live music & performances, wine tasting, and networking.

Iconic West Coast Hip Hop Photographer Simone Green graces ”Art, Wine & Wine 3″

From being the photographer for Soul Train, to capturing Ali, Luther, and Stevie Wonder, to shooting Whodini, Nikki D and Kool Moe D, she has excelled. And as the photographer for Deathrow Records her work with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Tupac has allowed her work to be shown at The Whitley Museum of America Art. Simone is a welcome addition. She will feature rare, never before pictures of the legendary rap group RUN DMC!

Come see some of the amazing artwork that Barbara Askins has created. Select pieces are currently on display in The Lobby of The Aloft Hotel.

You can dance to the beautiful sounds of the records being spun by our Musical Director, DJ Mike Doelo. Talented poets and dope emcees will be in the house to add lyrics to the occasion. Of course we will have a series of surprise guests, you never know who will show up at The Center, and if that isn’t enough, you can enjoy a Wine Tasting that will be conducted by Lenox Wines.

There is enough activity for everyone so be sure to mark your calendars for Thursday, June 16th, 2011, from 6:00pm - 10pm. You must be 21+ to mingle and the entry fee is $10.00 with a business card and $20.00 without. If you have any questions feel free to contact   212-234-7171 or Hiphopculturectr@gmail.com.

H2C2 is a facility that conducts Hip Hop centric education youth programs, sneaker battles, art exhibitions, and corporate special events. We are located at 2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd., 2nd Floor of the Magic Johnson Theater in the heart of Harlem, along  the 125th Street shopping district.

ATTENTION MEDIA:

Rapathon 5 is being held at the Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem, starting Sat, May 21 at 3pm and ending Sun, May 22 at 7pm. Ralph McDaniels is one of the five exclusive Videographers of record for the event for 28 hours. No other media outlets will be allowed to film. Still photography is allowed. If you are interested in receiving a pass/permit to film the Rapathon you must contact The Hip Hop Culture Center at 212-234-7171 by May 19th. No film/video shooting will be allowed without a pass/permit. Vendors interested in tabling/booth opportunities should inquire. If you wish to view the Rapathon log on to www.livestream.com/onfumes for continuous 28 hour coverage.

Zulu Nation Joins Rapathon 5. There are not many organizations that have been around since the beginning of Hip Hop and epitomize every element of the culture. That’s Why The Hip Hop Culture Center is proud to announce that the Zulu Nation will be sending an eight man squad of MC’s to create the First Zulu Nation team at Rapathon 5.

The Captain of the squad will be Lord Yoda X. They will hit the stage on May 21st from 11pm – Midnight. All funds raised during this time will be donated to The Zulu Nation Building Fund. If you are interested in participating in this years Rapathon auditions will be held at the following time’s At The Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem. The Center is located at 2309 Eighth Avenue, 125th St., 2nd floor of the Magic Johnson Theatre complex, see below for dates. To find out more about Rapathon 5 click here  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUCBA1Kmnj4 and support True School Radio on WHCR.org every Tuesday from 8pm-midnight.

May 3rd 6:30-8;30PM
May 10th 6:30-8:30PM
May 12th 6:30-8;30PM
May 14th 2:00-4:00PM
May 17th 6:30-8:30PM
May 19th 6:30-8:30PM

https://picasaweb.google.com/PTCpictures/FabulousFashionWeekend#

FabulousFashions Weekend company was created to give young, talented, up and coming designers the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of showcasing their work. Our mission is to provide an affordable venue where young designers will have access to the fashion elite, buyers and media. Like most art forms, fashion needs to be nurtured and celebrated, and assisting young talent is paramount to ensuring that fashion remains creative and cutting edge. Fabulous Fashions Weekend will be staged twice per year, in the Spring and in the Fall.

Check it the photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/H2C2fam/ParisDelegationVisitH2C2#

Fabulous Fashions Weekend’s Inaugural Show
at the Hip Hop Culture Center
Magic Johnson Theatre
Harlem
April 15th, 2011
5:00pm.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!!
Come out and Support Us.

Please RSVP at fabulousfashionsweekend@gmail.com

Confirmed Designers

• Willie Hall
• Uzuri International from Jamaica
• Steven Daniels
• Bill Witherspoon
• Ray Brown
• John Leon
• Brittany Deshielts
• Whitnie Dicker
• Shalanda Sutton
• Evelyn Riveria (handbag)

Special performance by Miss Sherry Lewis, a native of Trinidad who has caused quite a sensation in the night club circuits of Buenos Aries Argentina, Sevona Italy, Monte Carlo, Monaco, Zurich Switzerland and Copenhagen Denmark.

FabulousFashions Weekend company was created to give young, talented, up and coming designers the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of showcasing their work. Our mission is to provide an affordable venue where young designers will have access to the fashion elite, buyers and media. Like most art forms, fashion needs to be nurtured and celebrated, and assisting young talent is paramount to ensuring that fashion remains creative and cutting edge. Fabulous Fashions Weekend will be staged twice per year, in the Spring and in the Fall.

I hope that you will come out and support us.

Please RSVP at fabulousfashionsweekend@gmail.com.

I hope you guys are getting your bars together. There should be lyrical lines competing with each other in your brain. You should be in your mirror recanting 16 after 16 after 16 like water. Your written, freestyle and frittens should be receiving a rhyming  work out on the daily. You should be pounding out punch lines, scanning your rhyme book, and getting your breathing on point.

Other disciplines have the Super Bowl, the Finals, the Championship. We, high caliber emcee’s who like to rock with other individuals of our species have the Rapathon. The only event of it’s kind, on the planet Earth, for people gifted in the art of Yes, Yes, Yall.

So here’s the deal. All returning Veterans please email a photo of yourself ASAP to hiphopculturectr [at] gmail.com. In addition please post Rapathon information example (posters, audition dates, updates on your social networking hookups. (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace etc…) We need to let the world know that Rapathon 5 is coming up and that you are starring in it. Note, all participants must come to at least one of the audition/rehearsal dates. They are…

May 3rd 6:30-8:30PM
May 10th 6:30-8:30PM
May 12th 6:30-8;30PM
May 14th 2:00-4:00PM
May 17th 6:30-8:30PM
May 19th 6:30-8:30PM

So in closing let’s end with the words that all H2C2 alumni know so well  “Rock,You Don’t Stop…Keep on…You Don’t Stop!”

May 3rd 6:30-8;30PM
May 10th 6:30-8:30PM
May 12th 6:30-8;30PM
May 14th 2:00-4:00PM
May 17th 6:30-8:30PM
May 19th 6:30-8:30PM

If you can spit fire for 90 seconds straight without cursing, you just might have what it takes! So if your a new Emcee or a true Emcee, maybe you can come out and make history as part of Rap-A-Thon 5. We’ll see you at the Center:

2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
(at the Magic Johnson Theater)
New York, NY 10027
(212) 234-7171

Spread the word! Blog it. Tweet it. Get it out there!

It was the fall of 1972 when I transferred to St. Catherine of Genoa in Washington Heights. On the first day of class a bugged wild boy named Tom Lowe, a short cat skin the color of a Hershey bar and a perfect Afro, served as my one-man welcoming committee.

During lunch, somehow luring me into the doorway of the rectory, Tom proceeded to jump me. Throwing punches with the fierceness of Ali, he laughed as he kicked my ass. Confused by this sudden senseless violence, I weakly tried fighting back, but it was futile.

At nine years old, he already embodied the swagger of a young hustler. Years before Tupac or 50 Cent, he was the first dude I’d ever met who personified being ghetto.

Ironically, like myself Tom was also an alter boy, helping Father Bob on Sunday mornings, various funerals or midnight mass. Not surprisingly, Tom was one of those kids who stole sips of communion wine and tried to intimidate other boys into doing the same.

Besides being a bully and a thief, a liar and a cheat, Tom’s only redeeming quality was a fierce passion for music. With taste that leaned towards songs about drinking, drugging and fighting.

One favorite was Jim Croce’s rowdy “Bad Bad Leroy Brown,” and the other was the funky wah-wah of Curtis Mayfield brilliant “Pusherman,” a song featured in the film Super Fly.

Although Curtis penned the words to serve as anti-drug anthem to balance the “cocaine commercial” of the film, it was obvious Tom thought the lyrics, “I’m your doctor when in need, have some coke, have some weed,” was supposed to be celebratory.

Banging out a beat on the desk or a parked car, he’d sing the song loud and proud as though he knew first hand of vices none of the other kids had ever been close to.

Not being a shrink, I had no idea why Tom behaved the way he did: maybe he had a big brother who worked for Harlem hood Guy Fisher, maybe he had a father who was doing time in Rikers. I do remember his mother, a soft-spoken frail woman who seemed as scared of her son as the rest us.

Years later, at a cocktail party inside an exquisite Striver’s Row brownstone, where Miles Davis’ beautiful Sketches of Spain played in the background and most of the chatter was cultural, I ran into a back in day female classmate from those long gone grammar school years.

“Do you remember Tom Lowe?” I asked her. “I sometimes wonder what happened to him?” Nodding her head, she replied simply, “Last I heard, he was sent to jail for a long time.”

Without missing a beat, I laughed so loud and for so long, folks thought I was choking. Composing myself after fifteen minutes, I finally said, “Why am I not surprised.”