Universal Hip Hop Parade
Encyclopedia
The Universal Hip Hop Parade (UHHP) is an annual family-friendly non-profit educational and cultural event held in the historically Black
neighbourhood
of Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn
on the Saturday before the anniversary of Marcus Garvey's
August 17 birthday to bring to mind that Marcus Garvey himself also used popular culture
as a tool to empower people and encouraged the growth of Black institutions
.
The parade
holds the distinction of being the world's longest celebration of Hip-hop culture. It covers all the traditional elements of Hip hop
including rappers, break dancers, singers and actors performing both on floats and on foot. Additionally, graffiti artists
and deejay’s
perform at different locations along the parade route.
The parade also presents other examples of the vibrant artistic and cultural life of the community including stilt walkers, motorcycle
& van
clubs, graffiti banner displays
, marching bands, sound trucks, dancers and more. Additionally Hip-hop legends, elected officials, community activists and legendary MC’s
have participated.
The parade also serves to display the emerging neighborhood of Bedford Stuyvesant, including its art
s, culture
and growing commercial district
the to residents from other neighborhoods of New York City
as well as other visitors to the area. Local organizations showcase their artistic creativity, membership and colors while promoting their services, events and products. Neighborhood businesses and institutions along the route play music and distribute giveaways to help create a festive environment. Residents and visitors alike are urged to participate and join the parade procession..
cultural social activist roots of hip-hop culture. It is an outgrowth of the work of an erlier group, the Universal Nubian Association (UNA). Organizers come from across the NYC metropolitan area
and have agreed to organize the UHHP in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
In addition to running the parade itself the nonprofit group Universal Hip-Hop Parade Foundation, Inc. also organizes forums, concerts, open-mike's, rallies, teach-ins and parties throughout the year.
The foundation is funded through private donations and grants including the Greater New York Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administrated by the Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC).
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
neighbourhood
Neighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
of Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
on the Saturday before the anniversary of Marcus Garvey's
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
August 17 birthday to bring to mind that Marcus Garvey himself also used popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
as a tool to empower people and encouraged the growth of Black institutions
African American culture
African-American culture, also known as black culture, in the United States refers to the cultural contributions of Americans of African descent to the culture of the United States, either as part of or distinct from American culture. The distinct identity of African-American culture is rooted in...
.
The paradeParade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
holds the distinction of being the world's longest celebration of Hip-hop culture. It covers all the traditional elements of Hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
including rappers, break dancers, singers and actors performing both on floats and on foot. Additionally, graffiti artists
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
and deejay’s
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
perform at different locations along the parade route.
The parade also presents other examples of the vibrant artistic and cultural life of the community including stilt walkers, motorcycle
Motorcycle club
A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually...
& van
Car club
A car club or automotive enthusiast community is a group of people who share a common interest in motor vehicles. Car clubs are typically organized by enthusiasts around type of vehicle , brand , or similar interest...
clubs, graffiti banner displays
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
, marching bands, sound trucks, dancers and more. Additionally Hip-hop legends, elected officials, community activists and legendary MC’s
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
have participated.
The parade also serves to display the emerging neighborhood of Bedford Stuyvesant, including its art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
s, culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
and growing commercial district
Commercial district
A commercial district or commercial zone is any part of a city or town in which the primary land use is commercial activities , as opposed to a residential neighbourhood, an industrial zone, or other types of neighbourhoods...
the to residents from other neighborhoods of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as well as other visitors to the area. Local organizations showcase their artistic creativity, membership and colors while promoting their services, events and products. Neighborhood businesses and institutions along the route play music and distribute giveaways to help create a festive environment. Residents and visitors alike are urged to participate and join the parade procession..
History
The Universal Hip Hop Parade was founded by Jeffery Kazembe Batts in the fall of 1999 to celebrate the African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
cultural social activist roots of hip-hop culture. It is an outgrowth of the work of an erlier group, the Universal Nubian Association (UNA). Organizers come from across the NYC metropolitan area
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and have agreed to organize the UHHP in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
In addition to running the parade itself the nonprofit group Universal Hip-Hop Parade Foundation, Inc. also organizes forums, concerts, open-mike's, rallies, teach-ins and parties throughout the year.
The foundation is funded through private donations and grants including the Greater New York Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administrated by the Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC).
See also
- BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
- Bedford Stuyvesant
- Marcus GarveyMarcus GarveyMarcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
- Hip hop culture