ASTORIA — The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens will delve into the world of hip-hop, past and present, through a series of film screenings starting this week and running through the fall.
The museum is working with the Hip-Hop Education Center on "Made You Look: Documenting the Art, History, Power, and Politics of Hip-Hop Culture," which will feature documentaries "that examine hip-hop’s evolution from the streets of 1970s New York to present day," according to organizers.
"From its genesis as a response to the epidemics of gang violence, drugs, and a poor education system in 1970s New York, to its emergence as a global juggernaut, hip-hop is a uniquely American art form that has captivated the eyes and ears of the world,” Hip-Hop Education Center's Martha Diaz said in a statement.
The series will screen a different documentary each month, starting this Thursday with a free showing of "Fresh Dressed," which chronicles the role of fashion and style in hip-hop.
The event will take place at 7 p.m. at the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House in Long Island City, and will include appearances by director Sacha Jenkins, style icon Dapper Dan and author Elena Romero. You can reserve a seat here.
Additional screenings this fall will take place at the museum and include "In My Father's House," a documentary about rapper Che "Rhymefest" Smith, "Shake the Dust," which looks at the world of breakdancing and "Rubble Kings" which examines how hip-hop culture came to be in The Bronx.
Those screenings will each be followed by a discussion with Diaz. Tickets are $12. A schedule can be found here.
