The 45th annual BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! festival, the longest running free performing arts festival in New York City, has become one of the city’s foremost cultural attractions and a beloved annual tradition inclusive of 20+ free shows, benefit concerts, dance performances, and more in Prospect Park.
BRIC will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop with two days of thoughtful, dedicated Hip-Hop programming at the Lena Horne Bandshell. This includes a night of Hip-Hop activities from interactive games to a fireside chat, live music, film screening and so much more! Attendees will have a sneak preview of BRIC Hip-Hop – the new, permanent home for Hip-Hop education, expression, and its evolution. The Hip-Hop 50 curation underscores BRIC’s commitment to showcasing and institutionalizing Hip-Hop culture & preserving community connection. They plan to stroll through the genre’s 50 years with an eye toward the margins and the folks who uphold the culture from behind-the-scenes.
In addition to BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!’s Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary Weekend, BRIC will introduce its Fall programming at BRIC House. The programming will encompass multiple aspects of Hip-Hop culture including visual art, fashion, education, film, advocacy, and more. The Hip-Hop 50 festivities will continue with a BRIC Hip-Hop Block Party on Sunday, September 10!
Overall, the vision for BRIC’s Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary Weekend reflects the curatorial direction of the festival: a celebration that places legacy artists and our new generation center stage. More details to come regarding BRIC House fall Hip-Hop events and programming.
This summer, BRIC is honored to celebrate Hip-Hop and makers of the culture who aren’t always placed centerstage. Friday night, they will present a concert with headliner Digable Planets, the quintessential Brooklyn transplants and unapologetic precursors of the Afro-Future aesthetic. The evening will also feature performances by the eclectic Southern rapper, singer, producer, DJ, and clothing designer Kari Faux, who will perform music from her new album REAL B*TCHES DON’T DIE! and a special opening act from NYC indie rap ingénue Wiki.
On Saturday, BCB! will host a screening of the 2002 romantic comedy film and ode to Hip-Hop, Brown Sugar for a nod to the writers, producers, managers and other behind-the-scenes powerhouses who keep the Hip-Hop ecosystem buzzing. The evening will kick off with an intimate fireside chat featuring BRIC’s very own Wes Jackson and New York Times Culture Editor Joe Coscarelli followed by a special ceremony honoring women in Hip-Hop with fashion trailblazer April Walker. The weekend will also feature DJ sets by Donwill and Quinnette.
Both events are free as part of the annual BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! outdoor festival at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park.
Friday, Aug 11 Digable Planets | Kari Faux | Wiki | Donwill
Doors: 6:00 p | Show 7:00 p
Saturday, Aug 12 Brown Sugar Film Screening | Quinnette
Doors: 6:00 p
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! runs through August 24th – view the full festival lineup at www.bricartsmedia.org, and stay tuned for additional details on the 2023 season!
© 2023, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
