Guest Editorial: Why we celebrated Hip-Hop’s 50th birthday all year long

While 50 years is a milestone for a person, business and idea alike, the world has taken the year to celebrate a half-century of Hip-Hop. More than a musical genre, Hip-Hop has become an important part of American cul­ture, influencing fashion, literature, educa­tional courses, the church, politics, law and so much more. LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, 2 Chainz, Common, Talib Kweli, Public Enemy, leg­endary rapper and Oscar-winning actor Will Smith along with DJ Jazzy Jeff, and many more artists took to the stage for “A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop,” which aired on Dec. 10 on CBS. The star-studded event celebrated Hip-Hop’s trajectory from 1973 to today. “Half a century ago, the revolution was not televised,” LL Cool J said, introducing the GRAMMY celebration. “Very few people would predict that 50 years later, Hip-Hop would rise to this global moment of power.” Though the legend is Hip-Hop was born on Aug. 11, 1973, in the Bronx, New York, it has grown from unique sounds at a house par­ty, to a cultural movement that goes beyond age, race, languages and ethnicity. “Hip-Hop is the ultimate American art form,” said Vice President Kamala Harris, at a Hip-Hop...