The People’s Film Festival

CELEBRATING 50 YRS OF HIP HOP!

Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop!

In celebration of Hip Hop’s 50^th Year Anniversary, The People’s Film Festival recognizes some of the greatest Hip Hop pioneers, legends and artists who transformed the hip hop culture as we know it.

DJ Kool Herc is credited as the Founder of Hip-Hop throwing the first hip hop party - his "Back to School Jam", hosted on August 11, 1973, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx. He was the first to use two turntables to make the beats last longer-the “Merry-Go-Round,” his signature DJ style. This created the illusion of one long break for the B-Boys to show off their skills and it was Herc who named them B-Boys. The B-Boys, Breaking Boys, would go off to the breakbeats Herc would play. Herc also brought the Jamaican style of calling out the names of the dancers – the sort rhythmical pattern that would eventually be set to rhymes, now known as rapping and picked up by other MC’s. Herc’s style and sound system sound caught on and was copied by many DJ’s and MC’s.

DJ KOOL HERC

Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture and especially one of the most famous hip hop acts of the 1980s.

RUN DMC

Sean Love Combs, also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own record label, Bad Boy Records in 1993

P DIDDY

Eric B. & Rakim are an American hip hop duo formed on Long Island, New York, in 1986, composed of DJ Eric B. and MC Rakim. AllMusic wrote that "during rap's so-called golden age in the late '80s, Eric B. & Rakim were almost universally recognized as the premier DJ/MC team in all of hip-hop."

Eric B & Rakim

ERIC B. & RAKIM

James Todd Smith, known professionally as LL Cool J, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, alongside fellow new school hip hop acts Beastie Boys and Run-DMC

LL COOL J

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Salt-N-Pepa is an American hip-hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella ...

salt & pepa

SALT & PEPA

The Funky 4 + 1 from The Bronx, NY from The Bronx, New York, composed of K.K Rockwell, Keith Caesar, Rahiem and Sha Rock with M.C. Jazzy Jeff and Lil Rodney joining later. They were the first hip hop group to receive a record deal, the first to have a woman MC, Sha-Rock and they were also the first hip hop group to appear on a national television show; on February 14, 1981 they performed on Saturday Night Live. They are the first Rap group to have separate microphones and stands for each M.C. , which were mandatory for the syncopated dance steps that they performed

FUNKY 4 +1

FUNKY 4 + 1

Public Enemy is an American hip hop group formed by Chuck D and Flavor Flav in Long Island, New York, in 1985. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as American racism and the American media.

Public Enemy

PUBLIC ENEMY

DJ KOOL HERC

RUN DMC

P DIDDY

ERIC B & RAKIM

LL COOL J

TPFF 2023 FESTIVAL AWARDS