Over the past year, we've seen a number of events recognizing the 50th anniversary of Kool Herc's legendary party credited with giving birth to hip hop.
This conference, held on February 20-21, 2024, also recognizes a half-century of hip hop journalism. Celebrating a media movement largely created by young people of color, Word: Life: An Opinionated Mixtape of Hip Hop Journalism will offer a window into the impact, challenges and evolution of this art form.
The event is a collaboration between Columbia Journalism School, the arts criticism non-profit Critical Minded and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, with support from advisors Syreeta Gates, Shamira Ibrahim, Bakari Kitwana and Danyel Smith.
The first day of panels and workshops will take place at the Schomburg Center, and the second day's panels will be held at Columbia.
Of course, countless events and explorations could honor this body of work. Many already have. So, the Word: Life team has developed a mixtape-style format that aims to conjure the spirit of hip hop journalism at its most vibrant without trying to cover everything.
We’ve intentionally included both newer practitioners, alongside those who defined the genre. This celebration isn’t just about nostalgia. The conference's goal is to celebrate and investigate the past, the present and the future — and to create opportunities for intergenerational dialogue.