A projection screen stood in the middle of a “U” shaped crowd. There were bold red letters on it that read, “Undisputed” which overlapped a black wolf with glowing red eyes that looked as if it was W.T.S.
Last Wednesday, local DJs, bloggers, artists, and many more gathered around to view Def Jam’s new docuseries Undisputed which features 17 of their new artists.
Def Jam is going city-to-city to showcase the docuseries. P Stew, the lifestyle marketing representative for Def Jam, was responsible for bringing the docuseries to the Hip-Hop Museum Pop-up Experience in D.C.
“I think that connects people,” said P Stew lifestyle marketing representative for Def Jam.
WorldStarHipHop aired the first episode on Thursday at midnight. It reveals the making of their compilation album Undisputed Vol. 1 which is in stores now and available for streaming.
“This docuseries is like artist-fan engagement to show potential fans of these artists what they went through and the coming together of these artists,” said P Stew.
The docuseries takes a lens to Fetty Luciano, YFL Kelvin, YK Osiris, TJ Porter, and many more of the labels’ artists.
What better place to present the next generation of hip-hop other than the Hip-Hop Museum?
The Blind Whino which resembles a rustic warehouse on the inside houses the museum.
The idea to create a “pop-up experience” with over 500 memorabilia was cultivated by Jeremy Beaver, the owner of Listen Vision Studios.
“I quickly realized that I was doing well financially and I divested all of my cryptocurrency,” Jeremy Beaver said.
Beaver brought the idea to his partner Dave Mays, creator of The Source Magazine.
“I spent an excess of six-figures,” he added.
It took two years to gather all the artifacts. As well as, 30 days before they launched to get everything into shadow boxes and create the placards.
“It’s never been done before. There’s never been a hip-hop museum,” he continued. “People have wanted one and talked about it for many years but this is the first real physical thing that has been done,” Dave Mays said.
Many artists have been inducted into the museum, given tributes, visited, and have received their own plaques.
To name a few, Big Daddy Kane, Scarface, the Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Caz, Melle Mel, and Lawrence professor.
As I walked through the museum, I saw eccentric colored painted walls with plaques, vintage sneakers, mics, and vinyl.
I stan for the Killah Krunch cereal locked away in a glass display behind “Purple Haze,” a sneaker, from the Cam’ron collaboration with Reebok for the Ventilator Supreme.
During the viewing, two young women with matching light pink nails served the guests cocktails.
Belaire brand ambassador Maxwell linked up with Def Jam and Courvoisier to present a couple of highly favored cocktails.
Maxwell has been around the music scene since the ’80s. He is usually known for supplying Belaire, particularly the rosé which is famously known as the “black bottle.”
Photograph captured by Chante Goodger.
“I do this because simply I am passionate about the culture and clearly I support the brands that I represent which are the Belaire and Sovereign brands and I enjoy being a part of it,” the Belaire brand ambassador said.
On the menu was the French 75 which blended Courvoisier, lemon juice, simple syrup, and Belaire Luxe.
Also, the original Courvoisier Cooler, which was labeled “Undisputed” for the night, blended Courvoisier, ginger beer, apple juice, and fresh lime.
“That’s a classic, a really old cocktail and it really originated with Cognac,” multicultural specialist for Beam Suntory, Kentha Stephens said.
The Hip-Hop Museum created a sense of otherworldliness for people that attended the event.
“Nostalgia, this is a beautiful situation,” Entrepreneur Crank Lucas said.
Lucas is famously known for creating viral content but, has a passion for music. “It Ain’t Fair” is an album he recently dropped that is streaming everywhere.
He had a glimpse of the museum before it came to fruition. He spoke about the significance of creating a museum that highlights one of the most influential segments of our community.
“The hip hop culture is probably the most copied culture in the world, the most stolen from culture in the world and it’s important that we immortalize it!”
