“How could any list like this not begin with hip-hop’s birthplace? Pioneering DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy threw back-to-school parties in the building’s recreational room in the early 1970s, where Herc debuted his ‘merry-go-round’ technique of extending a song’s breaks, thereby planting hip-hop’s fertile seeds. The Workforce Housing Group assumed ownership of the building in 2011 and made substantial renovations while celebrating its place in history.”

“Kool Herc’s surging popularity quickly caused his performances to outgrow recreational rooms. New York City parks and playgrounds hold a special place in hip-hop’s beginnings, providing space and electricity for DJs to perform block parties. Cedar Playground, near 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, served as one of hip-hop’s earliest venues.”

“The graffiti artist Ray ‘Sting Ray’ Rodriguez labeled the concrete walls of the Jackie Robinson Educational Complex’s schoolyard the Graffiti Hall of Fame in 1980—and declared it a safe haven for local artists to hone their skills. Artists have flexed their talents on this giant wall ever since.”

“Westinghouse may be named after a prolific inventor, but it was also the high school home of some of the most distinguished spitters in hip-hop’s history. Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, DMX, and the Notorious B.I.G. all attended the downtown Brooklyn high school.”

“The famed music hall hosted Showtime at the Apollo for more than 20 years, serving as a vessel for many classic hip-hop performances. Beyond hip-hop, the theater, which opened its doors in 1914, has served as a historic venue for Black performers and the evolution of jazz, gospel, soul, and other music genres.”

“Christopher Wallace [The Notorious B.I.G] grew up on the third floor this building [226 St. James Place], which he once rapped was a ‘one-room shack,’ with his mother, Voletta.”

“A colorful mural depicting groundbreaking DJ Jam Master Jay sits at the intersection known as Run-DMC Way. Nearby Hollis Playground is where the legendary group made its public debut.”

“The deep–Staten Island crew received a district named after them for their immense and long-running contributions to hip-hop in 2019. ‘I never saw this day coming,’ Ghostface Killah told CNN in 2019. ‘I knew we were some ill MCs, but I didn’t know that it’d take it this far.’”

“The landmark group is celebrated in a mural by the artist Vincent Ballentine in the spot where it filmed portions of the 1991 video for ‘Check the Rhime.’ In 2016, this section of Linden Boulevard was renamed Malik ‘Phife Dawg’ Taylor Way shortly after the death of the legendary emcee.”

“This playground in Brooklyn Heights is where Yauch spent much of his childhood before becoming MCA, meeting Adam ‘Ad-Rock’ Horovitz and Mike ‘Mike D’ Diamond, and forming the Beastie Boys.”