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Grandmaster Flash and the Smithsonian’s new hip-hop collection.

Grand Master FlashDJs, like curators, are collectors, so when Grandmaster Flash and other hip-hop luminaries met up with some officials from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History the other day, there was some serious collecting to discuss. To begin with, museum director Brent Glass described his institution’s grand undertaking: “It’s the only museum in the world that has the mission of telling the whole of American history,” he said. It’s a tall order, but the museum’s holdings—nearly three million objects, which include a Pac-Man gumball bank, a bag of brown rice, and over a hundred pieces of Tupperware—give the impression that the curators cast a wide net. Now alongside the S. Newman Darby Windsurfing Collection, the museum will maintain an archive entitled “Hip-Hop Won’t Stop: The Beat, the Rhymes, the Life.”

Read Full Article by Austin Kelley – March 3rd, 2006.

Begin Listening. I just downloaded the McIntosh Shout Singers – Slave Shout Songs from the coast of Georgia from this site. I’m amazed at the scope of available sound archives on this site. This is what Digital Asset Management should be.

McIntosh Shout Singers“Smithsonian Global Sound delivers the world’s diverse cultural expressions via the Internet in an informative way for a reasonable price. It also helps encourage local musicians and traditions around the planet through international recognition, the payment of royalties, and support for regional archives.”

p.s. I am feeling sick, and I think there should be a special circle of hell for bad doctors.

HusH ToursI absolutely want to do THIS. I know I can be a little one-sided about my taste in music, but man this looks cool.
Now I just have to get some people together and pick which tour to go on!

– Hip Hop Tour Led by Pioneers
– Walk This Way – The Hip Hop Walking Tour
– Harlem Hip Hop Church with Kurtis Blow
– The Brooklyn/Queens Experience

“HusH Tours, is the Original Hip Hop Culture Reality Sightseeing Tour Company. Explore the past 3 decades of New York City’s Musical History. See, hear and feel the true meaning of the elements of hip hop with the Celebrity Pioneers as your personal tour guides.”

Why does this song always make me sad? Is it because I think it’s about Kurt? There is something really moving about this song.
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Too alarming now to talk about
take your pictures down and shake it out
truth or consequence say it aloud
use that evidence race it around

There goes my hero
watch him as he goes
There goes my hero
he’s ordinary

Don’t the best of them bleed it out
While the rest of them peter out

Kudos my hero leaving all the best
You know my hero the one thats on