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Bay State Banner, 'A deep dive into the archives of Ice T and Afrika Islam at Harvard'

Bay State Banner, 'A deep dive into the archives of Ice T and Afrika Islam at Harvard'

December 20, 2023
Concerts throughout the city have been honoring the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, a genre born, according to the prevailing narrative, at a Bronx house party in 1973. Harvard University’s Ethelbert Cooper Gallery of African and African American Art marks this milestone with an exhibition of hip-hop ephemera and artifacts from the private archives of hip-hop pioneers Ice T & DJ Afrika Islam, longtime friends and collaborators.
Boston Globe, ''80s hip-hop culture, courtesy of Ice-T and DJ Afrika Islam, is on vivid display at Harvard'

Boston Globe, ''80s hip-hop culture, courtesy of Ice-T and DJ Afrika Islam, is on vivid display at Harvard'

November 24, 2023
“Day One DNA: 50 Years in Hiphop Culture,” a new exhibition at Harvard’s Ethelbert Cooper Gallery of African & African American Art, charts the formative phases of hip-hop through the experience of two of its early practitioners: the rapper Ice-T and his friend and frequent collaborator, the producer DJ Afrika Islam. Working with the archive the pair amassed over the years, curator Laylah Amatullah Barrayn crafted a more expansive frame to mark not just their career trajectories but a more holistic view of the culture as it marks its 50th anniversary this year. (November is also National... Read more about Boston Globe, ''80s hip-hop culture, courtesy of Ice-T and DJ Afrika Islam, is on vivid display at Harvard'
TravelMag, '10 Exhibitions to Visit in Boston & Massachusetts this Fall'

TravelMag, '10 Exhibitions to Visit in Boston & Massachusetts this Fall'

October 11, 2023

Day One DNA: 50 Years in Hip-hop Culture

This immersive multimedia exhibition celebrates 50 years of hip-hop culture through the archives of hip-hop icons and long-time collaborators Ice T and Afrika Islam – together owners of one of the world’s largest private repositories of hip-hop ephemera and artefacts. Presenting over 200 objects from their holdings, the exhibition is divided into thematic...

Read more about TravelMag, '10 Exhibitions to Visit in Boston & Massachusetts this Fall'
Boston Globe, '10 visual feasts at New England museums this fall'

Boston Globe, '10 visual feasts at New England museums this fall'

September 8, 2023
The Cooper Gallery is set to mark this cultural milestone with a trove lent by one of the form’s early superstars, the rapper Ice T, and producer Afrika Islam. Comprising music, dance, and visual art, hip-hop might be the most penetrating, popular, and market-dominating cultural force in the world today — or hadn’t you heard breakdancing is now an Olympic sport? A look at its roots and indomitable spirit of defiance is an essential element of any examination of American culture.
elTOQUE, 'La Cultura Oficial Cubana: «Una Factoría de Olvidos»'

elTOQUE, 'La Cultura Oficial Cubana: «Una Factoría de Olvidos»'

January 12, 2023
Una muñeca negra y la otra blanca, una de cabeza, la primera sin un pie; ambas incrustadas, atrapadas, sobre un fondo de grises. Un vestido pequeño en un costado y una tela oscura hacia el lado izquierdo. Piezas menudas, grandes, firmes, esculturas, fotografías, pinturas, instalaciones, videos, y un registro amplio de formas, medios, formatos, estilos, colores y mensajes componen la exposición «El Pasado Mío» («My Own Past: Afrodescendant Contributions to Cuban Art») que se exhibirá en Cooper Gallery de la Universidad de Harvard hasta junio de 2023.