Team behind Universal Hip Hop Museum opens exhibit at Bronx Terminal Market

The Bronx is still three years away from the opening of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, but the team behind it is opening up a special exhibit honoring 46 years of hip-hop in the birthplace – the Bronx.
Grand Wizzard Theodore lived through the beginnings of hip-hop 46 years ago in the Bronx, and is credited with inventing the scratching technique.

“When I first walked in here I felt like I was taken back in time,” says Grand Wizzard Theodore. “I felt like this was a gigantic school.”

Now he's DJing in the new [R]Evolution of Hip Hop exhibit at Bronx Terminal Market, across the street from where the Universal Hip Hop Museum will be come 2023.

“So many people know about the future museum, come to the Bronx thinking the museum is open, so we wanted there to be a physical space they could come to get a sneak preview,” says Grand Wizzard Theodore.

It's just a glimpse, but there are dozens of artifacts, photos and interactive experiences thanks to the Universal Hip Hop Museum, MIT Center for Advanced Virtuality and Microsoft.

“You can chat with the elementals, and based on your answers they'll ask you questions,” says Rocky Bucano, of the Universal Hip Hop Museum.

Breakbeat Narratives is an artificial intelligence experience using the elements of hip-hop as characters who take you through a personalized experience getting to know your taste of music, while teaching you some hip-hop history.

SenYon Kelly, the co-curator of the exhibit, gave News 12 a tour of the new exhibit. She pointed out one of her favorite parts, an interactive timeline of major milestones that happened in hip-hop culture in the 60s and 70s.

There are five kiosks with more content and experiences, including photos by Joe Conzo and a section honoring fashion.

The free exhibit is just a glimpse of what the nearly 60,000-square foot museum will be like, which is breaking ground next year.
It officially opens to the public on Friday, then every five to six months the whole exhibit will change showing hip-hop through different decades leading up to today.