CLEVELAND — Inside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you'll find some of the world's greatest musicians who have been honored for the gift they have given the world. But there's arguably no better gift in music than the rhythm and rhymes of hip hop.
The origin of hip hop traces back to a dance party in the Bronx, NY on August 11, 1973. DJ Kool Herc is credited for creating the iconic sound.
John Goehrke has been working with the Rock Hall for nearly 20 years. Now, the Director of Guest Experience and his team are sharing the beloved styles with a new exhibit titled 'Hip Hop at 50: Holla If You Hear Me.'
"It's just such an honor to be able to showcase 50 years of the most important art form that this world has seen in the last 50 years," said Goehrke.
From the east to the west, the genre that started as a New York phenomenon quickly spread, not without finding its home here in Cleveland.
Artists like Kid Cudi and MGK have helped pave the way for Cleveland creatives. So have the boys from East 99th Street and St. Clair Avenue.
The rapid-fire delivery of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony took the nation by storm. The rap group earned three Grammy nominations and a Grammy win for their hit song 'Tha Crossroads.'
A key to their success? Being students of the game.
"We had MC Chill. We had MC Brains, we had Brothers 4 the Struggle... We saw people was doing it from here and you know, MC Chill had success so we was like, yo, we wanna be like him," said Krayzie Bone.
Now the students are becoming the teachers.
"Bone Thugs-N-Harmony really inspired me to actually pursue my music career." said rapper and Cleveland native Chip tha Ripper.
Chip tha Ripper has worked with the likes of Big Sean, The Game as well as his fellow Cleveland native Kid Cudi. Chip says he grew up riding his bike up and down the same streets his hometown heroes did.
"It just kind of made me feel like, you know, I could get my art out there too," said Chip the Ripper.
As for the next generation of hip hop, Krayzie Bone believes the future is bright.
"Hip Hop will be here for like 250 more years," said Krayzie Bone.
