Kamala Harris is throwing a house party on Sept. 9 to celebrate Hip-Hop’s 50th birthday. It will mark the first time that a sitting Vice President has ever hosted a celebration like this.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Harris’ celebration will include 20 acts and 400 guests, which will reportedly include actors, cultural trailblazers, industry leaders, and musicians. The event is being put on by the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective and Live Nation Urban. Harris will speak at the event, and is expected to highlight her administration’s work towards celebrating the arts. Common, MC Lyte, Roxanne Shante, and Jeezy are some of the artists expected to perform at the Vice-President’s house party.
The Recording Academy’s President and CEO Harvey Mason Jr. released a statement detailing what the event means to him.
“The Recording Academy and the Black Music Collective have had a tremendous year paying tribute to and honoring the legacy of Hip-Hop in its milestone 50th year. Taking the celebration to our nation’s capital alongside Vice President Harris is truly something special and I look forward to a historic day,” Mason said.
The Recording Academy launched its Black Music Collective in 2020 out of a partnership it created with Color Of Change. Color Of Change recommended that the Academy create a Black music advisory group in addition to several other steps, and thus, the Black Music Collective was born. At the time the partnership was announced, Valeisha Butterfield Jones, the Recording Academy’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, encapsulated the hope that it generated, releasing a statement to the Recording Academy.
“Music plays a profound role in shaping our culture, and Black music has been the cornerstone in the development of the world’s dynamic soundscape,” Jones said. “The Recording Academy has entered a new chapter of transformative change, and we are honored to partner with Color of Change as we work together to set new standards to elevate Black music creators and build a more diverse and equitable industry.”
The Black Music Collective’s first event, held in 2022 during Grammy’s week, honored John Legend, MC Lyte and DJ D-Nice as well as Black-founded label LVRN or Love Renaissance. LVRN is responsible for Summer Walker, Shelley (FKA DRAM), Dvsn, and 6Lack among other acts. In 2023, the collective honored Dr. Dre, Missy Elliott, Lil Wayne and Sylvia Rhone, CEO of Epic Records.
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