Listen: Hip Hop Legends Melle Mel & Grandmaster Caz Have Created an Official Anthem for The Bronx Zoo

Starting this month, Boogie Down at the Zoo will celebrate Bronx culture at the zoo with a series of events each weekend straight through June and for the occasion, Hip Hop legends Melle Mel, Grandmaster Caz, The Sugarhill Gang, and Scorpio ‘Furious Five’ have recorded an anthem for The Bronx Zoo.

The sounds of Hip Hop, Salsa, and Doo Wop, all musical genres from The Bronx, can be heard at the zoo this year as part of the celebrations along with Bomba dancing and Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Italian cuisine.

According to a press release from The Bronx Zoo:

For more than 120 years, the Bronx has been the birthplace of culture that has changed history and created movements. From humble beginnings, the Bronx is the home of global legends and leaders that have had a profound influence on the world through hip hop, breakdancing, doo wop, street art, salsa, AND wildlife conservation. The Bronx has it all!

Boogie Down at the Bronx Zoo presents a variety of many cultural contributions that have resonated from the Bronx. Starting on Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22, and continuing weekends from May 5 through June 3, artists and performers from a diverse representation of Bronx cultures will be on-site to celebrate the Bronx Zoo, Bronx culture, and wildlife.

Artwork from graffiti legends like Crash and Tats Cru will be on display as well along with that of Andre Trenier some of whom had help from some of the animals who “painted” on some surfaces which the artists then used to finish their own pieces.

Painted by a low-land gorilla at The Bronx Zoo, Bronx Graffiti artist Crash then finished the piece./Image via The Bronx Zoo
Crash’s finishing touches on the lowland Gorilla’s piece/Image via The Bronx Zoo

Bronx artists Kay Love will be leading a workshop for children with another Bronx artist, Lovie Pignata where they will learn a brief history of graffiti and will learn, “…how to create an animal tag incorporating simple graffiti lettering and animal characters they can take home.”

For a full list of events, head on over to Boogie Down at The Zoo!

 

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Ed García Conde

Ed García Conde is a life-long Bronxite who spends his time documenting the people, places, and things that make the borough a special place in the hopes of dispelling the negative stereotypes associated with The Bronx. His writings are often cited by mainstream media and is often consulted for his expertise on the borough's rich history.