The [R]Evolution of Hip Hop’s ‘Golden Era’ circa 1986-1990 at the Bronx Terminal Market in New York is an interactive journey through hip-hop culture and history using artefacts, multimedia, artificial intelligence, and virtual and augmented technologies. The installation is the work of the Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM), and uses BassBoss loudspeakers to deliver its soundtrack.
The UHHM presents its archives and collection via experimental storytelling techniques focusing on the Five Elements of Hip-hop: MCing, DJing, breakdancing, aerosol art and knowledge. The BassBoss system that immerses audiences in the sounds of the era, using SV9 Powered 9-inch monitors and Diamon 12-inch powered coaxial monitors, with BB15 Single 15-inch, DJ18 Single 18-inch and SSP218 Double 18-inch powered subwoofers to amp up the bass in the 3,000sq-ft installation space.
UHHM founding member Shawn ‘Cutman LG’ Thomas brought BassBoss to the attention of the museum staff, believing that a BassBoss system would bring the exhibit the intensity and clarity needed to inspire, empower and promote understanding. In his opinion, ‘BassBoss is the sound of the future right here in the present.’
UHHM Executive Director Rocky Bucano was onboard from the start: ‘The sound system for the [R]Evolution of Hip Hop’s new Golden Era exhibit puts the bass in your face,’ he says. ‘The first thing that visitors to the exhibit realise is that the sound is amazing and that puts them right in the centre of the experience.’
Located in the birthplace of the genre, the Universal Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx celebrates and preserves the history of local and global hip-hop to ‘inspire, empower, and to promote understanding’. Opening fully in 2024, the museum will offer a window into the music, style, art and fashion of hip-hop culture.
‘The sound of the museum was an important element to present the RIAA Certified, Grammy winning, chart topping, Hall of Fame artists in excellent sonic environments when we were designing our interactive museum,’ says Elai Tubo, Curator of Sound for the UHHM. ‘The museum was looking for a partner that understood our vision. BassBoss not only saw our vision but brought an expertise which took our vision to the next level. As a recording/mix engineer for more than 35 years, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. So now these days when someone says “Yo, Elai, turn up the Bass”, I turn up BassBoss.’
The UHHM is the designated cultural anchor of Bronx Point, a transformative mixed-use development of approximately 530,000sq-ft currently under construction, that will bring permanently affordable housing, interactive and educational community facilities, dynamic retail spaces, and public esplanade space adjoining the adjacent Harlem River waterfront in the South Bronx.
The US$80m museum has in its current collection more than 30,000 objects from the history of the global cultural phenomenon. In addition to the in-person experience as a smart museum of the future, the UHHM will broadcast live musical performances, breakdancing sessions and fashion shows in addition to other unique programming at the museum, with content also available online and in the metaverse.
The museum has been funded by public grants, charitable organisations, a US$5m gift from tech partner Microsoft, and donations from music executives, Lyor Cohen, who previously led Def Jam Recordings, and Tom Silverman, founder of Tommy Boy Records.
More: www.bassboss.com
