Year-Long Celebration for the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop Kicks Off

By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Legends Recordings and The Brand Liaison have announced an extensive roster of retailers, licensees, brand partners and events for the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop.
The independent record label Legends Recordings is the official licensor of the trademarks and art assets for the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop brand.
The 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop’s international licensing program is lead by the The Brand Liaison licensing agency on behalf of Legends Recording.
The full program includes numerous concerts and music festivals, educational and cultural events, TV broadcasts, podcasts, publishing, collaborations and global merchandising rights in a wide variety of product categories.
Licensing partners for the apparel category include Marc Ecko/Thread Collective, Ed Hardy, Mitchell & Ness, Wren & Glory, IML, Philcos, Haus of JR, Killer Tees, Da Spot, Brisco Apparel, and a collaborative collection from the NBA and Tats Cru.
Additional licensees include electronics from MiGear, lifestyle and home products from Uncanny Brands, accessories from AtaBoy and Aminco, eyewear from Vontelle, posters from Imageo Art, and more.
The licensed merchandise will be available for purchase worldwide from major retail chains such as Macy’s and Walmart, specialty stores like Hot Topic and Forever 21, and ecommerce platforms including Fanatics, Amazon and Threadless.
As well as offering licensed merchandise, the Threadless platform is running a design challenge dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop.
Legends Recording has also partnered with the nomprofit organization, Beats Rhymes & Relief, on a charitable initiative called the For The Culture Fund. Beats Rhymes & Relief is a 501(c)3 charity that promotes awareness and support for global humanitarian relief projects using the Arts.
The For The Culture Fund will be used to issue grants to a minimum of fifty U.S.-based organizations that offer humanitarian relief to disadvantaged and marginalized communities.
This includes organizations that specialize in food and housing security, criminal justice reform, violence prevention, health services, wellness initiatives, services for marginalized youth and more.
The initial fundraising goal for the partnership is $250,000,000.
The U.S.-based 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop celebration will begin with the Battle Champs competition sponsored by the Snipes streetwear brand. Taking place in Times Square from Aug. 13 to 15, the Battle Champs event will include competitions related to the core elements of Hip Hop culture.
This includes graffiti art, DJing, break dancing, MCing and beatboxing. The Battle Champs competitions will be judged by well-known Hip Hop experts.
The international celebration will start on Oct. 6 at the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop’s European Headquarters in Berlin.
The global celebration will feature 50 straight weeks of programming related to the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop.
Th programming will include multiple pop-up shops, events, receptions, workshops, and educational masterclasses.
The end of the year-long celebration will be marked with the official debut of the Universal Hip Hop Museum in 2024.
The Brand Liaison is a boutique licensing agency that creates new revenue streams for its clients through licensing, strategic partnerships and other brand extension programs.