By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
The 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop program is now underway, as The Brand Liaison announces the first wave of licensing deals.
The anniversary program is a partnership between Legends Recordings and their licensing agency, The Brand Liaison, designed to celebrate the legacy of a half century of Hip Hop in America.
The partners have now revealed the first wave of apparel and accessories licensing deals celebrating this historic milestone. Partners include Mitchell & Ness, a brand synonymous with Hip Hop culture that is partially owned by Jay-Z, and two established leaders in the world of music licensing: Isaac Morris Ltd (IML) and black/brown-owned Philcos.
The Brand Liaison’s Stephen Heller says that, in an effort to build a permanent bridge back to the communities that birthed Hip Hop, a portion of all proceeds from sales will go to supporting the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop’s For the Culture Fund managed by Legends’ partners at Beats, Rhymes & Relief.
In addition to traditional mono-brand licensing, the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop will also see key collaborations with several global brands that have played iconic roles in the Hip Hop culture over the years. Heller says more announcements will be made shortly.
The Brand Liaison To Lead Licensing For The 50th Anniversary Of Hip Hop
“We are very proud of the partnerships we are creating, and there is much more in the works,” explained Steven Heller of The Brand Liaison. “We cannot overstate the importance of this historic milestone. The 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop is arguably one of the most significant events not only in music history, but also within the entire culture that was created.”
As part of the worldwide celebration, licensing and merchandising partners are being granted exclusive access to what is now one of the largest libraries of authentic Hip Hop assets ever assembled for licensing. These include historic images that capture this moment in time: photographs of iconic performers, old-school concert flyers, commissioned art from legendary graffiti artists, images of the original b-boy and b-girl breaking crews, and more.
The 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop licensed merchandise will include apparel, jerseys, headwear, posters, books, home goods and more.
Heller says The Brand Liaison is continuing to add select licensing and retail partners as well as limited collections and collaborations with major brands that played an iconic role in the culture of Hip Hop over the past five decades.
Potential licensing partners or anyone interested in learning more about the program can contact Steven Heller of The Brand by email at Steven@TheBrandLiaison.com
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