Hip-hop forefather Afrika Bambaataa's personal vinyl archive will move to its permanent home at Cornell University's Hip Hop Collection in the fall, but before the collection hits the mean streets of Ithaca, Gavin Brown's enterprise is making Bambaataa's wax public by hosting a massive open archiving effort. Part archaeological dig, part afternoon at Amoeba Records, gallery visitors can view the cataloguing, organizing, and preservation of the thousands of titles Bambaataa has spun and sampled.
The Bronx-born Bambaataa is widely considered one of the most important DJs in American history, pioneering a break-beat funk sound in the early 1980s that laid the foundations for modern hip-hop production efforts. He is equally regarded for his work out from behind the turntables: Bambaataa organized the Universal Zulu Nation, a cultural group credited with reforming New York's violent gangs by using hip-hop as a positive platform for expression.
Unsurprisingly, archiving efforts have been spearheaded by author, curator, and Cornell University Library Board Member Johan Kugelberg, a familiar figure among vinyl enthusiasts. After executive stints at Matador Records and Def American Recordings, Kugelberg curated Christie's Punk/Rock sale, the first major art auction dedicated to punk's subversive DIY visual aesthetic. Kugelberg is presently the owner and curator of Boo-Hooray gallery in Chelsea. His archival efforts work to situate sonic and visual products in their historical contexts, demonstrating how music both informs and is informed by its sociopolitical and economic climate.
OCNY's Kindall and I hit Gavin Brown's Enterprise for the Master of Records opening reception last Friday, where we managed to unearth some gems. Bambaataa's records ranged absolutely everywhere from Patti Labelle's 1978 LP Tasty to a mint condition "Yeah" 12"—the Usher single that changed my seventh-grade experience forever. Bambaataa's collection spans across genres and generations, a testament to his unmatched influence on the sounds and styles of the past 30 years.
Open archiving will take place Monday––Friday from 12 to 5 PM; through August 10, 2013
GAVIN BROWN'S ENTERPRISE
620 Greenwich St
New York, NY 10014
MAP![]()
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Gavin Brown visitors can explore Bamabaataa's vinyl as it is archived.![]()
These records have already been alphabetized and catalogued.
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Kindall checking out the collection
![]()
One of the many treasures we discovered
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The Bronx-born Bambaataa is widely considered one of the most important DJs in American history, pioneering a break-beat funk sound in the early 1980s that laid the foundations for modern hip-hop production efforts. He is equally regarded for his work out from behind the turntables: Bambaataa organized the Universal Zulu Nation, a cultural group credited with reforming New York's violent gangs by using hip-hop as a positive platform for expression.
Unsurprisingly, archiving efforts have been spearheaded by author, curator, and Cornell University Library Board Member Johan Kugelberg, a familiar figure among vinyl enthusiasts. After executive stints at Matador Records and Def American Recordings, Kugelberg curated Christie's Punk/Rock sale, the first major art auction dedicated to punk's subversive DIY visual aesthetic. Kugelberg is presently the owner and curator of Boo-Hooray gallery in Chelsea. His archival efforts work to situate sonic and visual products in their historical contexts, demonstrating how music both informs and is informed by its sociopolitical and economic climate.
OCNY's Kindall and I hit Gavin Brown's Enterprise for the Master of Records opening reception last Friday, where we managed to unearth some gems. Bambaataa's records ranged absolutely everywhere from Patti Labelle's 1978 LP Tasty to a mint condition "Yeah" 12"—the Usher single that changed my seventh-grade experience forever. Bambaataa's collection spans across genres and generations, a testament to his unmatched influence on the sounds and styles of the past 30 years.
Open archiving will take place Monday––Friday from 12 to 5 PM; through August 10, 2013
GAVIN BROWN'S ENTERPRISE
620 Greenwich St
New York, NY 10014
MAP
Gavin Brown visitors can explore Bamabaataa's vinyl as it is archived.
These records have already been alphabetized and catalogued.
Kindall checking out the collection
One of the many treasures we discovered
