https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyZTUoIzqmo

and

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/ist/?next=/smithsonian-institution/legacy-hip-hop-producer-j-dilla-will-be-recognized-among-collections-smithsonian-180952164/

Bambattaa's record collection is now stored at Cornell. Dilla's MPC will be going in the forthcoming Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture.

What do you think of the phenomenon of hip-hop being preserved by academia and museums? Do you think these pieces will be given their proper cultural context? Could an outsider experience them outside their original hip-hop context (particularly Dilla's MPC at the Smithsonian) and truly appreciate their cultural weight? How would you go about describing the value of these items to someone who has no idea what they signify?

Peace,

Spirit (Alan)
http://wutangbook.com