Ice T on Shepard Fairey, Untitled (Art Car), 1937 Packard Touring Sedan, 2024
Hip Hop Quote, Shepard Fairey, Untitled (Art Car), 1937 Packard Touring Sedan, 2024
An evening of dialogue on creativity, legacy, and cultural authority — scheduled for September 26 at CART Department, 16 Morton Street, New York, NY
Hip Hop never sought validation to be considered art. From the instant a stylus hit a groove in the Bronx, it was art. We’re laying the facts out openly — and it deserves to debut here.”— Rocky Bucano, Founder and CEO of The Hip Hop Museum
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, September 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — A persistent question has trailed Hip Hop since that inaugural block jam in the Bronx: who holds the authority to define art, and whose contributions earn a lasting place in history?
On Saturday, September 26, from 6pm to 9pm, The Hip Hop Museum brings that inquiry directly to 16 Morton Street with “When the Underground Becomes the Archive: Art, Music, Memory, and the Making of Cultural Authority.” The discussion features Rocky Bucano, Founder and CEO of The Hip Hop Museum, alongside Grandwizzard Theodore, the pioneering DJ credited with inventing the scratch, and Eric Orr, a founding graffiti artist and designer — three individuals who were immersed in the culture long before it gained mainstream recognition — for a dialogue on the journey from the fringes to the institution, and who holds the keys to that transition. RSVP here.
“Hip Hop has never required external approval to be considered art,” states Rocky Bucano. “It was art from the very first time a needle hit a record in a Bronx park, from the first rhyme that transformed a street corner into a stage. What we’re doing on September 26 is not about asking the culture to validate itself. We’re placing the facts out in the open — the artifacts, the archive, the individuals who were present — because this culture has always held legitimacy. The rest of the world is simply catching up now. And that dialogue deserves to start at The Hip Hop Museum.”
The conversation draws on a narrative The Hip Hop Museum has long advocated: Hip Hop and punk both emerged from the same neglected streets of the 1970s — two underground movements created by young people who were told they had no future and went on to construct one regardless. Different forms of expression. A shared refusal to accept the status quo regarding who holds power and who is left behind.
THE SETTING: SHEPARD FAIREY‘S UNTITLED (ART CAR)
This history anchors the space where the discussion will unfold. The venue is the debut of Untitled (Art Car) — artist Shepard Fairey’s first project on an automobile, curated by CART Department. Fairey has covered a 1937 Packard Touring Sedan in detailed metallic gold designs, with one side featuring Hip Hop verses from Slick Rick, Chuck D of Public Enemy, and The Notorious B.I.G., while the opposite side draws on punk lyrics from Joe Strummer of The Clash, Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys, and Jamie Reid’s collaborations with the Sex Pistols. Ten new pieces inspired by the vehicle — including mixed-media stencils, silkscreens, and paper collages — will be shown alongside other existing works from the artist.
EVENT SCHEDULE
Wednesday, September 23 | RSVP
Press Preview, 4pm–6pm • VIP Preview, 6pm–9pm
Thursday, September 24 | RSVP
Artist Talk with Carlo McCormick and Shepard Fairey, 4:30pm–6pm
Opening Reception with DJ G-Bo The Pro, 6pm–9pm
Friday, September 25 | RSVP
“When Rock Met Hip-Hop,” moderated by Steven Blush with special guests Janette Beckman, Eric Haze, Pete Nice, and Drew Stone, 6pm–7:30pm
Saturday, September 26 | RSVP
“When the Underground Becomes the Archive,” hosted by The Hip Hop Museum with Rocky Bucano, Grandwizzard Theodore, and Eric Orr, 6pm–9pm
Exhibition accessible Thursday, September 24–Sunday, September 27 • Complimentary and open to all • 12pm–6pm daily
PANELIST PROFILES
ROCKY BUCANO serves as Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, leveraging expertise in television engineering, music label management, and nonprofit leadership to advance Hip Hop’s impact on community development, advocacy, and social equity.
GRANDWIZZARD THEODORE is a DJ and turntablist recognized globally as the pioneer of the scratching technique — employing it for narrative and emotional expression, which has cemented his status among the all-time greats.
ERIC ORR is a New York City-based artist and designer who emerged in the late ’70s alongside Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kenny Scharf, and Keith Haring, developing a distinctive form of graffiti that moved away from traditional “writing” toward visual symbols.
ABOUT THE HIP HOP MUSEUM
The Hip Hop Museum will feature a mix of classic exhibits and interactive experiences — including rare artifacts, memorabilia, visual art, hands-on stations, digital media, live performances, and community programs — offering visitors of every generation a chance to connect meaningfully with Hip Hop’s past and its ongoing impact on contemporary culture. The 55,000-square-foot space will embody Hip Hop’s vibrant, ever-evolving spirit, as lively and communal as the culture itself. Its launch signifies a landmark achievement in honoring and safeguarding Hip Hop’s heritage.
ABOUT SHEPARD FAIREY
Shepard Fairey (b. 1970, Charleston, South Carolina) is renowned for his Andre the Giant Has a Posse street-art campaign (1989) and his Hope poster for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential run. By blending street art with political commentary through iconic imagery and bold design, Fairey holds a distinctive position in the global contemporary art landscape. Untitled (Art Car), based on a 1937 Packard Touring Sedan, highlights two divergent musical takes on capitalism.
ABOUT CART DEPARTMENT
CART Department is a cultural initiative centered on the automobile as both an artistic and social object, examining how cars influence identity, design, and cultural imagination at the crossroads of automotive culture, art, and creativity. Learn more at www.cartdept.com and connect with @cartdept on Instagram.
Media Contact: Quyn Duong, quyn@cartdept.com 347-454-6608.
EXHIBITION & PANEL INFORMATION
CART Department, 16 Morton Street, New York, NY 10014
Exhibition: Thursday, September 24–Sunday, September 27 • 12pm–6pm daily • Complimentary and open to all
Panel: Saturday, September 26 • 6pm–9pm
Bryna Jean-Marie
The Hip Hop Museum
bryna@thhm.org
