Los Angeles: US Vice President Kamala Harris celebrated the 50th Anniversary of hip-hop, during which she called hip-hop the ‘ultimate American art form’.
Harris is a hip-hop enthusiast herself and had held a massive party to celebrate the music at her residence in Washington DC, which she called “the first-ever hip-hop house party at the Office of the Vice President of the US,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
She celebrated the anniversary party from a stage built on her lawn with a guest list of rap luminaries, including Common, Doug E. Fresh, MC Lyte and Fat Joe.
Taking to the stage of her lawn, she told the audience: “Hip-hop is the ultimate American art form.
“Hip-hop now shapes nearly every aspect of America’s popular culture, and it reflects the incredible diversity and ingenuity of the American people,” she added.
“It combines rhythms from the continent of Africa, from the Caribbean, from Latin America, with the sounds of soul and gospel and R&B and funk to create something entirely new.”
“And to be clear, hip-hop culture is America’s culture,” she continued.
“It is a genre. It is music and melody and rhyme. And hip-hop is also an ethos of strength and self-determination, of ambition and aspiration, of pride, power and purpose.”
Concluding her statement, she said: “And why did we all love our hip-hop so much? Well, one reason is it speaks truth, raw, unfiltered, without apology?”
Harris danced alongside her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who joked about his old nickname being Doug E. Fresh. Emhoff then pointed out that the real Doug E. Fresh was set to perform at the event.
Lil Wayne closed the multi-hour concert with a performance of his hits ‘A Milli’, ‘Mrs. Officer’ and ‘Uproar’.
He thanked Harris and the White House for inviting him.
“I appreciate this. My mom appreciates this too,” he said.
For the occasion, Harris partnered with the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective and Live Nation Urban. The guest list, included more than 400 guests attendees.
IANS