Hip-Hop is turning 50 years old and old wounds of the culture, that have formed scabs over the years, are being pulled off.  With that, real healing is being had as leaders step up and apologize for “past indiscretions.”

An example of this is the recent public apology of the Universal Hip Hop Museum Founder Rocky Bucano to the iconic DJ Red Alert.

Bucano, who got his start in the Bronx as a teenage DJ and Co-president of Strong City Records, took to social media from the [R]evolution of Hip Hop exhibition, a pop-up for the museum, to give his apology to Uncle Red in front of a small group— but shared with thousands on Instagram and Facebook.

He said in the video he wanted to rectify some of the “differences” they’ve had from childhood in an effort to “move … forward.”

“So, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop culture, my personal reflections take place in the beginning especially; where it all grew from the community,” he started. “Today, I want to personally issue a public apology to one of Hip-Hop’s cultural icons, Harlem’s own, DJ Red Alert.”

Bucano continued, “Coming up during the rise of the coach and the creation of a new genre of music was a time for being brash and bold, creating and staking your claim in Hip-Hop.”

The leader acknowledged that he “may have been indifferent and thoughtless at times,” sparking a beef between the Violator OG and himself.

“I’m accepting my own youthful failures because it was never my intent to be malicious or unkind,” he declared.

Adding, “Sometimes, it takes 50 years to grow enough to realize and understand that you may have hurt or offended someone from your past.”

DJ Red Alert, one of the first DJs on the radio to spin Hip-Hop, accepted the apology and agreed to sit down in private to talk, ending their almost 50-year beef.

“Many of times, it could be referring [to] family, business associates, even down the culture] that there … be some flaws … situations and … some differences, but that don’t mean that they cannot be mended.”

He said the 50^th anniversary of the culture is important to “continue to build on,” and that the two “wanted to show that if we can make amends,” this also can be true for “everybody else” in “whatever situations” they may be dealing with.

This is what the culture needs to see! Salute to real men in the culture.