There is no reason why the Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) can’t be as big as the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
And with a new donation from Microsoft, they are a step closer.
According to a public statement, Microsoft has expanded its partnership with the Bronx-based institution by dropping a gift of $5 million to expand its cultural heritage program at the museum and becoming the Official Technology Partner for the UHHM.
But what’s the significance of the gift?
The tech company’s AI for Cultural Heritage program “leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to empower people and organizations dedicated to the preservation and enrichment of cultural heritage.”
Universal Hip Hop Museum Executive Director, Rocky Bucano, said: “Preserving the history of Hip-Hop, celebrating the cultural contributions of the pioneers who paved the way for today’s Hip-Hop generation to thrive and flourish, and promoting the positive economic and social aspects of Hip-Hop have been the sole focus of the UHHM for the past decade.”
Rocky Bucano is not the only one excited about the partnership.
Microsoft President Brad Smith said, “Since its birth in the Bronx almost fifty years ago, innovators have harnessed creativity and technology to evolve and grow Hip Hop into one of today’s most celebrated musical, artistic, and cultural influences.”
“As a proud supporter and official technology partner of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, we’re incredibly excited about the role that Microsoft technology will play to help document, preserve, and tell this uniquely American story to the world.”
The first time the Universal Hip Hop Museum and Microsoft collaborated was back in 2016 when they co-hosted “envisioning sessions” to dream about what the UHHM would actually look like and how technology intertwined with the preservation of this culture.
Also, in 2019, in collaboration with MIT Professor Dr. Fox Harrell, Microsoft and the UHHM produced “Breakbeat Narratives.”
This new seven-digit seed will definitely help create even more revolutionary exhibitions — propelling the institution as one of the top go-to destinations in the world.
The Microsoft partnership will also be celebrating with the Universal Hip Hop Museum on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at the groundbreaking ceremony for Bronx Point, the development that will house the museum.
