Digiwaxx Media and the Universal Hip Hop Museum launch “The Crate Challenge” to Showcase the True Pioneers of the Hip Hop Music Scene – the DJ

2021 marks the first year that the United States will observe National Hip Hop History Month this November. This summer, the 117th U.S. Congress officially passed Res. 331. Under the leadership of Senator Chuck Schumer (D-CA) and originally co-sponsored by Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), this national honorary month notes that Hip-Hop as a genre from its inception has “transcend[s] many different ages, ethnicities, religions, locations, political affiliations, and socioeconomic statuses, which demonstrates the melting-pot quality of Hip-Hop art and culture.” In honor of this momentous occasion, Digiwaxx Media and the Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) will launch #therealcratechallenge which will garner the support of the nation’s DJs through a comprehensive virtual activation.

From November 1 to November 30, this exciting challenge will activate the over 50,000 DJs from the collective reach of these two powerhouse institutions and encourage them to show off their personal crates of music and indisputable DJ skills. Since the beginning of Hip-Hop, DJs have used simple milk crates to store their albums and to transport them to and from their gigs. The summer of 2021 saw thousands of people taking part in the “crate challenge,” a viral demonstration that used these same crates in a dangerous fashion. Today, we are encouraging DJs to take back their crates and show the world what they are really used for. With #therealcratechallenge, DJs are being asked to create a short video that will feature them spinning their favorite records and showing off their crates of music with the hashtag #therealcratechallenge. Supporters of the movement include pioneer and founding board member of the UHHM DJ Grandwizzard Theodore, DJ Enuff (Hot 97 NY), Scratch (SiriusXM/Triller), DJ Drama (Gangsta Grills), DJ Suss-One (Power 105 NY/Wendy Williams Show), Radio Raymond T (Live x Live) Mr. Choc (Beat Junkies), DJ Wiz (Kid N’ Play) and more, will all upload videos of them taking part in this viral campaign.

“We at Digiwaxx are honored to partner with the Universal Hip Hop Museum to honor the DJ with the #RealCrateChallenge,” says Corey “CL” Llewellyn, founder and President of Digiwaxx Media. “The DJ has long been the foundation and backbone of Hip-Hop from its inception and has always set the vibe and atmosphere through their dedication to the craft. We hope to help honor their contributions to Hip-Hop and fine taste in music by recognizing the tools they have used to manifest this culture with vinyl collections and break samples, mixtapes, and classic cassettes, and other timeless memorabilia.”

This sentiment is echoed by Universal Hip Hop Museum’s President, Rocky Bucano who says, “As the Universal Hip Hop Museum seeks to educate the masses about Hip Hop Culture, we have to pay respect to the DJ, the first element of Hip-Hop.”

“Records are sacred to the DJ and what’s used to carry them in, is too,” he continued. “Whether they carried ‘Apache,’ ‘Rock Creek Park,’ ‘Peter Piper’ or ‘The Choice is Yours,’ they have to be revered. This campaign for National Hip Hop History Month that we’re doing with DigiWaxx is our effort to restore the crate to its rightful place in Hip-Hop history.”

Culminating this challenge will be a special DJ battle at the [R]evolution of Hip Hop, the temporary UHHM installation located at 610 Exterior Street, next door to HOSTOS Community College Media Center (Entrance 1) at the Bronx Terminal Market on November 28, 2021. The DJ community will also pause to posthumously toast Justo Faison, founder of the Mixtape Awards.

According to the Universal Hip Hop Museum, the DJ is one of the original four elements of Hip-Hop that includes the Emcee, the B-Boy or B-Girl, and Graffiti. They have added an additional element, Knowledge. At the center of the party, DJs create the energy of the culture by spinning the records that eventually lead to breaking the biggest stars on the radio or in the club. Had it not been for the DJ, few people would have ever heard their favorite artists such as Drake, Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Public Enemy, The Notorious B.I.G., and many more. Hip-Hop culture is embedded in the notion of paying homage to those who have paved the way for others in the industry, by launching #therealcratechallenge. Both Digiwaxx and the Universal Hip Hop Museum are giving just due to the original disc jockeys who created the sound that we call Hip-Hop.

The hope is to recognize the contributions of the many creatives that have added to Hip-Hop as a culture, one that has globally influenced and shaped musical styles, language, dance, entertainment, media, education, politics, fashion, technology, art, and more.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Digiwaxx Media (@digiwaxx)

SHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARE ON TWITTER

Tags: Digiwaxx Media, Universal Hip-Hop Museum

About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.