Yes Yes Y’all: The First Decade of Hip-Hop

June 18, 2005 - January 6, 2008

America, 1973. Nixon is president, Carly Simon rules the charts...and deep in The Bronx, kids with seemingly few opportunities and even less resources are creating one of the most influential cultural movements of the 20th century and beyond.

The exhibition Yes Yes Y'all, based upon the book and traveling exhibition of the same name, takes you back to the very beginning of hip-hop. The quotes you will read, photos you will see, and performances you will hear are those of the culture's pioneers.

Iconic artifacts include:

• A b-boy outfit from the Rock Steady Crew, who introduced the world to breakdancing
• DMC's (of Run-DMC) outfit from the ill-fated Raising Hell tour
• Turntables formerly used by Grandmaster Flash, the father of modern DJing
• Piecebooks featuring original art and tags from pioneers of aerosol art

In addition to expanded content throughout the gallery, a revised audio tour and fresh soundtrack, a new section of the exhibition provides a snapshot of Seattle hip-hop, inviting local participants to tell their own story.

Providing a working definition of hip-hop, Yes Yes Y'all immerses visitors in the culture and history of a worldwide revolution in music, art, and culture that now touches all of us.
Exhibition located on Level 2 at EMP|SFM. (PDF -- 2.3MB) Main image: Kool DJ AJ, Ecstasy Garage, Bronx, New York City, by photographer Charlie Ahearn (1980), detail.