The world is hopping with the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and the 65th anniversary of IHop. While the latter is offering special breakfast deals, fans of the former can purchase merch that will benefit the Hip-Hop Community Fund. In Chicago, upcoming hip-hop centered events are available on stage and screen.
BOOM CRACK! Dance Company, which combines hip-hop styles with curated choreography, will perform in Dance for Life (Aug. 19) at the Auditorium Theatre. This annual fundraiser for Chicago Dancers United also features Hiplet Ballerinas, who fuse classical ballet with hip-hop. Additional companies participating in the program include Chicago Tap Allstars, Giordano Dance Chicago and South Chicago Dance Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and the Joffrey Ballet.
Earl Sweatshirt (Aug. 22) and Toosii: National Tour (Aug. 30) will take the stage at House of Blues Chicago while the Music Box Theatre presents Fresh Films: A Celebration of 50 Years of Hip Hop throughout September with special guests, filmmaker discussions, and DJ sets.
The historic cinema will screen John Singleton’s Poetic Justice (1993) starring Janet Jackson; Curtis Hanson’s 8 Mile (2002) starring Eminem, Brittany Murphy and Kim Basinger; Tamra Davis’s CB4 (1993) starring Chris Rock; F. Gary Gray’s Set It Off (1996) starring Queen Latifah and Gray’s Friday (1995) starring Ice Cube; Mario Van Peebles’s New Jack City (1991) starring Wesley Snipes and Ice-T; Rick Famuyiwa’s Brown Sugar (2002) starring Taye Diggs; Ernest R. Dickerson’s Juice (1992) starring Tupac Shakur; Craig Brewer’s Hustle & Flow (2005) starring Ludacris; Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers (2012) starring Selena Gomez; Hype Williams’s Belly (1998); Rusty Cundieff’s Fear of A Black Hat (1993); James Bond III’s Def By Temptation (1990); Tony Silver’s Style Wars (1983); Charlie Ahearn’s Beat Street (1983); Stan Lathan’s Beat Street (1984); and Joel Silberg’s Breakin’ (1984). Click here for times, dates, and details.
Last but not least, Taste of Chicago (Sep. 8-10) marks 50 years of hip-hop with Masters of the Mic: Hip Hop including Doug E. Fresh, EPMD, KRS-One and Slick Rick. Dominican-American hip-hop group Proyecto Uno will also perform as well as the Chicago-based band Whitney, and singer-songwriter Lupita Infante who will be supported by the all-female Mariachi Sirenas.
“Since 1980, Taste of Chicago has been a beloved tradition showcasing our city’s incredible culinary and cultural offerings,” says Mayor Brandon Johnson. “I’m thrilled to invite Chicagoans and visitors alike to Grant Park once again to enjoy familiar Taste of Chicago favorites, new vendor additions and exciting entertainment for everyone to enjoy.”
For more information on this free-admission festival, visit TasteofChicago.us.