Hip Hop 50

The 50th anniversary of one of the biggest driving forces in popular culture is ahead: the advent of hip hop in New York on August 11, 1973.

On the eve of that landmark date, WFUV will present NPR's “Hip Hop 50," an hour-long music documentary, on Thursday, August 10, at 8 p.m. on 90.7FM, streaming online.

Earlier that day, FUV's midday host Alisa Ali will spin her own hip hop odyssey of faves during her show, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

For "Hip Hop 50," doc host Juana Summers takes listeners to the Bronx community room where it all got started — where DJ Kool Herc became known for spinning records focusing on percussive “breaks” in the music (hence “break dancing”). With his friend “Coke La Rock” shouting out rhymes on the microphone over the beat, their parties gave way to rap.

Interviews in this special include DJ Kool Herc who was at the center of the first party where hip hop was born. Also featured: Debora Hooper, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and Moses Edinborough, director and producer of Yo! MTV Raps. Interviews also feature authors and music historians Jeff Chang, Jay Quan, Nelson George and Dan Charnas.

A reminder that celebratory concerts are happening all over New York City this week, from Rakim and Rapsody at Lincoln Center to the all-star 50th anniversary concert at Yankee Stadium (with Run DMC headlining) to the Wu-Tang Clan at the Knockdown Center.