New York City Council Honors Hip Hop Pioneers

It's been about forty years since hip hop first emerged from block parties in the Bronx, when DJs, rappers, and other artists spread positive messages through music in even the harshest of neighborhoods. 

Afrika Bambaattaa's known as the Godfather of hip hop. He says he's proud to see the genre's become a global phenomenon. 

"Whether it's speaking for revolutionary causes, political causes, or just having fun causes; it's just good to see that it's happening from land to land, country to country, town to town, city to city," he said.

The city honored Bambaatta and other artists on Wednesday, including Grandmaster Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz, one of the first to act as both DJ and MC. Officials also discussed plans to create a hip hop museum in the Bronx, which Caz says is long overdue. He says he hopes the museum will influence the modern hip hop generation to move away from materialism, and return to the genre's traditional values.  

"Get those lessons, those ideologies, and those messages instilled in them so they can carry it on; because they're kind of lost right now," he said.

Bronx Councilman Fernando Cabrera's proposed putting the hip hop museum in the Kingsbridge Armory.