Turntable Tuesdays: HIP HOP LOVE // HBD Nina Simone!
Chilltown Collective and the Dineen Hull Gallery Conclude their Hip Hop Utopia Exhibition by Celebrating one of Hip Hop's Most Sampled Patrons
For the last installment of Turntable Tuesdays, also serving as the closing reception for the Hip Hop Utopia exhibition, Chilltown Collective and the Dineen Hull Gallery at HCCC celebrate what would be Nina Simone's 84th birthday on February 21st from 6pm-8pm in the Dineen Hull Gallery (71 Sip Ave. 6th Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07306).
American singer-songwriter-pianist and civil rights activist Eunice Waymon, better known by her stage name, NIna Simone, has been sampled hundreds of times over by hip hop heavyweights the likes of Timbaland, Lil Wayne, Common, and Kanye West. Hip hop's infatuation with the "High Priestess of Soul" can be attributed to an eclectic variety of explanations.
From a producer's standpoint, her music is a sonic anomaly- her fusion of the jazz, soul, blues, and classical genres, along with her rugged and impactful contralto singing voice (classically, the lowest female vocal range) serving as an experimental playground for sampling beatmakers. From a songwriter's perspective, her words are striking, substantive, iconic, and ripe for interpolation. Aside from these technical aspects, Miss Simone's fearlessness in the face of oppression is a factor that truly embodies the spirit of hip hop- releasing records like "Mississippi Goddamn", "Old Jim Crowe", and "Strange Fruit" (originally sung by Billie Holiday) in the name of civil rights, often to the detriment of her career. Whether it is one of these reasons or a combination of them, Nina Simone still impacts artists of the hip hop culture nearly 40 years after the release of her last album.
As the music curator for this program, we've assigned the task of commemorating Miss Simone to DJs Kevlove (previously featured on "Sway in the Morning") and the legendary vet Cipha Sounds (former HOT97 Morning Show Host). This is your last chance to view some dope urban art, pick up an exclusive Chilltown x Hip Hop Utopia Tee, and win a FREE fat tire bike donated by Grove Street Bicycles. Don't Miss Out!
