Music

This sprawling exhibit explores the profound impact and influence that hip-hop music and culture have had on the United States and the world since it burst forth in the Bronx 50 years ago. The Mixtape Exhibit delves deep into the sounds, scenes, and history of hip-hop music, dance, graffiti, fashion, business, and activism. On view are rarely displayed artifacts from Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., MC Lyte, Lil Wayne, Slick Rick, Egyptian Lover, Eminem, and many others, and visitors can make their own hip-hop music with five unique interactives.

Explore 30 years of music history, from blues, folk, and rock ‘n’ roll to hip-hop and alternative music, through the lens of photographer Jay Blakesberg. Featuring more than 150 photographs shot on film between 1978 and 2008, Retro Blakesberg captures three decades of pivotal moments in music history. The dynamic exhibit showcases multiple genres and iconic musicians, ranging from Snoop Dogg, B-40, and Bob Dylan to PJ Harvey, Pearl Jam, and the Grateful Dead.

Stream films on Kanopy or Hoopla, both on-demand streaming film services. They both have an extensive library of African American cinema and documentaries that are free with your Los Angeles City or Los Angeles County library card.

kanopy.com/en/category/40898?frontend=kui

 hoopladigital.com

The Los Angeles Public Library and the Los Angeles County Library cards give you access to many resources, including two amazing online music collections. Freegal features unlimited songs, and Hoopla lets you check out full albums. These two databases have endless amounts of music from the African and African American diaspora to explore, from famous hits to underground sounds.

hoopladigital.com/search?q=African+American+music&scope=everything&type=direct&kindId=6

freegalmusic.com

The Crazy Superhero Vacation is a production by Ms. Neate’s class at Vena Avenue Elementary. Animation and editing are by Pieter Hardeman of Toy Story Lab. Southland Sings is a creative organization using the arts to unlock creative potential through live opera, musical theatre production, education assemblies, and music composition for all ages.

A double bill featuring two debuts! L.A.’s Yellowjackets bring four decades and headline status to open the evening. “The standout male vocalist of our time” (The New York Times), Kurt Elling reimagines Weather Report tunes with original band member Peter Erskine. Featuring works by Wayne Shorter, Weather Report is the defining modern jazz act of the 1970s and 1980s.

Black Hole —Trilogy and Triathlon is the final part of Shamel Pitts’ BLACK Series triptych, brought to life by the Brooklyn-based arts collective TRIBE. This multidisciplinary performance, enriched by Afrofuturism, weaves together dance, sound, video, and light into a narrative celebrating vitality, tenderness, and the power of unity and progress. Through the journey of three performers of African heritage, Black Hole explores themes of transformation and potential, transcending the darkness into a metaphorical space of empowerment.

Grammy-Award winner, drummer, and composer Terri Lyne Carrington blends jazz, indie rock, and hip-hop with her multi-talented sextet Social Science. This fresh ensemble thoughtfully confronts urgent social and societal issues through a suite of powerful compositions, inspiring a deep regard for humanity and freedom while never forgetting to excite on a purely musical level.