Public Enemy and Ice-T will link up to headline a special, free concert in Washington D.C. celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. The two-day National Celebration of Hip Hop show will take place Oct. 6 and 7 at West Potomac Park on the National Mall.
The concert will feature an array of rap luminaries and legends, including the Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Kid ’N Play, Soulsonic Force, Roxanne Shanté, Melle Mel and Scorpio, Peter Gunz, CL Smooth, DJ Kevie Kev Rockwell, Mad Skillz, and Busy Bee. DJ Hurricane will also be on hand to lead a special Beastie Boys tribute set with special guests.
“Hip hop is beyond, not just a musical genre,” Chuck D’s Public Enemy said in a statement. “It’s a cultural movement that has dominated art, fashion, politics, poetry, academia, film and every corner of the world for the past 50 years. This National Celebration brings it all together in one place for the people, by the people.”
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The current lineup is available to peruse on the festival’s website, while additional acts are expected to be announced in the weeks leading up to the concert. Starting Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. ET, fans will be able to pre-register for a spot on the ticket wait list; tickets will then be released in batches and distributed on a first come, first served basis based on registration. For those looking for guaranteed entry, some VIP party and travel packages will also be available.
The National Celebration of Hip Hop is just one of many events around the country taking place this year to mark rap’s golden anniversary. (You can check out a handy run down of all past and future events here.) One of the biggest gigs so far took place at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx earlier this month, with performances from Run-D.M.C., Nas, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, Ice Cube, Eve, Lil Kim, Remi Ma, and many more.
