August 11th, 1973 is the universally known date of the creation of Hip Hop music and culture, and 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx is its Birthplace.

1520 Sedgwick Avenue is a 102-unit apartment building in the Morris Heights neighbourhood of the Bronx in New York City.

Described in The New York Times as a long-time “haven for working class families”, it has been historically accepted as the birthplace of hip hop.

As hip hop grew throughout the Bronx, 1520 was a starting point where Clive Campbell, later known as DJ Kool Herc, presided over parties in the community room at a pivotal point in the genre’s history.

DJ Kool Herc is credited with helping to start hip-hop and rap music at a house concert at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue on August 11, 1973.

At the concert, he was a DJ and MC in the recreation room of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. Sources have noted that while 1520 Sedgwick Avenue was not the actual birthplace of hip hop – the genre developed slowly in several places in the 1970s – it was verified to be the place where one of the pivotal and formative events occurred that spurred hip hop culture forward.

During a rally to save the building, DJ Kool Herc said, “1520 Sedgwick is the Bethlehem of hip-hop culture.”