Oakland Museum's Hip-Hop Exhibit Highlights Bay Area Influences

As of last week, the Oakland Museum of California has a new interactive exhibit on display all about hip-hop.

The show, "Respect: Hip-hop Style and Wisdom," highlights the evolution of hip-hop and features key pieces of hip-hop culture from across the country.

A 1964 Chevy Impala Lowrider at the "Respece: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom" exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California exhibit. Car culture is a big part of hip-hop history and culture. — A 1964 Chevy Impala Lowrider at the "Respece: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom" exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California exhibit pays homage to West Coast car culture. (Alyssa Perry/KQED)

Visitors can check out artifacts such as a 1964 Chevy Impala lowrider car or the turntables used by New York’s pioneer DJ Grandmaster Flex. There’s also an area where they can practice breakdancing and even try out DJ-ing themselves.

Then there's the section dedicated to the Bay Area and its role in hip-hop's evolution.

This section of the show, "Respect: Hip-hop and Wisdom," is dedicated to hip-hop culture and history in the Bay Area. (Alyssa Perry/KQED)

It pays homages to artists such as graffiti writer Mike "Dream" Francisco and filmmaker Yak who put the Bay Area street dance on the global map.

"The Bay is largely responsible for the independent movement of hip-hop," says Trey Amos, one of the curators of the exhibit.

A map at the exhibit pinpoints parts of the Bay Area of important hip-hop landmarks and history. (Alyssa Perry/KQED)

"I think that the Bay is often overlooked for its contribution in a lot of different areas. It’s everything, honestly, from the way folks dress to the lingo they use."

Amos points to an installation modeled after ones found on street corners around the Bay. It’s a colorful memorial with photos and illuminated candles with names on them like the deceased Bay Area rapper Mac Dre.

A mock street memorial similar to those found on the streets of Oakland. The candles have names of fallen hip-hop artists like Phife Dawg and Mac Dre and local street artists like The Dream. (Alyssa Perry/KQED)

"The memorial really plays homage to folks that have passed away but have left their mark on the bay. So yeah, that might be my favorite part, showing our respects to ancestors of hip hop that have passed on."

"Respect: Hip-hop style and Wisdom" opened on March 24 and will run through August 12.

Read a review of the show by KQED Arts here.

People can write their own memorials and hang them on the wall next to the street memorial. (Alyssa Perry/KQED)

Oakland Museum's Hip-Hop Exhibit Highlights Bay Area Influences

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