1520 Sedgwick Avenue
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1520 Sedgwick Avenue is widely considered to be the birthplace of hip-hop, but in spite of its cultural relevance, it is relatively unknown to the general public, and has been at risk of being closed down for decades. Many individuals are working hard to have the State of New York recognize 1520 Sedgwick Avenue as a cultural landmark. The building is not only culturally significant, but also houses countless families who are all at risk of losing their homes if 1520 Sedgwick Avenue is closed.
I created a campaign site to help inform people of this place's huge influence in music history, as well as highlight the need for people to come together and support 1520 Sedgwick Avenue for its cultural preservation and the hundreds of families that live there. The full site can be viewed here.
The "break," which was invented by DJ Kool Herc at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, laid the foundations for hip-hop. The break involved piecing together various percussive breaks of songs, which would go on to influence countless DJs for years to come. I wanted to visualize this break by fragmenting parts of the design and piecing them back together. I was also largely influenced by posters and flyers advertising block parties from that early error of hip-hop, incorporating the monotone color schemes and the incorporation of bold lines and typography.
To help promote the website, I designed a series of posters, buttons, and a vinyl record that would be used to bring attention and awareness to the campaign.
