Contrary to the simplistic assumption that the term itself is just a synonym for rap, Hip Hop denotes a vibrant and complex subculture with aspects rhythmic, stylistic and visual. Since its genesis in New York City in the 1970s, Hip Hop has become a mainstay of today’s popular culture: as a genre it is rooted in multicultural exchange, and has provided a voice for African-Americans living in racially and economically marginalised neighbourhoods.

Approached through a lens which magnifies this historical context, the Hip Hop auction recently hosted by Sotheby’s warrants attention. The auction, the first of its kind in the industry, took place on the 15th of September. Featuring over 120 lots, it was curated specifically to celebrate the history of the genre and ‘the impact Hip Hop has had on art and culture’. Certainly it was successful in displaying Hip Hop’s material multi-dimensionality, which extends beyond music, offering a truly diverse range of items. Stars of the auction included the crown worn by Notorious B.I.G. from his iconic ‘King of New York’ photoshoot in 1997, which sold for $600,000, and a collection of love letters handwritten by Tupac Shakur, which sold for $75,600.

But how successful was the auction in acknowledging and embracing the diversity in which Hip Hop’s history and influence are embedded?

The musical and cultural origins of Hip Hop are multiple and hard to pinpoint because of New York's multicultural nature. Interactions between African Americans and immigrants from Caribbean and Latin American countries fostered musical innovation; Hip Hop culture became a form of expression for the social, economic, and political realities of those from marginalised backgrounds. During its formative stages, Hip Hop was denied recognition as legitimate or 'real' art, denounced for its failure to meet conventional cultural criteria and often labelled as ‘low’ or ‘rough’ by white audiences. In turn, this label fuelled the marginalisation of Black communities.

Sotheby’s, one of the world’s largest and oldest auction houses, ultimately represents exactly the kind of cultural arena that Hip Hop has been denied access to for most of its history. Despite the auction house’s recent engagements with other tenets of popular culture (collectible sneakers, skateboards, space memorabilia), and VP Cassandra Hatton’s claim that “this isn’t that jarring of a departure from what Sotheby’s normally does”, the juxtaposition is striking. Hatton curated and organised the auction alongside Monica Lynch, former president of Tommy Boy Records. It has been noted that they are both white women, and it is unclear if any Black curators were involved in the curation process. Criticism highlights the need to tap a diverse range of organisers and curators for a project that celebrates one of the most important pillars of Black culture. Additionally, less than 20% of items featured women who were/are part of Hip Hop’s culture, and the auction seemed to lack touch with the present day, with A$AP Rocky featuring as one of the only contemporary artists.

This auction comes at a time when it is no longer relevant to fight the case for Hip Hop’s cultural validation. Now a mainstream force to be reckoned with, its recent appearance at the auction house is perhaps unsurprising. The music genre and the culture that surrounds it enjoys respect where it was previously lacking, and its commercial accessibility reflects the communality of its roots - Hip Hop still brings people together. It has also been a unifying force for previously culturally divided attitudes, with rapper Kendrick Lamar becoming the first non-classical or jazz artist to win the Pulitzer Prize for music in 2018. Kanye West’s collaborations with Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, who is known for blurring the lines between high and popular culture anyway, further signify this growing unity.

The auction can be seen as an extension of this cultural shift, adding to institutional recognition of the Hip Hop’s artistic products. But it also draws attention to the ever pressing need to navigate the thin ice that sits between appreciation and appropriation. As is always the case, there is clearly room for improvement: a diverse curation team, female representation and a greater transparency concerning how and if the relevant communities benefit seem to be missing (although Sotheby’s notes vaguely that ‘a portion’ of proceeds benefit The Queens Public Library Hip Hop Programs and Building Beats). As society continues to grapple with the rigid cultural structures of the past, and certain ironies of the auction are evident, we must keep questioning our approach to Black culture.

An event like this amplifies pre-existing tensions that underlie the topic, and a Pitchfork article has labelled the auction blatantly hypocritical. Time will tell what kind of an impact the auction has for the canonisation of Hip Hop. However, whilst historically exclusionary institutions are still evolving, I suspect that Hip Hop, on its own communal and multicultural terms, will continue to canonise itself. It takes only a brief glimpse at the success and popularity of the genre today to see that it's influence has power and meaning beyond any traditional 'high culture' arena, auction rooms included.

Words: Alice Keeling

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