This month, the Wisconsin Historical Society is turning up the volume with a new exhibit that honors the history, creativity, and lasting influence of hip-hop culture. More than a music genre, hip-hop is presented here as a movement—one rooted in storytelling, community, and self-expression.
The exhibit explores hip-hop’s journey from its origins to its impact across Wisconsin, highlighting the artists, DJs, dancers, visual creators, and cultural leaders who helped shape the scene locally and beyond. Through photographs, memorabilia, video, and interactive elements, visitors are invited to experience how hip-hop has evolved while remaining a powerful voice for identity and change.
By placing hip-hop within a historical context, the Wisconsin Historical Society recognizes the culture’s role in documenting lived experiences and preserving voices that have often existed outside traditional narratives. The exhibit serves both as a celebration and an education—connecting generations through beats, rhymes, and stories that continue to resonate today.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the culture, the exhibit offers an immersive look at hip-hop’s impact and its undeniable place in history.
