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THE HIP HOP MUSEUM
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 465278190 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A50 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Medium ($1M-$10M)
revenue
$7.0M
expenses
$4.8M
net assets
$4.5M
employees
14
volunteers
28
program ratio
83%
mission · from form 990

THE HIP HOP MUSEUM IN THE BRONX CELEBRATES AND PRESERVES THE HISTORY OF LOCAL AND GLOBAL HIP HOP MUSIC AND CULTURE TO INSPIRE, EMPOWER, AND PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx celebrates and preserves the history of local and global hip hop music and culture. It runs educational and cultural programs that empower youth, document hip hop’s evolution, and promote understanding through creative expression. The organization serves communities in New York and beyond through exhibitions, storytelling initiatives, and public events.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $793K
    MY CAMERA IS MY WEAPON:THE HIP HOP MUSEUM'S MY CAMERA IS MY WEAPON PROGRAM USES PHOTOGRAPHY AND STORYTELLING AS TOOLS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE, PROVIDING YOUTH WITH CREATIVE OUTLETS THAT PROMOTE PEACE, UNDERSTANDING, AND SELF-EXPRESSION. INSPIRED BY GORDON PARKS' "A CHOICE OF WEAPONS," THE PROGRAM EMPOWERS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO USE CAMERAS AS INSTRUMENTS OF TRANSFORMATION, DOCUMENTING THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ENVISIONING A FUTURE SHAPED BY CREATIVITY RATHER THAN CONFLICT. THROUGH MENTORSHIP, PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES, AND HANDS-ON TRAINING, PARTICIPANTS LEARN VISUAL STORYTELLING, GAIN CONFIDENCE IN THEIR VOICES, AND DEVELOP SKILLS THAT FOSTER LASTING PERSONAL AND ARTISTIC GROWTH.
  2. #2 $793K
    HIP HOP HISTORY SCHOLARS PROGRAM/HIP HOP 50 & BEYOND:THE HIP HOP HISTORY SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND HIP HOP 50 & BEYOND INITIATIVE DOCUMENT AND PRESERVE THE STORIES OF HIP HOP'S EVOLUTION, ENSURING THAT THE CULTURE'S ORAL HISTORIES AND ARTIFACTS ARE ARCHIVED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THROUGH INTERNSHIPS FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, THE PROGRAM ADVANCES THE HIP HOP MUSEUM'S RESEARCH AND ARCHIVING CAPABILITIES WHILE PROVIDING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN CULTURAL PRESERVATION. PARTICIPATNS CATALOG EVENT FLYERS, RECORDINGS, ARTWORK, PHOTOGRAPHS, PUBLICATIONS, AND OTHER MATERIALS THAT CAPTURE THE EVOLUTION OF HIP HOP AND ITS GLOBAL IMPACT.
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Hip Hop 50 Celebration
Commemorated hip hop’s 50th anniversary with public concerts at Mill Pond Park and Yankee Stadium, celebrating the culture’s legacy and influence.
Hip Hop History Scholars Program / Hip Hop 50 & Beyond
Trains undergraduate and graduate students in cultural preservation through internships focused on archiving hip hop artifacts and oral histories.
My Camera Is My Weapon
Uses photography and storytelling to empower high school students, promoting peace and self-expression through visual arts mentorship and training.
The Drip Hip Hop Fashion Show
Showcases the intersection of hip hop and fashion, featuring designers like Dapper Dan and emerging talent at public events.
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Archival Digitization and Preservation 1 activity
    • Building and preserving a historical archive of Hip Hop artifacts
      Collecting, cataloging, and preserving archival materials, memorabilia, flyers, recordings, artwork, photographs, and publications related to Hip Hop history through donor contributions and intern-led curation efforts as part of a cultural archiving initiative.
  • Arts Education Access Programs 1 activity
    • Collaborating with community partners to advance Hip Hop preservation and education
      Partnering with local and global organizations to expand programming, share resources, and co-develop initiatives that promote Hip Hop culture in areas such as education, community engagement, health, and financial literacy.
  • Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
    • Conducting and publishing oral history interviews with Hip Hop figures
      Producing a monthly series of public interviews with prominent producers, artists, and cultural figures about their relationship to Hip Hop, including documented conversations with Darrell “Six Figga Digga” Branch, Mark Batson, and Sean C, to highlight the genre's broad cultural impact over the past 50 years.
  • Cultural Facility Development and Management 1 activity
    • Establishing a permanent museum dedicated to Hip Hop culture
      Creating and constructing a state-of-the-art physical museum in the Bronx as a permanent cultural institution to celebrate, preserve, and promote Hip Hop culture, with public opening planned for spring 2027. The facility will include galleries, performance spaces, an on-site HOT 97 studio, workshops, and community programming.
  • Free Outdoor Music Concerts 1 activity
    • Hosting public events and performances celebrating Hip Hop’s cultural legacy
      Organizing large-scale public concerts, fashion shows, and pop-up gatherings—such as events at Mill Pond Park, Yankee Stadium, and other venues—to commemorate milestones like the 50th anniversary of hip hop and celebrate its influence across music, fashion, and global identity.
  • Library-Provided Cultural Access Passes 1 activity
    • Offering membership and donor engagement programs
      Providing a Founding Member program at $150 that includes exclusive benefits such as a limited edition embroidered hat, early updates, access to special events, behind-the-scenes content, and recognition through December 31, 2027, to engage supporters during the museum’s development phase.
  • Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 1 activity
    • Producing educational programs and youth development initiatives in Hip Hop culture
      Operating summer programs and educational initiatives that teach high school students photography, film, music marketing, copyright law, financial management, branding, distribution, and artist development, using mentorship and hands-on projects to foster self-expression, cultural documentation, and social change.
  • Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
    • Supporting educators through Hip Hop–based pedagogy training
      Operating the Bronx Hip Hop Education Lab to provide coaching, professional development, and resources for educators seeking to implement Hip Hop pedagogy—a culturally responsive, empirically supported teaching approach—into classroom practice.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Advocating for the recognition and institutionalization of Hip Hop culture
      Advancing the establishment of a permanent cultural institution for Hip Hop through public advocacy and mission-driven outreach, emphasizing its significance as a foundational element of American and global culture.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$7.00M
Contributions & grants$6.80M97%
Program service revenue$192K3%
Investment income$4K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$4.79M
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising12%
Salaries & benefits$1.06M
Grants paid out$4K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.34M
Cash$1.69M
Investments$0
Liabilities$2.85M
Net assets$4.49M
Liquid reserves4.2 mo
4 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +190.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
DANIEL BUCANO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $200K
BRETT VOLKER CHIEF BRAND OFFICER 40 $125K
board members · 8
  • ADAM SILVERSTEIN — DIRECTOR OF ARCHIVES AND COLLECTIONS
  • BRUCE JACKSON — TRUSTEE
  • FAITH NEWMAN — TRUSTEE
  • JULIAN PETTY — TRUSTEE (FROM DEC 2024)
  • LU SHAWN THOMPSON — TRUSTEE
  • PETER BITTENBENDER — TRUSTEE
  • RUBEN DIAZ JR — BOARD CHAIR
  • SISSI JOHNSON — TRUSTEE
relationships · 18

Who they work with

  • Albert Vecerka Partner — Photographer documenting the museum
  • Blair Underwood Partner — Featured interviewee in a monthly series discussing personal connections to Hip Hop culture.
  • Bronx, NY Government — Hosts pop-up space in the Bronx, indicating local municipal affiliation or partnership
  • DJs Partner — Includes DJs as key contributors and supporters in the cultural initiative.
  • HOT 97 Partner — Hosts an on-site studio for the radio station HOT 97 as part of museum programming and operations.
  • Hard Rock Hotel Partner — Co-hosted The Drip Hip Hop Fashion Show
  • Instagram Partner — Platform used for public engagement and updates about the museum.
  • JAŸ-Z Partner — Subject of featured interviews with producers who collaborated on his albums
  • MCs Partner — Recognizes MCs as integral members of the Hip Hop community supporting the museum.
  • Mill Pond Park Partner — Hosted a free outdoor concert as part of The Hip Hop 50 Celebration
  • Neighborhood Nip Foundation Partner — Collaborates on community empowerment initiatives, including youth programming and studio development
  • New York City Public Schools Partner — Partner in delivering the My Camera Is My Weapon summer program for students.
  • Red Bull Partner — Collaborates with Red Bull on events such as the Red Bull BC One Panel Revolution.
  • Salt (of Salt-N-Pepa) Partner — Collaborated with The Hip Hop Museum for a featured interview and on-site video production.
  • Summer Youth Employment Program Partner — Collaborates on the My Camera Is My Weapon initiative to engage youth in visual storytelling and media production.
  • Yankee Stadium Partner — Hosted a high-profile concert as part of The Hip Hop 50 Celebration
  • artists Partner — Engages artists as participants in the fundraising and cultural movement.
  • industry pros Partner — Engages music industry professionals in the development of the museum.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Archival Stewardship as a Foundation for Cultural Longevity
    methodology: cultural_preservation
    By systematically collecting oral histories, personal narratives, and physical artifacts, the museum ensures long-term cultural continuity and accessibility, because structured archiving combats historical revisionism and enables future generations to engage with authentic source material.
  • Authentic Cultural Continuity Through Grassroots Credibility
    methodology: grassroots-credibility
    By grounding its mission in grassroots credibility and street-level resonance, the museum ensures authentic cultural representation, which in turn drives broader societal recognition and impact, because legitimacy in Hip Hop culture emerges from community-rooted authority rather than institutional imposition.
  • Cultural Preservation Through Participatory Ownership
    methodology: participatory_cultural_preservation
    By engaging the public in collective microdonations and symbolic participation in building the museum, the organization fosters democratized ownership and sustained community investment in preserving Hip Hop culture, because inclusive stewardship strengthens cultural authenticity and long-term relevance.
  • Hip Hop Pedagogy for Youth Empowerment and Engagement
    methodology: hip_hop_pedagogy
    By applying Hip Hop pedagogy—integrating creativity, storytelling, and critical analysis from Hip Hop culture—into educational programming, the organization improves youth engagement and learning outcomes, because this approach resonates with lived experiences and fosters personal empowerment through cultural expression.