Hip-hop officially turns 50 on 8/11, the day in 1973 that DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy Campbell threw their seminal Back to School Jam in the Bronx. To commemorate the occasion, Sony Music Entertainment and Mass Appeal have joined forces to celebrate SME artists and the Sony/Certified R&B and hip-hop digital-catalog program as part of Mass Appeal's #HipHop50 initiative. The label was founded by hip-hop standard-bearer Nas in 2014.

The entities will work together to showcase SME’s roster and its artists' contributions to music history with original content, experiences, merch and product collaborations.

The campaign launches Wednesday (1/25) with SME/Certified and Chase Marriott Bonvoy credit cards' serving as supporting partners for the Fotografiska exhibition Hip Hop: Conscious, Unconscious. Featuring more than 200 photographs dated 1972-2022, it traces the rise of hip-hop via the work of pioneering photographers. Open to the public, the exhibit will run through 5/21. For more information, visit the Fotografiska site.

Mass Appeal is also working with SME on a short-form video series called “Made by Hip Hop” that will delve into related subjects through the lens of SME/Certified repertoire.

The partnership with SME/Certified follows Mass Appeal’s Hip Hop 50: The Soundtrack, curated by DJ Premier and featuring original music by Nas, Lil Wayne, Run the Jewels, Joey Bada$$, Remy Ma, Rapsody and Slick Rick. Nine iterations will be released throughout the year, with distribution courtesy of The Orchard.

A portion of #HipHop50 proceeds will be donated to charitable organizations, including the Universal Hip Hop Museum that's set to open in 2024.