Straight off the heels of a successful Big Apple art installation at Lou Gehrig Plaza, the 161st Street Business Improvement District (BID) has done it again with an art installation celebrating 50 years of hip-hop in the borough where it all started 50 years ago.

LeMonde Studio has partnered with BID’s throughout New York City, but their collaboration with the 161st Street BID has been special. “We have built a strong relationship with the 161st Street BID for the last year,” said Nicolas Synnott, COO and Managing Partner at LeMonde Studio. “We are always amazed by the strong positive reactions from the community and how welcoming they are to new projects. The boombox is our homage to hip-hop culture. By turning the crank, the piece lights up, and music comes out of the various speakers. The project is 100% human-powered and sustainable, reflecting our mission and values. We are honoured to help celebrate hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in the Bronx.”

“Bringing an art installation like the boombox to the BID helps bring more eyeballs to our district outside of events at Yankee Stadium and shows love to hip-hop,” said Trey Jenkins, Executive Director of the 161st Street. “Throughout the Bronx and the city in general, you have murals that beautify a community, but rarely do you have an interactive art installation in communities in the outer boroughs. We want to change that to bring more people to the 161st Street BID to see something new and cool, which also brings foot traffic to our businesses.”

The love letter to hip-hop in the form of art comes to the 161st Street BID at the right time with the 50-year celebration of hip-hop concert at Yankee Stadium on Friday, August 11. The boombox will be on display at Lou Gehrig Plaza through September.