Fab 5 Freddy is a cultural pioneer who played a key role in bringing hip-hop culture to audiences around the world. Born Fred Brathwaite in Bedford Stuyvesant, he was a graffiti artist who famously paid homage to Andy Warhol by covering a subway car in Campbell's soup cans.
He drew together New York's downtown film, music, and art scenes and developing hip-hop culture in Harlem and the Bronx, and was immortalized by Debbie Harry in the lyrics for her song "Rapture," "Fab 5 Freddy told me everybody's fly..." He was the star of the 1981 film Wild Style, and the first host of Yo! MTV Raps. He is also a prolific director who has made dozens of groundbreaking music videos and commercials for artists like Queen Latifah, KRS-One, Nas, Snoop Doggy Dog, and many more. He is currently a fine artist, and an active filmmaker. There will be plenty of great stories, and great videos, in what promises to be an unforgettable evening with Fab 5 Freddy, who will make a presentation about his remarkable career, followed by a Q&A with the audience moderated by producer and Museum trustee Warrington Hudlin.
Videos