Simone Eccleston Is The First Director Of Hip-Hop Culture At Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center announced that they were naming their first director of hip-hop culture and contemporary music Simone Eccleston

“With the Kennedy Center serving as the preeminent home for our nation’s arts and culture, the creation of a programmatic platform for hip-hop culture is deeply significant,” Simone Eccleston said in a statement.

Kennedy Center Senior Vice President Robert van Leer said that hip-hop culture can create collaborations with other programs. Simone Eccleston will lead a center-wide commitment to culture and music in hip-hop as well as an increased push for community involvement.

In her new role, Simone Eccleston will be curating programs centered around art, activism and community outreach. She’ll be emphasizing the impact of the genre, “leading a center-wide commitment to hip-hop culture and contemporary music, which includes R&B, soul, folk and roots, indie, world music and Latin music.”

Additionally, she’ll be showcasing just how “collaborative” hip-hop music is by seeking partnerships with existing programs at the Kennedy Center. Robert van Leer, senior vice-president of the Kennedy Center, says the organization is excited about this new chapter. He’s happy that they’ve found “someone who can lead that exploration of what hip-hop at the Kennedy Center can become in the coming years and we believe it is the Center’s responsibility to develop and elevate thought-leaders like Simone to champion the bright future of our nation’s cultural institutions.”

It’s an awesome news. Kennedy Center is a place where black culture should also be represented. Black culture is an essential part of America and it’s only fair.