“Growing up a small poor white kid in a multi-ethnic neighborhood in Milwaukee, I am glad that Hip Hop found me, and I found it. It made me feel cool and tough and hip. I don’t know if I was any of those, but thankfully the music helped me exude those things to a degree. I am unbelievably honored to be able to share gifts and collaborate creatively with some of the people who have had the biggest influence ever on Hip Hop music and culture. Then, to have those interactions and collaborations be installed in a museum dedicated to the music I have loved the most in my life brings me unspeakable joy.”

“My work as a filmmaker aims to document, preserve, and tell stories that highlight my communities’ histories. Having the “Pass the Mic!” Collection at the Universal Hip Hop Museum contributes towards the well-being and unity of Brown, Indigenous, Black, and immigrant communities.”

“I feel like Hip Hop picked me. It presented itself to me on the street. This movement picked me because of the way I experienced it on the streets of New York. It was such a dynamic force in 1985-1986. I was compelled to start taking these photos. Because it was happening. It was viral. It was coming out of the speakers. Kangol hats. It solved the problem that every artist has: where are you going to point your camera? I was in the right place at the right time. And I ran with it.” – Michael Benabib