Judnick Mayard

Aug 22, 2023 | justsmilemagazine.com | Judnick Mayard

At the beginning of his music career, Sage Elsesser – the professional skater-turned-rapper under the moniker Navy Blue – was meant to be finishing an art degree, but turned to making beats instead. Wanting to be anonymous, he laughs, remembering recording ‘into his shirt’, rapping at a volume that could barely be heard. Listening to his debut project, ‘Àdá Irin’ (2020), this becomes clearer.

Jul 17, 2023 | kpbs.org | Judnick Mayard

As it celebrates its 50th birthday, we are mapping hip-hop's story on a local level, with more than a dozen city-specific histories of the music and culture. Click here to see the entire list. If you've been around for any of the past 50 years of hip-hop, you're already well aware of New York's place in the pantheon. Even if you haven't seen the famous DJ Kool Herc party flyer from 1973, rarely is the genre spoken about without giving the city its due.