Delaware history represents at Hip Hop Summit

The Delaware Art Museum will host the third annual Hip Hop Cultural Summit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18. This year’s summit will highlight the history of Rosedale Beach. The keynote speaker will be Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, co-founder of the legendary Run-DMC.

Each year, the Summit features dynamic panel discussions, art exhibitions, a rap battle, DJs and an all-female breakdancing showcase — highlighting hip hop as both a cultural force and a tool for social justice. In 2024, the Summit debuted a presentation on Delawarean Eldridge Reeves Johnson, inventor, entrepreneur and founder of the Victor Talking Machine Company. The Johnson Victrola Museum hosted an information table and demonstrated several early Victor Talking machines.

For 2025, the Summit will feature a presentation on the history of Rosedale Beach, a segregated resort located in Sussex County. At the height of its popularity, Rosedale Beach featured a hotel, boardwalk and a social hall. The resort hosted the premier artists of their time, including Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, James Brown and the young Stevie Wonder.

In addition to the Rosedale Beach presentation, this year’s keynote speaker will be Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, co-founder of the legendary Run-DMC, headlining the event. McDaniels will deliver a keynote discussion and host a book signing, adding a powerful voice to a day dedicated to dialogue, creativity and community. With more than 40 million records sold and a billion streams worldwide, Run-DMC helped break barriers as the first rap group on MTV and the first to grace the cover of Rolling Stone. McDaniels is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

The event is free for members and children 6 and under. Adult admission is $10. Admission for children ages 7-18 is $6. Advance registration is encouraged as prices will increase on the day of the event. For more information, go to delart.org/event/3rd-annual-hip-hop-cultural-summit-hip-hop-and-race.