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Beginning Wednesday, July 13th, the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival is celebrating its 12th anniversary at Brooklyn Medgar Evers College on Bedford Ave.

Since 2005 the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival has been showcasing Hip-Hop’s legacy and influence with panel discussions and exhibitions while treating attendees to musical performances, film screenings, and even block parties.

The four-day event will kick off with an opening keynote address from civil rights activist and Baltimore mayoral candidate, DeRay Mckesson and will then delve into subjects such as the state of Hip-Hop journalism and include a seminar on mental and physical health that was inspired by the passing of Hip-Hop greats, Phife Dawg, Sean Price, and Chris Lighty amongst others.

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But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Reports Billboard:

“The festival is a celebration of hip-hop music and the culture, and the black excellence that drives it,” Wes Jackson, the president of Brooklyn Bodega and executive director of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, says in a statement to Billboard. “We want to celebrate its history and create a cannon of knowledge for the next generation so they can take it further… I want the festival to be a physical and metaphorical home for hip-hop — a place for tourists, developing artists. legends, professionals and intellectuals. I want them to come to us and experience the culture from graffiti to MC’ing and everything in between.”

While each day promises to enlighten and educate participants on the culture that’s constantly appropriated by pop and reality TV stars, the celebratory grand finale is sure to be a hit amongst true blue Hip-Hoppers.

As previously announced, BHHF’s grand finale on Saturday, July 16 will be a show under the bridge (11 Water Street, to be exact) in Brooklyn Bridge Park featuring headliners — and New York natives — Nas, Talib Kweli and Fabolous. “[I] haven’t performed in Brooklyn in the summertime with that energy in a while,” Fab tells Billboard. “Eager to see my people!”

As we’re all eager to see y’all represent too. Continue reading to see the entire lineup.

Image: bkhiphopfestival.com

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