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“But if wasn’t for the Bronx, this rap sh*t probably never would be going on…” — Lord Tariq

It’s no secret that their contributions have been scarce as of late but every civil member of the Hip-Hop community credits the BX borough with being the founding place of the culture that has touched millions of lives, and made billions of dollars.

In an effort to give back, some of the game’s earliest stars are combining forces for a preservation project.

Grandmaster Caz is a Cold Crush Brother and a well-documented ghostwriter for the all-time classic, “Rapper’s Delight.”

His counterpart, Grandmaster Melle Mel also never got his just due for his hand in creating “The Message” but he’s widely recognized as a legend for being a member of Grandmaster Flash’s Furious Five.

NY Daily News sat down with the pioneers to discuss their plans to build a Hip-Hop museum for the people to always know the history of the culture.

DN: Tell me about your new venture, a museum of hip hop culture you’re launching with Afrika Bambaataa and Grand Wizard Theodore.

M: Us, as the fathers, the pioneers of hip hop, we have a responsibility to the art form. The “Windows of Hip Hop,” it’s a campus for hip hop.

C: There’s a lot of empty land in the Bronx, and any institution dedicated to hip hop has to be in the Bronx. We’re trying to make that a reality. This is a big year for the culture, 40 years strong. Look how far we’ve come.

M: We’re going to see this become a reality. It’s a celebration of what we did in the past, as well as the present and what we can do in the future. It’ll help tourism in the Bronx expeditiously. It’ll be another feather in the cap of the most underrated borough.

It’s ironic on how the generational gap can split hairs of an opinion like a knife to butter and the Grandmaster’s tastes for today’s music were like night and day.

Melle Mel showed no love for the 2K13 rapper stating, “I really can’t stand it. It’s way too juvenile. It’s way too violent.” Grandmaster Caz saw a half-full glass, “Hip hop is beautiful today. Hip hop in its truest sense hasn’t changed. Hip hop as a cultural movement still is what it is,” while making a clear distinction between Hip-Hop and rap.

All they need is proper funding and then the children can learn something.

Read the entire interview at NYDaily News

Photo: Howard Simmons