Long Island/Strong Island putting their Hip Hop history on the map

Of the many things that Hip Hop has influenced, one of the most overlooked is how the culture shaped New York City’s geography. By the early eighties each boro had their own set of crews via for the top spot in THEIR area, knowing that it was a race for third place with the Bronx and Harlem entrenched in the top spots. Here was the cheat code, neighboring hoods that crept up and contributed were swallowed up as honorary Bronxites, but that was contingent on how NICE they were. Who would have thought that these areas would have pride in where they were from and wanted identities as well. Now these places had names; Y.O (YONKERS), Money Earnin’ (Mount Vernon), and last but not least Strong Island (Long Island.) Of course, this is a fictionalized account – but for some, it may contain a few actual facts; that being if you lay outside of the boros you had to take your respect. Hip Hop historian and member of the Group JVC FORCE, AJ ROK can relate to those days. Composed of DJ Curt Cazal, AJ Rok and fellow emcee B-Luv, the JVC Force with the single “Strong Island,” put on for that city and since that release in 1987 there’s been no looking back. AJ reflects on the impact he and his crew had on giving light to Long Island by stating, “Before our regional anthem, ‘Strong Island,’ you almost had to be from the 5 boros to be respected and taken seriously. Yes Public Enemy said “Strong Island where I got em wildin’,” (which we sampled for the chorus), and Rakim told us he was “rough enough to break NY from Long Island” and “the only Island I was on was the strong one” but if you didn’t know, you didn’t know they were from Long Island, you did know Stetsasonics DJ (and one of the most innovative producers in music) Prince Paul was from Long Island. When we made ‘Strong Island’ artists started representing Long Island. The song gave a certain pride to the region.” A region he contends that is competitive with any REGION, not city, in the lore of Hip Hop. Adding credence to his thoughts, was the venue in which he was speaking. On June 11th, AJ was one of the luminaries participating at a special Hip Hop 50th Anniversary Concert and Panel Discussion featuring Son of Bazerk, DJ Jazzy Jay, Leaders Of The New School’s Miloindedance, & DINCO D, Johnny Juice, Video Music Box’s Ralph McDaniels, and Legendary Public Enemy Producer Keith Shocklee at the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Surveying the talent in the room both physically and through historic artifacts, a beaming AJ continued fondly, “It was a good look that the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame held a 50th Anniversary Celebration because of the talent that has come from Long Island. Long Island has a rich and varied history in Hip Hop. From the protest and Black pride of the rebellious Public Enemy, Rakim literally changing the vocal structure of Hip Hop, De La Soul changing the game proving Hip Hop could be more than big gold chain and ghetto themed lyrics filled with artist living out their gangsta fantasies, to EPMD who combined the funk sound of the West Coast with East Coast Rhymes. It’s only fitting to include and celebrate Hip-Hop.”

Those eclectic styles within the Rap music genre alone, were noteworthy to what the edict of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is about. According to Norm Prusslin, music historian and a founding member of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, “We wanted to create a space that was much more inclusionary to the diversity of Entertainers hailing from Long Island.” Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall Of Fame, the organization is dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Island music and entertainment in all its forms. In 2022, the idea finally materialized as an actual brick and mortar facility when they opened its first Hall of Fame building location in Stony Brook Village. To date, they offer education programs and scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators and have inducted more than 120 musicians and music industry executives, the latest being the Fat Boys, who were enshrined at the ceremony.