Panel discussion: Professor Griff of Public Enemy leads talk on 'Holy Hip Hop' at MOCAD

Word, let dem phat beats roll: this should be all about some serious fun, yo. A discussion called Hip Hop in Context, lead by controversial Public Enemy member Professor Griff (aka Richard Griffin to his family and friends back in Long Island) can't be anything but. The outspoken Griff has never been known to hold his tongue, whether he's talking about religion, politics, race or funk-rap-metal musical hybrids. He was first part of Public Enemy's Security of the First World, or S1W for short. The S1Ws were a combination of bodyguards/dancers for the band, their stage routines a combination of martial arts, military drill, dances lifted from black college fraternities and other freestyle antics. He also lent his vocals and production work to Public Enemy’s There's a Poison Goin' On, Revolverlution and New Whirl Odor LPs.
 
The panel discussion will include local hip hop artists and writers Jessica Care Moore, Invincible, Prince Whipper Whip, Khary Kimani Turner and Big Herk. It's being held during the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit's current exhibition, called Holy Hip Hop. The show features 12 portraits by Russian-born American painter Alex Melamid, including life-size portraits of Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Common, Kanye West and Russell Simmons. The 12 iconic figures are dressed in everyday clothes, and rendered with Old Master style and quality.

This is the first solo show for Melamid, an outspoken artist who once had his work dismantled and bulldozed by the Soviet government and had notable collaborations with fellow Russian artist Vitaly Komar.

The show is running concurrently with Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo's ReFusing Fashion.
Each exhibition will remain up until April 20.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is located at 4454 Woodward Avenue, Detroit. Museum hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays; 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.