Cleveland has the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Nashville has the Country Music Hall Of Fame, and now New York will be getting a Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame early next year. This comes from Fact Magazine, which says the nonprofit behind the project has secured approval to build a multi-story structure in Harlem, and now it’s looking to raise $150 million to build a relatively straightforward space with a museum, a cafe, a gallery, a visitors center, and a gift shop.
Assuming it can raise the money, the team behind the museum is hoping to open that initial phase in February of next year, with a more involved expansion that includes a 20-story complex, a five-star hotel, a concert lounge, more museum space, and a sports bar coming at an unnamed later date. The nonprofit is also planning to set up educational programs that will make it possible for thousands of kids in New York’s public schools to visit the Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame ever year. The museum’s eventual location hasn’t been announced yet, but it will reportedly be on 125th Street—meaning it should be somewhere near the Apollo Theater.