Rock The Bells, the global lifestyle brand and preeminent voce for classic and timeless Hip-Hop founded by LL COOL J, announces it has partnered with New York native street artist, Jay Shells, for a special Rock The Bells Festival themed edition of his viral “rap quotes” project.
The project first launched in 2013, where multi-disciplinary artist, Jay Shells, began installing over thirty street signs with lyrical references to Hip-Hop songs at their appropriate NYC location. The project helped highlight Hip-Hop’s deep rooted connection to the streets, places and neighborhoods that fueled the creativity and lyrics behind the music. Over the past 9 years, the Rap Quotes project has expanded to other Hip-Hop hotbeds featuring iconic quotes from rap legends across Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Houston and Atlanta.
Last week, Jay Shells brought the “Rap Quotes” project back to New York City, in celebration of Black Music Month and the forthcoming Rock The Bells Festival, where he will post iconic quotes from the full Rock The Bells lineup which includes MC’s LL COOL J, Ice Cube, Rick Ross, Lil’ Kim, Cam’ron, Jim Jones and Juelz Santana from The Diplomats, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Jadakiss, Scarface, Trina, N.O.R.E, Ladybug Mecca & Butterfly Digable Planets and Roxanne Shanté. The Rap Quote street signs can be found across New York City, while they last.
“The Rap Quotes campaign has become a creative journey that’s allowed me to discover a deeper understanding and connection to some of my favorite Hip Hop artists by providing additional context to their lyrics,” says artist Jay Shells. “I’m excited to be working with Rock The Bells during Black Music Month to celebrate the festival lineup and showcase their lyrics around New York City. As long as Hip Hop artists keep making new music, this public art campaign will never be done, and I’m excited to bring it to life in new and unique ways with partners that share the same vision.”
Rock The Bells Festival is a day-long celebration of Hip-Hop culture taking place Saturday, August 6, 2022, in Queens, New York – the week of Hip-Hop’s anniversary (August 11th). The experience will feature live performances, interactive experiences, art exhibits, food, fashion and much more.
Tickets for the ROCK THE BELLS FESTIVAL are available for purchase at HERE. For every ticket sale, Rock The Bells will donate partial proceeds to the Universal Hip-Hop Museum in the Bronx whose mission is to celebrate and preserve the people, artifacts, and stories that echo from 1973 to the present.
ABOUT ROCK THE BELLS
Rock The Bells is a global platform elevating Hip-Hop culture from its roots to modern-day. Founded in 2018 by LL COOL J, Rock The Bells focuses on content, experiences, and commerce that honor the timeless elements of Hip-Hop (MC’s, DJ’s, B-Boys and B-Girls, Writers [aka graffiti artists], etc.) that drive mainstream culture today. Visit HERE, stream LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells Radio on SiriusXM (Ch. 43) and follow @RockTheBells.
