Seen On The Celebration Scene: Ashanti, Jadakiss & Ja Rule Toast To #HipHop50 At The Empire State Building

Hip-Hop has no bounds and ahead of today’s 50th anniversary, it was celebrated in a historic way.

 

Ahead of #HipHop50, Ashanti, Ja Rule, and Jadakiss shared a toast to the impact of Hip-Hop culture at the Empire State Building.

#HipHop50 Empire State Building

Source: @calligrafist

#HipHop50 Empire State Building

Source: @calligrafist

A press release reports that the trio was joined by Chase Republic founder Harold Wilkerson in partnership with Def Jam Records’ VP of Marketing Dr. Charlene Thomas for the affair and the artists flipped the switch to light the historic landmark gold.

#HipHop50 Empire State Building

Source: @calligrafist

They then popped bottles of Armand De Brignac Ace of Spades to commemorate Thursday being the first time the Empire State Building celebrated Hip-Hop.

#HipHop50 Empire State Building

Source: @calligrafist / @calligrafist

“To be here today to light up the Empire State Building and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop with music’s royalty Ashanti, Jadakiss, and Ja Rule is beyond amazing, we wanted to show our gratitude for all the contribution that these three have made to Hip-Hop and to the culture,” said Chief Marketing Officer, Universal Music Group Alexandra Hinkle before presenting the artists with plaques honoring them for their legacies.

#HipHop50 Empire State Building

Source: @calligrafist

During the intimate ceremony, Ashanti told our sister site HelloBeautiful that she first fell in love with Hip-Hop as a pre-teen while listening to Hip-Hop legends.

“I was probably 11-ish. I had a purple boombox. I had a stereo, and my first vinyl was Run DMC. ‘Who’s House? Run’s House!’” said Ashanti.

Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Source: John Lamparski / Getty

Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Source: John Lamparski / Getty

 

 

To continue the celebration, Universal Music Group hosted a private reception where Ashanti and Ja Rule performed for fans and guests.

“Hip-Hop is a genre that they counted out, and here we are today 50 years later as the Number 1 genre, and I’ve been blessed to be a part of 25 years of that, we did it for New York!!” said Ja Rule per a press release.

Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Source: John Lamparski / Getty

Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Source: John Lamparski / Getty

 

 

Happy #HipHop50!

Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Source: John Lamparski / Getty

How are YOU celebrating 50 years of Hip-Hop?

 

#HipHop50 Empire State Building
#HipHop50 Empire State Building
#HipHop50 Empire State Building
#HipHop50 Empire State Building
#HipHop50 Empire State Building
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop
Jadakiss, Ja Rule and Ashanti Light Up the Empire State Building in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop