On Wednesday, Feb. 21, from 6 to 9 p.m., Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson joined Windows of Hip Hop CEO Melissa Lebron for the annual Element of Hip Hop Awards at Salsa Con Fuego on Cedar Avenue.
The event featured husband and wife team, April Hernandez Castillo — star of the award-winning film Freedom Writers — and Jose Castillo ,who served as emcees. The event featured appearances by hip-hop legends Grand Master Caz and Grand Master Melle Mel, a performance by comedian Rob Stapleton, among others.
The 2024 Windows of Hip Hop honorees are enthusiasts who have contributed so much to the community, the culture and the widespread growth of the most powerful genre of music to be born in New York City.
The honorees are Karen “Kay Love” Pedrosa, a graffiti artist, muralist, advocate and educator based in the Bronx whose amazing work can be seen throughout New York.
Acu “DJ Ace” Rhodes, a retired NYPD Officer and old-school hip-hop DJ who has been featured and promoted on LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells Radio and is also a DJ instructor to all ages.
New York Giants star Kayvon Thibodeaux gives back by visiting schools, sharing his wisdom with the students and teaming up with Campbell’s Foods to feed needy families.
Edward “Special Ed” Archer, originally from Brooklyn, is a rapper, producer and founder of his youth education enterprise called Special Ed Music. He visits different schools sharing his curriculum.
Leon Robinson is an Academy-acclaimed actor from the award-winning movies The Temptations, The Five Heart Beats, Waiting to Exhale, Cool Running, the model in the iconic music video with Madonna and has received an Academy nomination for his portrayal of legendary musician Little Richard in the film Little Richard, released in 2007.
Lisa “Lisa Lisa” Velez is a legendary singer and trailblazer in freestyle and R&B and the first Latina/pioneer of Latin Hip Hop. Velez donates her time organizing, hosting, and performing for several charitable events.
Sponsors include Bulova, CAZAL, Salsa Con Fuego Restaurant, The Bronx Community Foundation, Graham Windham, The Office of the Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, Bronx Native, New York Men Teach, BRONXMAMA.com, GMC Entertainment, Psi Beta Sigma (the Bronx Chapter), BronxNet, WCS Bronx Zoo, NYPD and PS 55 of the Bronx.
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