50 Years of Hip-Hop

THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION

Screening & Discussion

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | 7:00pm

Little Theatre 1 (240 East Ave.)
Doors open at 6:30pm

Regular ticket prices
Tickets available online in advance, or at the door.

Radha, a down-on-her-luck NY playwright, is desperate for a breakthrough before 40. But when she foils what seems like her last shot at success, she’s left with no choice but to reinvent herself as rapper RadhaMUSPrime.

The Forty-Year-Old Version follows Radha as she vacillates between the worlds of Hip Hop and theater on a quest to find her true voice. Funny and compelling, the film is a window into the ebbs and flows of the artist’s life during a mid-life crisis in NYC. Written, directed, produced, and starring Radha Blank.

Sierra Monaé

Sierra Monaé is one of the hottest radio personalities heating up the airwaves today. Sierra began her entertainment career as one of the most sought after concert/event hosts in all of Upstate NY. In 2018 she began working for Bluelight Communications WLGZ-HD2 The Beat 105.5. Now with 6 years on the air, Sierra is known for her relatable, energetic personality, her profound knowledge of music, and her commitment to her city and listeners. As a weekend on-air personality, Sierra has interviewed some of the hottest stars in the entertainment industry such as Nick Cannon, Marlon Wayans, and Moneybagg Yo, just to name a few.

Sierra is all about putting her hometown on the map, creating a local show for up-and-coming artists in Upstate NY. It wasn’t long before she added Director of Promotions to her title. She assisted in curating signature events such as the Upstate NY Rap Championship, Beat the Runway music & fashion show, and multiple other events while managing and assisting up-and-coming talent.

Sierra is a passionate advocate for her community and has used her platform to support initiatives that benefit the children and people in her community. Sierra is dedicated to using her talent and influence to make a positive impact on the world. Be sure to tune into Sierra every weekend from 3-7pm on The Beat 105.5.

Angel Golden Hagan-Sprinkle

Angel Hagan-Sprinkle, also known as Golden, is a fierce emcee with a range of styles. Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Golden found music as a “getaway,“ so to speak. Writing all her own material, arranging, and even engineering at times, Golden delivers creative lines with quirky punches and raw emotion over hard drums and soulful beats. Golden got her start freestyling with friends and street battling, before her love for the music pushed her to pursue her dreams and focus on her talents. Golden has found local and national attention, being featured on blogs, radio programs, and podcasts, winning multiple awards and performing with a host of national recording artists including Styles P, Talib Kweli, Mobb Deep and Rakim. A strong female artist with style and stage presence, Golden consistently gives her audience quality hip-hop with a unique style.

Nikki “New York Nikk” Siplin

New York Nikk was born in the city of Rochester, New York as Lushone “Nikki” Siplin. Raised by her grandmother, she would listen to early morning gospel on the radio and classic records, and she started singing in her church at age 6. Her love for rap music came from the inspiration of some of the hottest female rappers of her generation, and she soon developed her own style.

After writing several of her own rhymes, she decided to enter a cypher and smashed her debut. Dubbed “Wonda Woman,“ she won several rap battles and was widely sought after. In Buffalo, she was introduced to a crew of conscious rappers who became her mentors. Her rap skills were finally put to the test when she met Mr. Dalvin [DeGrate] of R&B group Jodeci, who were in the city recording their third album, The Show, The After Party, the Hotel, and Mr. Dalvin invited her to Dajhelon recording studios where Jodeci’s “Da Basement Crew” was housed.

As they say, “the rest is history.“ Nikki was featured on “Holler” (and its video) from Ginuwine’s first album, The Bachelor; on “The Getaway“ from Missy Elliot’s first album, Supa Dupa Fly; and on “Luv to Luv Ya” from Timbaland & Magoo’s first album, Welcome to Our World. She later toured extensively with R&B artist Aaliyah, performing in the Budweiser Superfest and the Cincinnati Jazz Festival. She has built her music credentials from the ground up, and is currently working with several local artists and continuing to develop her craft as a radio personality on WAYO FM.

Moderator: Racqui Stephen

DJ on The Beat (105.5), health & environment reporter for WXXI News

50 Years of Hip-Hop

From February to July, The Little will be presenting a “mixtape” series of films celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop. With both narrative and documentary films, this series will highlight the music, the culture, and artists who have shaped our collective consciousness, influenced cinema and media, and ultimately changed the world. See the films in this series