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Delaware’s role in the hip-hop scene
Delaware’s hip-hop roots run deep. “Grouchy” Greg Watkins, founder of AllHipHop.com and member of the board of the Delaware Arts Council, traces it as far back as the 1890s, when a local inventor came up with the record player as we know it.
“The record player is the foundational element of hip-hop culture,” Watkins told Technical.ly. The other tenets are rap, breakdancing, graffiti and knowledge, he said. “But it all starts with the record player.”
Those elements, and Delaware’s historical contributions to them, are the focus of the 2nd Annual Hip Hop Cultural Summit at the upcoming Delaware Art Museum this Saturday, Oct. 26.
For years, the genre has been noted as one of the most “tech-savvy,” and AllHipHop.com’s coverage of that part of the industry dates long back on the website. As an entrepreneur, and with his past community-driven efforts, Watkins has positioned himself as a go-to in the space.
The free summit, which requires prior registration, will include breakdancing, DJ battles and special guests like Flavor Flav, as well as panels discussing how hip-hop has shaped local communities. For example, in 2018, Delaware Art Museum researchers rediscovered the 1983 breakdance battle in Wilmington that drew a crowd of from across the East Coast.
“Nobody would have known about the story [without the museum’s research],” said Iz Balleto, Delaware Art Museum’s cultural program manager, who, along with Watkins, helped make the Hip Hop Summit a reality. “New York came down battling Philadelphia and Delaware, right here in Rodney Square.”
➡️ Find out more about the impact of Delaware’s ties to hip-hop
The link between gaming and higher salaries
Video games have long gotten a bad reputation, especially when it comes to kids. Yet, years of research have found that video games have very little impact on aggression, mood or the ability to contribute to society.
Edtech company Prodigy Education recently found another potential benefit. Kids who play video games like FIFA and Candy Crush grow up to be adults with higher-than-average salaries. Still, it should be part of a larger range of childhood activities, explained local gaming educators from Futures First Gaming and AIWhoo School.
➡️ Read more about the benefits of gaming
News Incubator: What else to know today
• Here’s what businesses that are integrating AI into their workforce should know, according to panelists at an event in Delaware. [Technical.ly]
• Delaware has just one seat in the US Senate. Both Democrat Sarah McBride and Republican John Whalen are unconventional candidates — in very different ways. [Spotlight Delaware]
• Fast-growing poultry equipment startup Hatching Time has opened a new 27,000-square-foot distribution center and showroom at the Boulden Interchange Park in New Castle. The Inc 5000 company is geared toward backyard agriculture. [Delaware Business Times]
• Newark-based Bloom Daily Planners was one of three businesses to receive a $50,000 grant from Amazon for its efforts to blend philanthropy with entrepreneurship. The company, founded by UD grads Michelle Askin and Kaylyn DiNardo, sells planners and organizational tools. [Delaware Business Now]
• Great Dames announced that LaVante’ Dorsey, founder of True to You Mental Health Initiative won the 2024 Remarkable Ideas grant winner. Dorsey received $10,000 in cash, a mentor and a portfolio of business services. [Great Dames]
• We know you miss Punkin Chunkin, but have you tried Sling N’ Squash, Big Chill Surf Cantina’s homage to the one-time Delaware tradition in Rehoboth Beach? [Delaware Online]
• The Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council is projecting the state’s revenue will grow by 3.2% this fiscal year, but it’s expected to spend 12% more. Much of the spending is attributed to ongoing capital projects, including the construction of family courts in Kent and Sussex counties. [Delaware Public Media]
• Tech first designed for a Disney World ride is now being used to protect first responders in Delaware. Aetna HOSE, Hook and Ladder Company in Newark recently demonstrated its new equipment. [Newark Post]
• In 2021, Delaware lawmakers approved legislation that requires K-12 students to learn Black history. This year, the governor approved legislation that requires the inclusion of all racial and ethnic groups in school curricula, including Indigenous history starting in 3rd grade. [WHYY]
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🗓️ On the Calendar
• Partner Event: The Latina Style Business Summit takes place at the Community College of Philadelphia on Wednesday, Oct. 23, and it’s totally free to attend for networking, workshops and a keynote luncheon. [RSVP here]
• Wednesday, Oct. 23 — Art for Wellbeing with Monica Lopez at the Art-o-Mat, starting at 5:30 p.m. [Details]
• Wednesday, Oct. 23 — Huxley & Hiro presents: Delaware Author Fair at the Queen, starting at 5 p.m. [Details]
• Wednesday, Oct. 23 — Top of the Bay Business Women networking luncheon at MadMacs at 11:30 a.m. [Details]
• Friday, Oct. 25 — Early voting starts in Delaware. [Details]
• Submit your ideas for creating jobs and improving the state to Reinventing Delaware now through Oct. 28.
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