Press Releases | Oct, 8 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CELEBRATING HIP-HOP’S IMPACT ON MUSIC, FASHION, ACTIVISM
The Curated Exhibit From the GRAMMY Museum® Debuts on October 4 and Includes Artifacts From Run-D.M.C., Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Questlove, and Many More
AUSTIN, TX – SEPTEMBER 22, 2025 – On Saturday, October 4, the LBJ Presidential Library will debut “Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit,” curated by the GRAMMY Museum®. The exhibition explores the rise of hip-hop and its influence on culture—spanning music, fashion, business, and activism—and reflects themes central to President Johnson’s legacy, including social change, civic engagement, and the struggle for equality.
To celebrate opening day, the LBJ Library will feature a full schedule of activities for all ages—from arts and crafts to a live DJ, special performances, and much more. Following the grand opening of the Hip-Hop exhibit, the LBJ Library will begin renovations to the fourth-floor spaces on Monday, October 6, through Spring 2026.
“Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit” features artifacts such as Chuck D’s handwritten lyrics to “Fight the Power,” The Notorious B.I.G.’s iconic 5001 Flavors red leather peacoat, LL Cool J’s red Kangol bucket hat, Adidas Superstars belonging to Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-D.M.C., and a pair of Questlove’s signature drumsticks.
These items, soundtracked by a 200-song playlist tracing hip-hop’s evolution as a genre, will be on display at the LBJ Presidential Library from October 4, 2025, to January 5, 2026.
“We’re excited to collaborate once more with our longtime partners at the GRAMMY Museum, who have helped us bring several iconic music exhibits to Austin,” said Lara Hall, LBJ Library Museum Curator. “The artifacts include specific pieces of Texas hip-hop history; we welcome music enthusiasts from across the state to come explore the new exhibit.”
“Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit” is an immersive experience through several themes:
Origins: Discover the roots of hip-hop in the Bronx and New York City, where DJs were the original stars, and graffiti and breakdancing were critical to the culture.
Innovation: Explore how hip-hop artists have innovatively used technology, from transforming turntables into musical instruments to pioneering sampling techniques.
Sounds of Hip-Hop: Experience the diverse sounds of hip-hop in four themed sections, showcasing the evolution of production, craft of hip-hop lyrics, and influence of R&B.
Fashion: Dive into the world of hip-hop fashion, featuring iconic clothing, jewelry and style.
Regionalism: Discover 14 hip-hop scenes across the United States, showcasing the importance of local and regional contributions.
Entrepreneurialism: Learn about the transformation of hip-hop from a back-to-school party in the Bronx to a multi-billion-dollar global industry.
Media: Discover the role of media in shaping hip-hop's development, from radio stations to pioneering shows like “Yo! MTV Raps.”
Community: Explore how hip-hop has brought people together over the last 50–plus years, with an interactive Hip-Hop America playlist featuring 200 songs that trace the genre's evolution.
Photos of the exhibit highlights can be found here.
For more information regarding admissions, please visit lbjlibrary.org.
UPDATING LBJ’S LEGACY FOR TODAY
On Monday, October 6, the LBJ Library will close portions of its permanent exhibit on the fourth floor to begin a multi-million-dollar renovation to revitalize the spaces and further highlight LBJ’s enduring impact on the country today and into the future. The refresh will enhance several elements of the exhibit spaces, including a deeper dive into LBJ’s history and the issues of the 1960s, as well as introduce new interactive components throughout.
During the renovation, the third floor—including the new Hip-Hop exhibit—and the 10th-floor exhibits and Oval Office replica will remain open to visitors. The temporary exhibit, “From the White House to the Deep Ocean: LBJ, Jaws and Conservation,” will also remain on view through October 19. The LBJ Library is scheduled to fully reopen in Spring 2026.
“It’s been over a decade since our main exhibit received major updates, and we’re refreshing our spaces, bringing LBJ’s legacy to life and showing its enduring relevance in today’s America,” said Mark Updegrove, President and CEO of the LBJ Foundation.
For more details about the renovation, please visit lbjlibrary.org/refresh26.
About the LBJ Presidential Library
The mission of the LBJ Presidential Library is to preserve and protect the historical materials in the collections of the library and make them readily accessible; to increase public awareness of the American experience through relevant exhibitions and educational programs; and to advance the LBJ Library’s standing as a center for intellectual activity and community leadership while meeting the challenges of a changing world. Situated on a 30-acre site on The University of Texas campus, the library houses 45 million pages of historic documents, 650,000 photos and 5,000 hours of recordings from President Johnson’s political career, including roughly 643 hours of his recorded telephone conversations. The LBJ Presidential Library is one of 15 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration.
About the GRAMMY Museum
The GRAMMY Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and exploring music from yesterday and today to inspire the music of tomorrow through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Paying tribute to our collective musical heritage, the Museum values and celebrates the dynamic connection in people’s diverse backgrounds and music’s many genres, telling stories that inspire us, and creative expression that leads change in our industry.
For more information, visit www.grammymuseum.org, “like” the GRAMMY Museum on Facebook, and follow @GRAMMYMuseum on Instagram and TikTok.
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