James "JT" Thompson, the one-time producer of the BET Hip-Hop Hall Of Fame awards, has announced plans for a new hall and museum in New York City. The institution—to be located in Harlem on 125th St—would be the first of its kind honoring the culture, reports the New York Daily News.

According to Miller, he and the organizing committee have raised over $50 million toward the project, and have secured the participation of artists like Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Run-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Common, Eminem, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, and OutKast. The museum will also provide 90-minute tours and interactive exhibits.

“People need to understand the importance of hip hop, the elements, the DJs, the B-boys and B-girls and the graffiti writers,” said Thompson, whose BET program honoring hip-hop greats ran from 1992 through 1997. Organizers hope to break ground next summer and open doors in 2017.

[New York Daily News]

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