The people behind the culture.
The Hip Hop Library began with a simple observation: fifty years of Philadelphia hip hop history had no home. This is the story of the people building one.
Our StoryPhiladelphia · Est. 2026
Malika Love.
Founder & CEO
Malika Love has been recognized as a true Philly hip hop pioneer, receiving a number of awards, one being The Philly Urban Legend and, most recently, the Legend of Hip Hop during the 50th Year Hip Hop Celebration, just to name a few. Malika was actually one of the first female emcees of Philadelphia. She was also one of the first emcees to receive a record deal and to participate in emcee battles.
With over 12 years of experience as a library youth service coordinator, Malika became certified as a Family Place Facilitator, Library STEM/STEAM Maker Events and Program Coordinator, and as a premier Storytime presenter, tapping into her network of partners, collaborators and resources to work her magic.
Because of her love for her communities, children and youth, and her desire to use the culture to promote literacy, Malika was inspired to create a book series for the Hip Hop Library's “LuvBugz” children's book collections.
"There's nowhere on the world wide web that you can go and find out about the Philadelphia hip hop story. So let me pull this all together."
On the mic.
Malika is still on the mic. Here she is at the 2026 Roots Picnic: on the main stage with DJ Jazzy Jeff, and running it back in rehearsal.
What we stand for.
The three pillars the library is built on.
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Archive.
A digital and physical collection preserving fifty years of Philly hip hop: recordings, flyers, photos and oral histories, open to everyone.
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Community.
Programming built with and for the neighborhoods that made the culture: workshops, events and youth education.
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Institution.
A permanent, credentialed home for the culture: the first cultural institution of its kind in Philadelphia.
The journey so far.
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2024
The Idea
Research begins: interviews, collecting, and community conversations.
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2025
First Archive Items
The collection takes shape: donated flyers, records and photographs.
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2026
Going Public
The Hip Hop Library launches online with its first public programs.
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Next
A Home in North Philly
A permanent physical space for the archive and community programming.
Built by the culture.
The board of directors behind the library. Tap a name to read their story.
Malika Love has been recognized as a true Philly hip hop pioneer, receiving a number of awards, one being The Philly Urban Legend and, most recently, the Legend of Hip Hop during the 50th Year Hip Hop Celebration, just to name a few. Malika was actually one of the first female emcees of Philadelphia. She was also one of the first emcees to receive a record deal and to participate in emcee battles.
With over 12 years of experience as a library youth service coordinator, Malika became certified as a Family Place Facilitator, Library STEM/STEAM Maker Events and Program Coordinator, and as a premier Storytime presenter, tapping into her network of partners, collaborators and resources to work her magic.
Because of her love for her communities, children and youth, and her desire to use the culture to promote literacy, Malika was inspired to create a book series for the Hip Hop Library's “LuvBugz” children's book collections. Read her story
Donna Frisby-Greenwood is a nationally recognized nonprofit, civic and philanthropic leader whose roots in hip hop culture go back to her days working in West Philadelphia with Penn State Cooperative Extension, MEE Productions and co-founding Children First, Inc. Those experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to youth empowerment and creative expression. As a National Urban Fellow, she worked in Washington, DC, shaping policy that has impacted the lives of urban youth to this day. She has started, turned around and led school district departments and nonprofit organizations.
As a member of the board of directors for the Hip Hop Library, she is championing the preservation of hip hop's artistic, educational and social legacy while leveraging the culture's influence to engage young people in civic life and help improve their literacy skills. Her work with Rock the Vote, where she helped register millions of young adults to vote, further reflects her belief in hip hop as a powerful vehicle for activism, voice and community change.
Donna has had the privilege to work with Coretta Scott King at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission, Governor Schwarzenegger on behalf of After-School All-Stars, Sneaker Villa and Jordan Brand on the creation of the Wings Scholarship, and with artists from Chuck D and LL Cool J to Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Quincy Jones to engage young people in the political process. Her own activism began at 15, when she co-founded the Willingboro NAACP Youth Council.
She currently serves as a senior vice president at The Pew Charitable Trusts. She is an Eisenhower Fellow and a Theresa Hoover Fellow, and serves on the boards of National Urban Fellows, The Urban Youth Racing School and the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership. It was because of hip hop that she met and married her husband, Stephen "Doobie the One-Man Gang" Greenwood.
Linda McCrae is a seasoned higher education business manager with extensive experience directing financial management, federal grant administration and research operations at the University of Pennsylvania.
Over a multi-decade career spanning Penn's School of Medicine, the Wharton School and the School of Arts and Sciences, she has managed multi-million-dollar federal grants, complex inter-institutional coordination and multi-disciplinary teams. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Penn's Wharton School and is an active community leader, having served as President and Financial Officer on the Board of Trustees for the Yeadon Public Library.
Born and raised in Hollis, Queens, home of the legendary hip hop group Run-DMC, Stacey Smith-Brown keeps close ties to the group and their lasting influence on the hip hop community.
A public library leader and community outreach specialist based in New York, she built a 30-year career across public library systems on Long Island and in New York City, known for her welcoming leadership style and dedicated service.
She was head librarian at Roosevelt Public Library, adult services librarian at Uniondale Public Library, where she led public programming, community outreach and grant writing, and a collection development librarian at Wyandanch Public Library. At Queens Public Library, as outreach assistant for hip hop programs, she worked with Ralph McDaniels, creator of Video Music Box, on hip hop history and education programs, organized events for hip hop’s 50th anniversary and helped create the commemorative 50th Anniversary Hip Hop library card.
Now retired from full-time library service, Stacey serves on the board of the Hip Hop Library.
Widely known as DJ Woody Wood, Duerward Beale is a leader with nearly three decades of experience in youth development, community engagement and public health advocacy.
Since joining YOACAP in 1993, he has risen from project coordinator to program manager, deputy director and now executive director. Under his guidance, YOACAP has expanded its reach as part of the Urban Affairs Coalition, delivering programs to young people across Philadelphia.
He has led initiatives with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and his work in youth leadership earned him the George Adams Jr. Award from Lesson Inc. He has presented at the American Public Health Association’s 130th Annual Meeting and the U.S. Office of HIV/AIDS Policy planning meeting, and holds a Master of Human Services from Lincoln University, where his research on adolescent substance abuse earned the Martin C. McGurrin Award.
Beyond human services, he is a founding member of the pioneering Philly rap group Three Times Dope and has worked with labels including EMI and Jive Records to promote emerging rap and R&B artists. He is also a trained carpenter, having completed his apprenticeship in 1989.
Through his music, mentorship and commitment to young people, he continues to shape a more inclusive future for communities in Philadelphia and beyond.
The team grows alongside the collection. Work with us
Partners & supporters.
The library is being built with schools, libraries, artists and funders across Philadelphia. Their names go on this wall as partnerships are announced.
Be part of the story.
Volunteer, contribute to the archive, or support the mission.