In the 1980s, driven by the development of electronic musical instruments such as samplers and drum computers, electronic club music and rap music emerged more or less simultaneously. Like club music, rap produces its beats almost exclusively electronically and at the same time elevates electronic sampling to an art form.

In cooperation with the renowned SCHIRN Kunsthalle Frankfurt, which for its part is exploring the influences of hip-hop on contemporary art in the exhibition "THE CULTURE" from 29 February to 26 May 2024, the MOMEM - Museum of Modern Electronic Music is showing the exhibition "Milestones of Hip-Hop", focusing consistently on the musical side of hip-hop. The exhibition and the co-operation are sponsored by the Cultural Office of the City of Frankfurt.

Following the successfully tested principle of the permanent exhibition "MILESTONES - Favourite Club Tracks 1985-2020", over 50 German hip-hop artists were asked about their personal milestones in hip-hop. These selectors include countless Frankfurt-based artists such as D-Flame, Murat Güngör, Real Jay, DJ Feedback, DJ Release, Jeyz, CODX, A BOMB FX, Liz and Sabrina Setlur. But also national artists such as Kitty Kat, MC Rene, Morlockk Dilemma, Marteria, Michi Beck, Torch, Toni L and many more. 

The personal TOP 20 of these artists can all be heard in the "Milestones of Hip-Hop" exhibition, which is modelled on a record store. Just like in a record shop, visitors can browse through the selection of selectors, take out records and listen to them. However, the focus is on the twenty Milestones of Hip-Hop that are most frequently found in the Selectors' personal TOP 20 and whose story is told in the exhibition. A visit to the exhibition becomes a musical voyage of discovery through the MILESTONES of hip-hop and its protagonists, with a strong focus on Frankfurt artists.

This musical journey is accompanied by more than 50 photographs from the history of hip-hop culture in Frankfurt am Main, which has its roots in the early 1980s around the Hauptwache. On display will be countless previously unpublished photographs from the private archives of Frankfurt hip-hop protagonists such as Pino Caruso, Jörg Kuberek, Ali Taner and many more, creating a visual history of Frankfurt hip-hop. There will also be an extensive supporting programme with the original protagonists, bringing history to life in various formats such as panel talks and workshops.