[Via UMass Boston]
In 2016, University Archives & Special Collections in the Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston launched the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive with an initial donation by Pacey Foster of recordings from the Lecco’s Lemma radio program, a local rap music show that was founded by Magnus Johnstone and ran from 1985 to 1988 on local college radio stations WMBR (88.1 FM) and WZBC (90.3 FM).
The Lecco’s Lemma Collection contains both artist demos that were given to Magnus, as well as recordings of the show made by Willie “Loco” Alexander, who regularly taped the show throughout its run. Click here to browse the digitized recordings from the Lecco’s Lemma Collection, or read more about the collection here.
As we continue to develop this new collection area, we welcome donations of archival materials from musicians, DJs, breakdancers, graffiti artists, producers, promoters, and fans that will help us document the rich heritage and legacy of hip-hop culture in Boston and Massachusetts.
What kinds of materials do we collect?
- Audio and video recordings (cassettes, videotapes, and film reels)
- Original photographs, negatives, and slides
- Flyers, promotional materials, and unique publications and magazines
- Letters, diaries, and other firsthand accounts
Do you have original & unique materials related to hip-hop in Boston and Massachusetts that you think should become part of the Massachusetts Hip-Hop Archive? Contact an archivist at UMass Boston by emailing library.archives@umb.edu.
This collection was made possible, in part, by a grant from the UMass President’s Creative Economy Initiative Fund and through the support of the Boston Public Library.
Photo credit (above image): John Nordell?