Built in 1980, according to representatives of the center, the concert hall has been lauded as “acoustically perfect” by critics, and has presented hundreds of classical, popular, and folk/ethnic dance, music, and theatre companies and acts from around the world.

The Lehman Center, currently the Bronx’s largest entertainment venue, also received $760,095 from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, a $16 billion federal fund that helped independent live venues, museums, theaters, and arts organizations bounce back from economic losses suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the April 30 event, the speakers also touted the former borough president’s support for the arts through his work in breaking ground on the Universal Hip-Hop Museum in the South Bronx.

As also reported by Norwood News, the transformation of the South Bronx continued Thursday, May 20, with the groundbreaking ceremony for the new museum which will memorialize the history of hip-hop in the borough, part of a $349 million development known as Bronx Point.

The 22-story building is projected to accommodate 1,045 apartment units, 542 of which will be dedicated to affordable housing, while the museum itself will occupy the ground floor. Rising along the Harlem River at 50 E. 150th St., the development will include 2.8 acres of public space with access to a playground, BBQ area, and an esplanade along the shoreline. Housing units will be reserved for low to middle-income households.

In a phone interview with Norwood News, Abbatiello spoke about Díaz Jr’s role in the project. “What he did for Hip-Hop is he was a big advocator for getting that done on the westside highway,” the record executive said. “He was very instrumental in getting most of the funding and having this dream come true for all of us.”

Abbatiello put together the Hip-Hop Fever show at Lehman Center to showcase the pioneers of Hip-Hop and keep their legacy alive. Many of the hip-hop artists in his line-up released their biggest hits in the ‘80s and ‘90s. “I always go back to the original guys because it’s been like 40 years,” Abbatiello said. “A lot of them don’t get booked that much. I give them an opportunity so they can perform once a year in The Bronx and have their family and friends come.”

PlayGirl Ari, on the other hand, isn’t one of the OGs [“original gangsters”] of Hip-Hop. Abbatiello explained his thought process behind her inclusion in the show. “In almost all of my shows, the opening act is a new artist,” he said. “I have given her the opportunity to rap in front of a big audience, to give her a taste of what it takes to get where these OGs went.” He added, “She has the eye of the tiger!”

Ari was indeed the opening act on the night, and exuded confidence while rapping to, “Why Did You Do Me Wrong?” Her breakdancers dazzled, performing the worm, several headspins, and other moves that seemingly pushed the limits of the human body’s capability. The rapper’s performance set the tone for a night filled with memorable moments and plenty of nostalgia.

Grandmaster Caz poetically rattled off several trends that have evolved over the years like cell phones, Reaganomics, and Metrocards which Hip-Hop preceded when it got off the ground in the early 1970s. Before departing, the MC delivered the iconic line, “My name is Hip-Hop………..and I have always existed!”

Later, Black Sheep electrified the crowd with their 1991 hit, “The Choice is Yours” and Andres “Dres” Vargas-Titus, lead vocalist, then shared a beautiful moment with Abbatiello, saying, “He helped all of us advance the [hip-hop] culture in so many ways. I love this brother so much.”

For her part, with her storytelling and music selection, rapper, Roxanne Shante, transported the audience to Disco Fever, the dance club Abbatiello opened in 1976 on Jerome Avenue and 167th street in the South Bronx and closed a decade later. The audience almost swooned when Shante had hip-hop DJ, Grand Wizard Theodore, play “Fool’s Paradise” by Meli’sa Morgan, released in 1980.

At one point during the show, Nice & Smooth’s Greg Nice jumped off the stage and danced briefly with a woman who was already dancing in the aisle. Later, rapper, Rob Base, asked the audience if they were ready to go back to 1988, before performing, “It Takes Two,” the Top 40 hit that Stephen Thomas Erlewine, an American music critic at AllMusic, called “the greatest hip-hop single ever cut.” The entire crowd roared their approval when Base concluded the number.

Throughout the show, people, mostly over the age of 50, poured their hearts out while singing along. Those of us in attendance who didn’t grow up listening to these beats were swept up by the wave of nostalgia permeating the room. Indeed, it was hard not to envy the baby boomers who got to spend one night back at Disco Fever.

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.