"With the Kennedy Center serving as the preeminent home for our nation's arts and culture, the creation of a programmatic platform for hip-hop culture is deeply significant."

So said Simone Eccleston upon receiving the news she'd become the first Director of Hip-Hop Culture at the Kennedy Center, NBC reports. News broke early Wednesday morning of the new position and title. With this first for the Kennedy Center and this huge move for the culture, Eccleston is making history. She's been influenced by hip-hop, as most of us have, and looks to highlight hip-hop's hold on society.

In her new role, Eccleston will be curating programs centered around art, activism and community outreach. She'll be emphasizing the impact of the genre, "leading a center-wide commitment to hip-hop culture and contemporary music, which includes R&B, soul, folk and roots, indie, world music and Latin music."

Additionally, she'll be showcasing just how "collaborative" hip-hop music is by seeking partnerships with existing programs at the Kennedy Center. Robert van Leer, senior vice-president of the Kennedy Center, says the organization is excited about this new chapter. He's happy that they've found "someone who can lead that exploration of what hip-hop at the Kennedy Center can become in the coming years and we believe it is the Center's responsibility to develop and elevate thought-leaders like Simone to champion the bright future of our nation’s cultural institutions."

Eccleston will assume her new role March 13. We can't wait to see what she does first!

Simone Eccleston

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