ONE CLEVELAND PRESENTS
20 Years of
CLEVELAND HIP HOP
& Music.
20 Years Strong | Curated by Quincy “Big Heff” Taylor
Cleveland Public Library — Downtown
Cleveland Public Library — Downtown
ONE CITY. TWO DECADES. A CULTURE THAT MOVES US.
WE PRESERVED THE PAST. NOW LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE. ✷ WE PRESERVED THE PAST. NOW LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE. ✷ WE PRESERVED THE PAST. NOW LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE. ✷ WE PRESERVED THE PAST. NOW LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE. ✷ WE PRESERVED THE PAST. NOW LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE. ✷ WE PRESERVED THE PAST. NOW LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE. ✷ WE PRESERVED THE PAST. NOW LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE. ✷ WE PRESERVED THE PAST. NOW LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE. ✷
ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
Cleveland hip-hop has shaped sound, style, and story for two decades.
Join Cleveland Public Library in partnership with Capital Structure
Entertainment for a community celebration and the opening of the
20 Years of Cleveland Hip Hop & Music exhibit.
The exhibition features six curated sections. Together, these displays tell the
story of Cleveland's evolution as a music city, recognizing the artists, venues, media
outlets, promoters, educators, and community leaders who shaped its growth.
By partnering with Quincy “Big Heff” Taylor, One Cleveland and the Cleveland
Public Library reaffirm their commitment to preserving local history and ensuring future
generations understand the cultural significance of Cleveland's music community. More than
an exhibit, it is a celebration of creativity, resilience, entrepreneurship, and
community — a tribute to the people who built the culture and a blueprint for those who
will carry it forward.
The Cleveland Hip Hop Exhibit: 20 Years Strong —
Cleveland Public Library, Downtown Campus.
THE EXHIBITION
Six curated sections
01
The Mixtape Era
Tapes, CDs and cover art from the years the city built its own distribution.
02
Pioneers in Music
The artists who put Cleveland on the national map and the records that did it.
03
Ladies of Hip Hop
The women who shaped Cleveland's sound, scene and business.
04
Events That Impacted the Culture
The shows, showcases and nights that moved the city forward.
05
The New Generation
Who is carrying it now — and what they are building next.
06
Sounds of the Culture
The DJs, producers and radio that carried the records to the people.
ON DISPLAY
From the cases
A selection of objects loaned and donated by the
Cleveland community for the twentieth-anniversary exhibition.
Worn by Wish Bone during Verzuz
12/3/2021 — Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Gold record plaques
Certified records from Big Heff's executive career
Lifetime Achievement Award
Ohio Hip Hop Awards, 2018 — Quincy Taylor
Big Mucci “71” jersey
With original promotional material
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Quincy “Big Heff” Taylor
For more than two decades, Quincy “Big Heff” Taylor has been
one of Cleveland's most impactful music executives, cultural advocates, and community
builders. As a co-founder of the Ohio Hip Hop Awards & Music Conference, he created a
platform that has recognized and elevated hundreds of artists, DJs, producers,
entrepreneurs, and industry professionals throughout Ohio and the Midwest.
His career includes leadership and talent development roles with Def Jam
Recordings, 300 Entertainment, and Epic Records, where he connected emerging artists with
national opportunities. He later launched Capital Structure Entertainment, an independent
company focused on artist development, publishing, management, media, and cultural
programming.
Throughout his career, Big Heff has worked with and supported artists including
Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Tee Grizzley, YK Osiris, and SleazyWorld Go, as well as
Ohio-based artists such as Ray Jr, Preme Dibiasi, and many others. His efforts have helped
position Cleveland as a recognized hub for artist discovery, music business education, and
cultural innovation.
OPENING NIGHT
Who came out
Special guests at the opening of the Cleveland Hip Hop
Exhibit, Cleveland Public Library Downtown Campus.
Wish Bone — Bone Thugs-N-Harmony /
Caine /
Pesh — Livemixtapes /
DJ Ryan Wolf /
DJ G Spot /
Chevy Blue /
Coco Z /
EST 19XX /
Severe Tha Boss /
YourInfoDaily /
Crisis — Z1079 /
Ohio Hip Hop Awards /
CLEVELAND TECH WEEK × BIG HEFF
Cleveland Hip Hop: The Next 20
Futuristic Synergy: Music × Technology × Culture
× Entrepreneurship.
The program expands the Cleveland Hip Hop Exhibit beyond its historical
foundation and creates a forward-looking conversation around one central question:
what does the next 20 years of Cleveland Hip Hop look like?
Monday, September 28, 2026 · 2:00–6:00 PM ·
Cleveland Public Library Downtown, Louis Stokes Wing · 525 Superior Ave · Free and open to the public
2:00 PM
The AI Creative Partner
DahVarsity AI × Toyz Electronics. How artificial intelligence can become a creative
and career-development tool for musicians, students and entrepreneurs — AI-assisted
creativity, career pathways, content creation, branding, education, entrepreneurship.
3:00 PM
Livestream Monetization
Auxchord. Helping artists, DJs, podcasters and creators understand how livestreaming and
digital content can become revenue-generating businesses.
3:00 PM
“Next Generation” Creator Workspace
A hands-on resource area answering: what does the next Cleveland Hip Hop superstar need
to know? Music distribution, publishing, AI, branding, PR, entrepreneurship, education,
technology, content creation, monetization.
4:00 PM
AI Integration
A practical look at how AI is being integrated into music, marketing, media, education
and the creative industries.
5:00 PM
Cleveland 2035
Participants help create a digital “Future of Cleveland 2035” experience exploring what
Cleveland Hip Hop, technology and culture could look like over the next decade —
toward a virtual “Welcome to Cleveland: The Hip Hop Experience.”
Presented in partnership with Cleveland Public
Library · Cleveland Tech Week · Big Heff / Capital Structure Entertainment ·
DahVarsity AI / Toyz Electronics · Auxchord · Cleveland's Music, Media &
Technology Community.
WHAT'S NEXT
Upcoming
CLEVELAND TECH WEEK · SEPTEMBER 28
Big Heff’s The Interlude
The Future of Cleveland Music & Tech
DATE
Monday, September 28, 2026
TIME
2:00 – 6:00 PM
WHERE
Cleveland Public Library Downtown
Louis Stokes Wing
525 Superior Ave
Cleveland, OH 44114
Louis Stokes Wing
525 Superior Ave
Cleveland, OH 44114
ADMISSION
Free and open to the public
Panel discussions, music, interactive workshops, and gaming. Plus, explore the Cleveland Hip Hop Exhibit: 20 Years Strong.
Presented by DahVarsity AI & Cleveland Tech Week with the Cleveland Public Library.
20TH ANNIVERSARY · NOVEMBER 1
Ohio Hip Hop Awards Reunion Dinner
DATE
November 1, 2026
TIME
Doors 4:00 PM · Show 6:00 PM
WHERE
Music Box Supper Club
1148 Main Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
1148 Main Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
HOSTED BY
Shugabooga · DJ Iceburg Pimpin’
ATTIRE
Red carpet chic, cocktail attire
Never-before-seen footage, untold stories, and classic moments celebrating twenty years of the Ohio Hip Hop music scene.
COVERAGE
Press
Cleveland Public Library Celebrates 20 Years of Hip Hop with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, MGK and Big Heff
AllHipHop ↗
Cleveland Hip Hop History Takes Center Stage With New 20-Year Exhibit
Z107.9 ↗
Bone Thugs, Livemixtapes, Ohio Hip Hop Awards Attend the Cleveland Hip Hop Exhibit
On The Scene NY ↗
Bone Thugs, Livemixtapes, Ohio Hip Hop Awards Attend the Cleveland Hip Hop Exhibit
HipHopSince1987 ↗
Bone Thugs, Livemixtapes, Ohio Hip Hop Awards Attend the Cleveland Hip Hop Exhibit
Hip Hop On Deck ↗
Bone Thugs, Livemixtapes, Ohio Hip Hop Awards Attend the Cleveland Hip Hop Exhibit
Platinum Indies ↗
MGK visits the exhibit
Instagram ↗
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Cleveland Public Library, Downtown
LOCATION
Cleveland Public Library
Downtown Campus
325 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio
Downtown Campus
325 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio
EXHIBIT
20 Years of Cleveland Hip Hop & Music
Opened August 15, 2026
Opened August 15, 2026
ADMISSION
Free and open to the public
MORE INFO
GET IN TOUCH
Contact the Museum
Questions about the exhibit, loans and donations, press, or partnerships? Send us a note and we will get back to you.