Now On View at Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza, 7,000-Pound Sculpture Celebrates History of Hip Hop and Breaking
Brooklyn-Made Sculpture Will Head to Paris Next Year in Commemoration of Breaking’s Debut at the Olympics
***PHOTOS AND VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE***
BROOKLYN, NY – Yesterday, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso welcomed Rappin’ Max Robot, a towering 18-foot-tall and 7,000-pound metal sculpture to Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza. Created by Welder Underground, a Brooklyn-based apprenticeship program, the sculpture brings to life Eric Orr’s iconic “Rappin’ Max Robot,” the world’s first Hip Hop comic book character.
The unveiling featured performances by the Brooklyn United Evolution Drumline, musician Aaron Ruperto and DJ Teeburr; workforce development groups including St. Nicks Alliance, RETI Center, and Welder Underground provided resources to Brooklynites looking to kickstart a career in the skilled trades.
“Hip Hop is so much more than music, it’s culture. When Hip Hop was first created over 50 years ago, New Yorkers created a system of expression that transcends national boundaries and holds the power to bring us closer together,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “Rappin’ Max Robot epitomizes the many ways Hip Hop can take shape – whether it’s through breaking, as a comic book, or in a massive metal sculpture created by Brooklyn welders. Our borough has played such an important role elevating Hip Hop into a global force, and I’m thrilled Brooklynites can enjoy this special tribute before it is permanently installed in Paris.”
Welder Underground, the organization behind the sculpture, is a Bushwick-based nonprofit that hosts six-month paid apprenticeships for aspiring Brooklyn welders and fabricators. Apprentices gain the experience and certification necessary to begin a career in the welding and metal fabrication industry. The program is one of several initiatives organized by The Collab-Orators, a nonprofit dedicated to providing affordable, project-based learning curriculum and tangible job opportunities to individuals from low-income communities. Rappin’ Max Robot was designed and created by Welder Underground’s first cohort of apprentices.
“Welder Underground combines technical expertise with a sense of community, creativity, and purpose,” said Welder Underground Co-Executive Director Adina Levin, who notes that welders are in high demand. “We’re fostering a movement that revitalizes interest in welding and metal fabrication as a means to positively impact the world.”
According to the American Welding Society, 330,000 new welding professionals will be needed by 2028. With future cohorts, the founders plan to continue the practice of building large-scale public art installations in collaboration with established artists.
The design for Rappin’ Max Robot is based on the titular comic book created by Eric Orr in 1986. “Rappin’ Max Robot” is considered the first comic book for and about the Hip Hop community and has since become a symbol of Hip Hop culture and its aesthetic influence. Rappin’ Max Robot arrives to Brooklyn following an initial installation outside of the Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx. After a six-month tenure at Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza, Rappin’ Max Robot will be permanently installed at Place de la Bataille-de-Stalingrad in Paris.
###