Brooklyn celebrates hip-hop’s 50th: 17 things to do this weekend

By Joshua Encinias

Head out and celebrate hip-hop’s 50th anniversary all weekend across the borough.

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! brings Digable Planets to Prospect Park on Friday night to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their debut album “Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space).” Plus, pioneering rapper MC Lyte performs twice at Barclays Center on Friday.

There’s a free 5K run/walk on Saturday morning at Brooklyn Bridge Park and a vintage market happening all day at Vaux Shop in Williamsburg — complete with Victorian-era pieces.

Bring the weekend to a close on Sunday night with DJ Funk Flex’s annual birthday concert in Coney Island. Sloppy Jane kicks off a three-week residency at Baby’s All Right at 10 p.m.

That’s what’s happening this weekend. So if you don’t know now you know:

Ongoing

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary Weekend
6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. shows on Friday and Saturday
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! will mark in the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with shows and events on Friday and Saturday nights. Digable Planets celebrate 30 years of their seminal debut “Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space)” on Friday night with special guests Kari Faux, Wiki and Brooklyn DJ Donwill. Come back to the bandshell on Saturday night for talks, film and music about all things hip-hop. There will also be a screening of Rick Famuyiwa’s classic movie “Brown Sugar.” Lena Horne Bandshell at Ninth Street and Prospect Park West. Free.

Friday, August 11

NY Liberty x Hip-Hop at 50: Unity Game at Barclays Center
6 p.m.
Head over to Barclays Center on Friday for the New York Liberty vs. Chicago Sky game. MC Lyte will perform a special halftime show in celebration of 50 years of women in hip-hop. Tickets are available for a VIP reception and MC Lyte’s post-game concert with special guest Rapsody. 620 Atlantic Ave. Tickets start at $39.

Firebird Players present Anton Chekhov’s ‘The Seagull’
6:30 p.m.
Join the Firebird Players in Park Slope for their outdoor production of Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull.” Firebird literary director Zoe Senese-Grossberg sets her adaptation in the Hamptons of the late 1960s and interrogates the play’s notions of power and gender by the switching the actors playing Konstantin and Nina between the second and third acts. Their show intends to ask who is allowed to make art, and whether it ever any good. 435 7th Street. Tickets start at $18.

The Moldy Peaches
7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show
New York indie rockers The Moldy Peaches have reunited and will bring their show to Brooklyn Steel on Friday night. If you were a teen in 2007 you might remember their song “Anyone Else but You” in the movie “Juno,” which raised the band’s profile years after they went on hiatus in 2004. 16+. 319 Frost Street. Tickets start at $55.

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals at Kings Theatre
8 p.m.
Whether you love Ryan Adams (some of his covers from Taylor Swift’s “1989” rival the originals) or you hate the guy (last year the FBI cleared him of charges of sexting an underage fan), he’s still a symbol of New York’s early aughts rock scene. On August 11, he’s bringing his band, The Cardinals, to Kings Theatre. 1027 Flatbush Ave. Tickets start at $71.

‘Suddenly This Summer … Macy Rodman Had a Show At C’mon Everybody’
8 p.m.
It was a hot, sweaty, stinky summer. Sound familiar? Macy Rodman’s show follows a young chanteuse who shimmies into a Bed-Stuy watering hole for a drink and somehow winds up on stage … lobotomized! That’s the premise for the first-ever production of the one-act “Suddenly This Summer … Macy Rodman Had a Show At C’mon Everybody.” Allegedly written by a drunk gay guy on the LIRR and found by Macy Rodman on her way back from the Pines, Rodman tries to retrace her steps through songs and stories ending in a scandalizing conclusion. 325 Franklin Avenue.

Saturday, August 12

Free Fun 5K Run and Walk
Starts at 9:15 a.m.
This fun 5K run and walk is hosted by DAMN, GIRL. DAMN.™ and A Better You Wellness, and kicks off at 9:15 a.m. at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6. If it’s your first time, the event organizers require that you sign a waiver prior to starting. Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6 11201. Free.

Vintage Market at Vaux Shop in Williamsburg
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Stop by Vaux Shop on Saturday for the vintage pop-up event of (late) summer. Vaux has invited friends Guts Vintage and Loser Baby Vintage to bring you the best, one-of-a-kind vintage pieces from Y2K all the way back to the Victorian era (!). 421 Graham Avenue.

Brooklyn Rum Festival
1 to 6 p.m.
The Brooklyn Rum Festival is back for a second pour. This year it’s bringing 50 rum distilleries from around the world and serving complimentary cocktails for your festival tasting cup. There’ll be food vendors and music, and if you buy a VIP ticket, you’ll receive a souvenir glass and a premium cigar. Tickets start at $66.

SonicJunXion
3:30 p.m.
SonicJunXion aims to be the most unique and creative festival Brooklyn has ever seen. Their three-stage experience brings together some of the best electronic DJs, live musicians, dancers  and artists in the world in this one-of-a-kind venue under the K Bridge. A handful of their artists include Art Department (Jonny White b2b Kenny Glasgow), Soul Summit (legendary New York house party), with burlesque, stilt walkers, poetry and countless performance artists. Under the ‘K’ Bridge Park, Meeker Avenue 11222. Tickets are $45.

Self-Help Me with Jenny Yang
7:30 p.m.
“What’s the point of self-care if you can’t win?” That’s the POV of comedian Jenny Yang’s competitive self-care comedy show at The Bell House. Saturday’s show features Amber Ruffin, Jo Firestone and Jay Jurden to test their knowledge of the latest wellness trends and reveal their own self-care obsessions. Yang says of Self Help Me, “Self-care already felt competitive. We just made our anxieties into a show.” 149 Seventh Street (Between Second and Third Ave). Tickets are $30.

Brooklyn Cyclones “Star Wars” Night
6 p.m.
The Brooklyn Cyclones take on the Aberdeen IronBirds and the Galactic Empire at their annual “Star Wars” Night celebration on Saturday. The first 1,500 fans will receive an “Out of This World” Jersey. Stick around after the game to help Luke destroy the Death Star during a fireworks display. 1904 Surf Avenue. Tickets start at $23.

Come As You Are (’90s Alt Nite) Garden Party
10 p.m.
Dance, skank and thrash to the sounds of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and No Doubt at The Brooklyn Monarch on Saturday night. The dream of the ’90s is alive at Come As You Are. Throw on your favorite $100 vintage tee for a night of alt, grunge and a little pop. 23 Meadow Street. Tickets are $18.

Sunday, August 13

Brooklyn Museum Pop-up Market
10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., every Sunday through mid-November
Brooklyn Pop-up meets every Sunday for a weekly artisan market with 30-plus vendors at Brooklyn Museum. Hosted at the museum’s front plaza, this year the pop-up expands its food offerings and will offer new activations and other initiatives to bring Brooklyn together. 200 Eastern Parkway. Free.

Afrobeats at Barclays Center
12 to 6 p.m.
Afrobeats take over Barclays Center on Sunday for a day of dancers, musical performances, vendors and food, and culture. Hosts Glitteratieent and Kwasi Beast welcome headliners Ayo Jay & Teemanay and performances by Nelle Divine, Young Kofi, dancer Jasmine Noir, and many more. 620 Atlantic Avenue. Free.

Funk Flex & Friends Birthday Concert
6 to 9 p.m.
DJ and New York icon Funk Flex hosts his annual birthday throwdown in Coney Island on Sunday. Flex’s special guests include GRAMMY-nominated R&B singer Raheem DaVaughn and Harlem native Rob Base, known for his 1988 classic “It Takes Two” with the late DJ E-Z Rock. 3052 W 21st Street. Free.

Sloppy Jane Baby’s All Right residency
10 p.m.
For the past five years, Haley Dahl-led project Sloppy Jane has performed as a 10-piece outfit, known for an eclectic live show. For the last three Sundays in August, Baby’s All Right is hosting three entirely different versions of the band, showcasing brand new material and re-imagining their music. Jane promises each show will be completely different. 146 Broadway. Tickets are $21.