Our client, The Universal Hip Hop Museum, which started two years ago as a “virtual” museum, will break ground in 2019 on a new 60,000 square foot facility in the birthplace of hip hop.  The museum will open to the public in 2021, just a few blocks from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

UHHM was founded by hip hop pioneers Kurtis Blow, Ice-T, Shawn LG Thomas, Grand Wizard Theodore, among others, and is led by executive director Rocky Bucano. The museum will be the anchor of L+M Development Partners’ new megaproject, Bronx Point, on the South Bronx waterfront.

The museum will teach the world about the five key elements of hip hop culture (emceeing, turntablism, break-dancing, graffiti, and knowledge) and document the rise of hip hop from its creation on the streets of the Bronx to become the world’s most popular music genre. With archives, artifact exhibits, interactive and immersive displays, performances, film screenings, and classes, museum visitors will be able to dive into hip hop culture, discover its founders, practice their dance moves and emcee skills, and experience first-hand how and why hip hop became a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

UHHM’s mission extends beyond the museum.  UHHM has also founded an international educational organization called Generation Hip Hop to teach underprivileged youth around the world about science, technology, music, art, culture, self-expression, entertainment, and entrepreneurship using hip hop-centric materials and curriculum.  UHHM also produced and distributed its first original hip hop compilation album, 16 Bars 4 Hip Hop, in December 2017 (available on iTunes and Spotify).

UHHM and Proskauer enjoy a natural partnership.  Proskauer’s tax-exempt, corporate, entertainment, real estate, and intellectual property expertise serve all of UHHM’s needs.  Proskauer partner David Miller and paralegal Carrie Slaton obtained UHHM’s charter and tax-exempt status.  Partner Alex Kaplan and associate Anya Kreimerzak worked on the artist contracts for the album, associate Bela Amladi helped on intellectual property, and special real estate counsel Audrey Bender, associate Ellie Krausova, associate Danielle Skolnik, senior counsel Paul Polking, associate Jennifer Yang, and partner Chris Pennington helped on real estate matters.

Proskauer always basks in the successes of its clients.  UHHM’s super success was even more rewarding because UHHM will be the first and only hip hop museum in the city, and it is a pro bono client.

Posted in Pro Bono
Tags: 16 Bars 4 Hip Hop, Bronx Point, Generation Hip Hop, L+M Development Partners, Museum, Rocky Bucano, The Universal Hip Hop Museum, UHHM
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Photo of David S. Miller David S. Miller

David Miller is a partner in the Tax Department. David advises clients on a broad range of domestic and international corporate tax issues. His practice covers the taxation of financial instruments and derivatives, private and public REITs, cross-border lending transactions and other financings…

David Miller is a partner in the Tax Department. David advises clients on a broad range of domestic and international corporate tax issues. His practice covers the taxation of financial instruments and derivatives, private and public REITs, cross-border lending transactions and other financings, international and domestic mergers and acquisitions, multinational corporate groups and partnerships, private equity and hedge funds, bankruptcy and workouts, high-net-worth individuals and families, and public charities and private foundations. He advises companies in virtually all major industries, including banking, finance, private equity, health care, life sciences, real estate, technology, consumer products, entertainment and energy.

David is strongly committed to pro bono service, and has represented more than 500 charities. In 2011, he was named as one of thirteen “Lawyers Who Lead by Example” by the New York Law Journal for his pro bono service. David has also been recognized for his pro bono work by The Legal Aid Society, Legal Services for New York City and New York Lawyers For The Public Interest.

David has been consistently recognized by leading industry publications, such as Chambers Global, Chambers USA, Best Lawyers and The Legal 500. Clients surveyed by Chambers USA said, “We bring him in on complex matters because he has the experience and the gravitas.” David is one of 17 lawyers in the United States in The Legal 500’s Hall of Fame for US Tax (non-contentious).

David has taught the taxation of financial instruments at Columbia Law School, and tax policy at New York University School of Law. He is also a frequent author and has written a number of articles and chapters in various tax publications. David is the former chair of the tax section of the New York State Bar Association.

Prior to joining Proskauer, David was a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP.

Read more about David S. Miller
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