Women in the Arts Networking Event at the Baltimore Museum Of Art

Inspired by the exhibition The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century, the Baltimore Museum Of Art hosted the after hours Women in the Arts Networking Event on Wednesday evening, April 19th, 2023. Three enterprising businesswomen of hip-hop, Sha-Rock, CLAW and Tt The Artist met with hip-hop educator, Martha Diaz onstage at the BMA auditorium. Hearing their various accomplishments and current endeavors was a master class on the achievements of women in hip-hop over the past 50 years.

CLAW, Sha-Rock, Tt The Artist, and Martha Diaz on stage at the Baltimore Museum of Art during the Women in the Arts Networking Event in Baltimore, Maryland.

Sha-Rock detailed so many milestones from the ’70s and ’80s, many that may even escape the memory banks of the most avid hip-hop brainiac; the first woman rapper on wax, member of The Funky Four + 1 the first rap group to appear on national TV in 1981, teaching hip-hop at the university level and so on.

A perceived rarity in graffiti culture, woman artist CLAW has gone from killing New York City streets with her tag in the late ’80s to collaborating with companies such as Calvin Klein, Marc Ecko, Boost Mobile, and Nike, with whom she designed two styles of Claw Money custom sneakers, as well as managing her own collection line and creative agency.

The youngest of the women onstage, Tt The Artist proves to be no slouch in the businesswoman and innovator department! From making new music to writing and creating animation and documentaries, Tt does not allow herself to be put in any specific box. She continues the legacy of hip-hop women innovating in business and art into hip-hop’s fifth decade.

Starting as an intern on “Yo! MTV Raps,” Martha Diaz has associate-produced several hip-hop documentaries including “Black August: A Hip-Hop Concert” directed by Dream Hampton, “Where My Ladies At?” directed by Leba Haber Rubinoff, “Nas: Time Is Illmatic” directed by Washington, D.C. native One9, and founded the Hip-Hop Odyssey (H2O) International Film Festival. Diaz’s educator credentials and honors are too numerous to list here but culminate in her efforts to create a comprehensive hip-hop curriculum that can be used by teachers in kindergarten to university-level classes.

Sharon Green known as MC Sha-Rock and Asad Walker at the Baltimore Museum of Art during the Women in the Arts Networking Event in Baltimore, Maryland.

These four women sat on the stage and did the knowledge for over an hour, dropping empowerment jewels on audience members, women and men alike. I don’t think anyone would have complained if the program continued for another hour or even more. After the program concluded, audience members and speakers made their way through The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century exhibition and into the Fox Court for drinks, food and networking.

Discover what hip-hop’s first female rapper is up to now and follow MC Sha-Rock on Instagram

View legendary graffiti artist CLAW’s work and current collections available and follow CLAW on Instagram

View Tt The Artist’s work and follow them on Instagram

Follow hip-hop educator, curator and archivist Martha Diaz on Instagram and check out their work here

Check out the current exhibitions at the Baltimore Museum Of Art and follow BMA's Instagram for upcoming events and programs.