Melle Mel & Scorpio of Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and the Sugarhill Gang to Perform Wednesday, July 27 

New York State Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner Jeanette Moy today announced the lineup for reggae and hip hop performances at the 2022 Summer at the Plaza Capital Concert Series Presented by Miller Lite and DeCrescente Distributing Company.

Reggae artists Inner Circle as well as The King Yellowman Show Featuring K’reema & The Sagittarius Band will perform on Wednesday, July 20, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Empire State Plaza.

Hip hop artists Grandmaster Melle Mel & Scorpio Furious 5 as well as The Sugarhill Gang will perform on Wednesday, July 27, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

In April, OGS announced it would be returning to a full lineup of festivals and concerts for the 2022 Summer at the Plaza season, which will kick off on Independence Day with New York State’s Fourth of July Celebration Presented by Price Chopper/Market 32. OGS will continue to announce the lineup of events and performances for the 2022 Summer at the Plaza season in the coming weeks.

Reggae Concert, 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 20

Inner Circle: This Jamaican-bred, Grammy-winning quintet is one of the most respected reggae groups, with a long string of successes stretching back to the mid-1970s. Inner Circle’s special brand of pop-oriented Jamaican beats and energy-filled live performances have allowed the band to transcend the traditional reggae niche and enjoy widespread crossover appeal.

Inner Circle achieved new levels of international success in the 1990s when the title track of their album “Bad Boys” became a number one hit and sold approximately 7 million copies worldwide. After winning a 1993 Grammy for Best Reggae Album for “Bad Boys,” the band scored again with the 1994 album “Reggae Dancer,” which earned another Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album and featured the breezy “Summer Jammin.”

The King Yellowman Show Featuring K’reema & The Sagittarius Band: King Yellowman has an incredible history in reggae music. His upbringing at an orphanage in Kingston and being an albino in Jamaica were two obstacles that he overcame to become one of the biggest artists in reggae music. After winning a talent contest at Tastee Patties in Kingston, Yellow went on to excite reggae crowds all over Jamaica and the rest of the world with his boastful and sometimes bodacious lyrics. His ability to ride rhythm and excite a crowd made Yellow an instant hit in Jamaica while also drawing big crowds at his dancehall performances.

After landing a recording contract on a major label, Yellowman recorded one album before he was diagnosed in 1986 with jaw cancer and was given six months to live. He survived, and after surgery and an extended leave of absence from the record industry, Yellowman began his comeback with the song “Blueberry Hill,” and his career was re-launched.

Hip Hop Concert, 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 27

Melle Mel & Scorpio: As members of the first rap group inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Melle Mel and Scorpio made Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five a household name on the strength of records such as “Freedom,” “The Message,” “White Lines,” “Superrappin,” “Beat Street,” and “New York, New York” to name a few.

Grandmaster Mele Mel and Scorpio Furious 5 are a legendary group in addition to being trendsetters and partly responsible for the creation of the billion-dollar-a-year rap record industry. Their recordings are among the most sampled in the history of recorded hip hop. “The Message” was the first rap song that contained social commentary and is in the archives of the Library of Congress for its social relevance in that time period. It’s considered one of the 25 most important songs in the last 50 years, and in 2013, “The Message” became the first hip hop record inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

The Sugar Hill Gang: In 1979, the Sugar Hill Gang crashed through the walls of urban cities and into the mainstream of society with the first worldwide rap hit, “Rapper’s Delight.” The recording eventually sold over 8 million copies and went on to be the biggest selling rap single of all time. Even today, it continues to appeal to audiences of all ages.

Following the success of “Rapper’s Delight,” the Sugarhill Gang continued to release hits such as “Apache,” “8^th Wonder,” and “Living in the Fast Lane.” Wonder Mike and Master Gee teamed up with Henry Williams and DJ T. Dynasty more than 20 years ago and continue creating new music while still pleasing crowds with their greatest hits.

Previously Announced 2022 Summer at the Plaza Events

• Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas to headline New York State’s Fourth Of July Celebration Presented By Price Chopper/Market 32
• to headline the first performance of the 2022 Summer at the Plaza’s Capital Concert Series Presented by Miller Lite and DeCrescente Distributing Company, beginning at 5:30 on Wednesday, July 6.
• Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo will headline the July 13 performance of the 2022 Summer at the Plaza’s Capital Concert Series, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
• SWV to headline the Black Arts and Cultural Festival Presented by UpState New York Black Chamber of Commerce, which is being held from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 6.

For event updates, go here or visit @EmpireStatePlaza on Facebook, and @plazaevents on Twitter, or call (518) 474-4759. For additional information about Summer at the Plaza events, including directions and ground rules, visit www.empirestateplaza.ny.gov.