Upcoming Hip-Hop Concerts in New York City

If you're looking for great hip-hop in New York City, there are some great live concerts this summer throughout the five boroughs. Some of them are even free.

Critically acclaimed solo artists Mos Def and Talib Kweli will reunite as the equally acclaimed duo Black Star at the Nokia Theater in Times Square on Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 11:30 pm. That's in a few days so buy tickets here before they sell out. Also at the Nokia Theater will be hip-hop newcomers Asher Roth ("I Love College") and Kid Cudi ("Day N Nite") on Wednesday, July 15 at 9:00 pm. Find out more information here.

In June, there's the 5^th Annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival on Saturday, June 20, 2009, from 12 noon to 8:00 pm at Empire Fulton Ferry State Park, which is right under the Brooklyn Bridge. Headlining is highly lauded lyricist Pharoahe Monche. Guests will include Styles P of The L.O.X., and Brooklyn duos dead prez and Smif N' Wessun. Tickets are available here.

There's also the annual SummerJam concert on Sunday, June 7 at 6:30 pm. SummerJam is hosted by the radio station Hot 97 and takes place at Giants Stadium; it has previously featured superstar headliners like Jay-Z and 50 Cent, and guests such as Michael Jackson. This year's host is comedian Tracy Morgan and performers will include Mary J. Blige, T-Pain, The Dream, Young Jeezy, Jadakiss, Jim Jones, and Juelz Santana, among others. Tickets can be bought online here.

For old school hip-hop heads as well as those on a budget, Q-Tip, famed front man from A Tribe Called Quest will be giving a free performance at Central Park's SummerStage from 3:00 to 7:00 pm on Saturday, July 18. Find out more information about it here.

The City Park's Foundation holds free concerts at the various parks throughout the each of the five boroughs. The complete schedule can be viewed here, but among the highlights are:

• Black Moon and Smif N' Wessun at Brooklyn's Brower Park (125 5^th Avenue between Sterling & St. Johns) on August 12 between 7:00 and 8:30 pm;

• Slick Rick at Manhattan's East River Park (between Grand & Jackson Sts.) on July 23 between 7:00 and 8:30 pm;

• KRS-One at the Bronx's Crotona Park (173 St. & Crotona Park East) on July 22 between 7:00 and 8:30 pm;

• Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan at Staten Island's Mahoney Park (Beechwood Ave., Crescent Ave., Cleveland St. & Jersey St.) on August 12 between 7:00 and 8:30 pm; and,

• the pioneering hip-hop group the Sugarhill Gang at Queen's Queensbridge Park (41 Ave., Bridge Plaza, Vernon Blvd. & East River) on Tuesday, July 14 between 7:00 to 8:30 pm.