BRONX ZOO
BOOGIEDOWN AT THE BRONX ZOO
The Bronx gave the world hip-hop. The Bronx Zoo is one of the borough’s most iconic institutions. Yet for more than 40 years, the two had never meaningfully collaborated.
We brought them together through original music, documentary storytelling, and first-of-its-kind collaborations between legendary Bronx artists and artwork created by zoo animals.
Hip-hop pioneers Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz created an original track using sounds recorded at the zoo. Bronx street artists transformed animal paintings into campaign artwork that appeared throughout the city and was sold as limited-edition prints benefiting wildlife conservation.
The result was a cultural platform that celebrated the borough, generated earned attention, and gave the Bronx Zoo a more authentic role within its own community.
What it is:
Film, Print, Social, First time ever collaboration of animal and artists.
Recognized by:
Music Video
Hip-hop legends Grandmaster Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz created an original track for Boogie Down at the Bronx Zoo, featuring sounds recorded from the zoo’s animals. The song became the event’s anthem, powering digital and social ads before being performed live at the zoo.
Animal and Street Artist Collaboration
As part of the Bronx Zoo’s enrichment program, some of its animals create paintings. We gave those original works to legendary Bronx street artists and invited them to transform the pieces through their own creative styles.
The resulting one-of-a-kind collaborations became the key art for the event, appearing across out-of-home and digital placements. The Bronx Zoo also sold signed and numbered giclée prints, with proceeds supporting the Wildlife Conservation Society’s work to protect wildlife around the world.
World-renowned street artists Crash, Andre Trenier, BG183, Bio, and Nicer each created an original piece for the project. Use the sliders to see the animal artwork they received and the finished collaborations they created.
Andre Trenier X Carribean Flamingo
Nicer (Tats Cru) X Lowland Gorilla
Bio (Tats Cru) X Capuchin Monkey
BG183 (Tats Cru) X Asian Otter Family
Andre Trenier X Sea Lion
Crash X Boa
Crash X Lowland Gorilla
Out of Home
After the artists collaborated with the animals, their creations became the key art for the out-of-home campaign.
Boogiedown Docu-series
A five-part social docuseries explored the collaboration between hip-hop pioneers and the Bronx Zoo. The series brought together Bronx cultural icons, celebrating their shared home and paying tribute to the borough where generations of culture have been created.
The Event
Boogie Down at the Bronx Zoo brought together two of the borough’s most iconic cultural forces: hip-hop and wildlife. Legendary artists, original music, animal-created artwork, live performances, and digital storytelling transformed the zoo into a celebration of Bronx creativity. The event paid tribute to the place where both cultures were born, while giving audiences a new way to experience the Bronx Zoo.
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