Inside #Ham4Ham THE HAMILTON MIXTAPE: A Monument to Pop Culture Legacies and Breaking Barriers

In cases of most wildly popular media, there is the inevitable expectation of a popularity crescendo. A moment in time when the bubble finally bursts, the hoards cease their obsession and the next big thing comes along. For every "Frozen" there is a "Moana", for every Britney, a Christina.

As pop culture becomes increasingly disposable in our social media-driven, 24-hour news cycle, where breaking news is a constant and whole platforms are dedicated to content created to disappear in mere seconds, the idea of cultural longevity is one that feels all but abandoned. Many in the theatre community, (and mostly elsewhere, for that matter), have been waiting for this cultural inevitability for a certain Broadway show as of late.

Yet through the wild popularity of its off-Broadway run, the runaway success of the Broadway production (and all parties involved), the double-platinum cast album, a record-setting outing at the Tony Awards, a 2016 Pulitzer Prize, a MacArthur award, countless think pieces, high-profile magazine covers, a performance at the White House, a public showdown with the incoming presidential administration, and all of the other magical milestones of the "Hamilton" era, the story of the ten dollar founding father without a father has showed no signs of succumbing to the quick turnover of the ever-progressing cultural landscape.

This particular truth was firmly on display this week at a special performance of #Ham4Ham. The now discontinued tradition of short performances for those entering the show's lottery was brought back to life to celebrate the release of yet another supplementary element to the legacy of this Broadway juggernaut, "The Hamilton Mixtape."

The excitement was palpable in the Richard Rodgers Theater on Thusday afternoon as lucky members of the Ham-hungry public gathered for a short performance featuring some of the stars featured on the album of covers, remixes, and brand-new songs inspired by the show.

As hip-hop music boomed through the sound system of the Rodgers, provided by a DJ placed center stage on the now hallowed boards where the story of Alexander Hamilton comes to life each night, there was a unique sense of two worlds meeting. A finale of togetherness for communities that up until very recently have seemed to exist on opposite ends of a spectrum. As an audience comprised of theatre and hip-hop fans cheered and nodded rhythmically along with pre-show jams by Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott, music that had so inspired Lin-Manuel to create this beloved work, that gap seemed all but nonexistent.

With that the show began and after a short musical intro featuring clips from the Mixtape, including, "Wrote My Way Out" and "Wait For It", QuestLove and Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, best known as members of The (legendary) Roots crew and sonic masterminds behind the show's sterling cast recording, took the stage to welcome the audience. After a quick, taped word of gratitude from the show's creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is currently in London, the most epic #Ham4Ham show ever conceived began.

First to take the stage was Black Thought, delivering the Mixtape intro, "No John Trumbull." He was then joined by rapper, Joell Ortiz, for an abbreviated version of the show's re-tooled anthem, "My Shot." With the music pumping, the two spit passionate rhymes citing oppression and ambition with a verbal deftness that would have made the Treasury Secretary himself proud. With all the conviction and wisdom that lived experience provides, the performance from the two skilled MC's provided a firsthand, modern illustration of a narrative in which talent overcomes tremendous odds; the very inspiration for Lin's binding hip-hop stories to Hamilton's in the first place.

Immediately following was an appearance by Regina Spektor, the anti-folk singer/songwriter whose own jingly, yet grounded storytelling skill lends itself incredibly well to the mid-show lullaby, "Dear Theodosia", a song no doubt inspired by such sensibilities. Next up was Andra Day, whose impenetrable command of the stage and unique, jazz-flecked vocal styling took Eliza Hamilton's second act solo, "Burn" from a ballad of beleaguered disillusionment to a show-stopping R&B break up anthem that left the audience on their feet.

The show closed out with an appearance from hip-hop duo, Ja Rule and Ashanti, performing their take on "Helpless", a song inspired by their dynamic in many early aughts duets. In a slice of millenial nostalgia, the two bopped and swayed their way through the song, bringing their familiar blend of sleek, girlish attitude and gritty, street-wise swagger to one of the show's most popular tunes, highlighting both the shiny newness of Lin's song and the familiarity of its origins.

And perhaps it is this familiarity that explains the doubtless longevity of the show and it's songs. While Lin's vision may have been entirely new in terms of musical theatre, the bones of that vision: rhythms, dynamics, melodies, are born directly of art that has already endured. In the hands of these artists, the songs of "Hamilton" aren't merely covers, but a non-narrative excavation of the show's more prevalent themes and a celebration of the sounds that inspired the show, brought to you by the artists responsible for it.

For many, "The Hamilton Mixtape" will serve as yet another bridge into the world of a show that has provided many for its legions of fans throughout its run. However, for others it will be a personalized hand extended to the immediate fandom of hip-hop music and a means of reaching disenfranchised communities that have not yet found their way into the show or theatre as a whole.

In an interview before the event rapper, Juell Ortiz, noted, "I have friends who have never seen anything on Broadway. I have friends that have never been to Broadway, they have no reason to even walk down this block. So, there's something about that word, "mixtape" for hip-hoppers it means it's the best work from whatever this is or whoever this is. I still draw a lot of my inspiration from the projects, I still go there, I visit all the time. And I can see myself going there and being like, 'Yo, you gotta hear this mixtape. It's called "Hamilton". I'm on it.' I won't even say it's play-based, knowing who those kids are and what they want to hear. I could go there and say, "Check it out" and then say, 'Well, actually it's from Broadway.' And that's where there'll be that first experience of, 'Broadway could be cool.' You can't go there and tell those kids, 'Don't sell drugs' and look like Park Avenue, they don't listen. But if I go there like, "Yo, I'm telling you this play is dope. You might wanna listen to this mixtape. And if you could, it might be a dope idea to bring your mom.' That's what mixtapes allow us to do."

"Hamilton" at its core is a musical about one man's legacy and the lengths he will go to secure it. As the show's reign continues, mounting international productions, collecting awards, and inspiring new fans every day, the show's legacy as an inimitable success is assured. And though it may seem unthinkable, "The Hamilton Mixtape" takes this success to greater heights. Where the musical will preserve the legacy of its subject, the Mixtape secures those of the artists that inspired its musical genius.

In the spirit of gratitude and in serving as a potential gateway to communities just out of the show's grasp. "The Hamilton Mixtape" all but ensures that history will not look back on "Hamilton" as a mere monetary success but as a testament to the power of inclusion and the importance of artistic preservation. And if that is the case, long may it reign.