Parley was first staged in 2015 at the Old Bronx Borough Courthouse, with pioneering Bronx b-girl Rokafella and MC Lady L trading verses in a multilingual call-and-response built on early hip-hop sampling. Artists Angel Nevarez and Valerie Tevere sit down with Rokafella to listen back to the piece, now part of Wave Hill's sound exhibition As far as the ear can hear. If you care about hip-hop's Bronx roots or sound art, this garden talk is a rare pairing.
What to expect
An outdoor conversation in the Glyndor Terrace Garden, with the artists discussing how Parley was made and what it asks about truth and justice. Afterward you can walk through the exhibition's other sound works and Wave Hill's gardens overlooking the Hudson.
Good to know
- Wave Hill is at 4900 Independence Avenue in Riverdale; Metro-North's Hudson Line to Riverdale or the 1 train to 242 St plus a bus gets you there.
- The Glyndor Terrace Garden is reachable by a bluestone path and an ADA-compliant ramp.
- Registration is offered online, and the talk is included with grounds admission.
- Leave time to see As far as the ear can hear, the sound exhibition the talk accompanies.
- It is outdoors, so dress for the weather.
Going? Keep it.
Common questions
Who is Rokafella?
La Roka (Ana Garcia) is a pioneering Bronx b-girl and hip-hop artist who performed in Parley in 2015.
Do I need a separate ticket?
No. The talk is free with admission to Wave Hill's grounds.