Meet Jeremy Beaver: Inside the Collection
This hip-hop collection is jaw-dropping and mic-dropping! Take a look!
Sep. 21, 2025
Jeremy is a music producer and DJ with a lifelong appreciation for hip-hop. His passion for collecting eventually led him to found the National Hip Hop Museum (NHHM) in Washington, D.C.
For the past five years, the museum has welcomed thousands of tourists and hip-hop legends alike.
Dedicated to preserving the history and culture of hip-hop one beat at a time, Jeremy has turned what began as a personal collection into a full-scale museum because of the sheer volume of memorabilia he has collected.
Cue the mic drop — you don’t have to love hip-hop to appreciate the history. Take a look!
1. Markie Dee of the Fat Boys Jacket
This is Markie Dee’s stylish leather jacket from the Fat Boys, who were inducted into the National Hip-Hop Museum in 2024.
The jacket appears on the cover of their 1988 album Coming Back Hard Again. The Fat Boys are one of the most successful groups in hip-hop history.
This iconic piece was donated by their manager, Charlie Stettler, who also came up with the name Fat Boys.
The jacket is special because it represents not only the group but also their manager, who designed all of the group’s costumes. He also managed Dr. Dre and many other artists, playing a major role in helping hip-hop become mainstream.
According to our expert, it was a custom-made leather jacket from the late ’80s, an era many hip-hop fans revere as the golden age of the genre.
Today, it would be worth around $125,350. This jacket is a true piece of hip-hop history—a literal "drop" of style and legacy.
2. Public Enemy Demo Tape
This is Public Enemy’s demo tape for Fear of Black Planet. There aren’t many demo tapes as iconic as this one!
This copy is extremely rare and, once again, a piece of hip-hop history. It comes from Green Street Recordings, which confirms it’s an official demo.
It includes some of the original recordings and passes of the songs that would later appear on the album known as Fear of Black Planet.
Jeremy's son found it while thrifting at a store—a rare discovery in an unlikely place! He purchased it for five or seven dollars.
According to our expert, this historic item is worth around $500,000 today.
3. Hip-Hop Declaration of Peace
This is the Hip-Hop Declaration of Peace. It’s special because there are no other official documents like this in hip-hop history.
The declaration was drawn by hand and presented for the first time at the United Nations in 2001. It was signed by over 300 major artists and U.N. delegates.
Many legends signed it, and some are no longer with us, making this piece of history even rarer.
It’s like the "Constitution of Hip-Hop." No matter the price, it means everything to Jeremy.
According to our expert, it would be worth around $1,000,000 today—a true "mic drop" in hip-hop history.
4. Grandmaster Flash’s Vox Percussion King
This is Grandmaster Flash’s secret weapon: a beatbox, also known as the Vox Percussion King. It could create drum sounds, allowing him to create rhythms by pressing the buttons.
Live percussion like this was groundbreaking in hip-hop at the time. Jeremy believes it was manufactured in the 1970s.
Jeremy found it at a thrift store in the Washington, D.C., area. No one has luck like Jeremy at thrift stores!
This is the exact model Flash used, and according to our expert, it’s a very rare piece that was central to some of his music.
The expert estimates it would be worth around $50,000 today.
5. DJ Kool Herc’s Original Equipment
This is the DJ equipment used by DJ Kool Herc to help invent hip-hop. The equipment is challenging to operate and has only two speeds.
Jeremy acquired this piece at an auction and was lucky enough to secure it. While it carried a significant price tag, its importance to hip-hop history is priceless.
According to our expert, vintage DJ equipment is highly sought after today, which increases its value. Combined with its cultural significance, this piece is worth even more. No matter the price, Jeremy will not sell it.
It would be worth around $2,300,000 today.
6. Original Sugarhill Gang Tapes & Press Release
This 1979 press release, along with eight tracks and cassette tapes, comes from the Sugarhill Gang.
Master Gee was a member of the group, and serves as executive director of the National Hip-Hop Museum, and was inducted into the museum.
The Sugarhill Gang created the first commercially successful rap song in the 1970s, making this collection a prototype for the rap industry.
According to our expert, all four items together would be worth around $15,000 today. They hold a special place in the hearts of hip-hop fans.
7. The total value of Jeremy’s hip-hop memorabilia collection:
