Concerts in the Park needs more hip-hop

The Concerts in the Park series is an important showcase for Sacramento’s local music scene. Thousands of people attend these shows on Friday nights at downtown’s Cesar Chavez Plaza, and, in recent years, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership has made smart changes to inject new life into the free weekly party.

But when this year’s lineup was announced last week, there was a glaring hiccup: The dearth of hip-hop artists.

Bands and acts practically beg to play these shows, and getting the opportunity to do so is a feather in the cap of local musicians. It’s competitive, we get that. But hip-hop artists need greater representation.

Sacramento’s music community has a long history of discouraging, even banning, rap and hip-hop from local clubs and events. Let’s not continue this shameful practice on Sacto’s biggest stage.