by Jared McCallister (New York Daily News)

The history of hip hop music and its Caribbean connections will be examined in a free program entitled “Bring Out the Sound System: The West Indian Roots of Hip Hop,” on Saturday at The Point CDC, 940 Garrison Ave., the Bronx, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Hip hop music pioneer Kool DJ Herc, Kool DJ and Red Alert, groundbreaking MC Just-Ice and veteran TV host Ralph McDaniels of Video Music Box are among the participants in the program, sponsored by The Point CDC and City Lore organization.

The featured performers will discuss the contributions of DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash and other influential hip hop artists of Caribbean heritage. Patricia Chin of VP Records and Natasha Lightfoot of the Bronx African-American Oral History Project will also be on hand.

A discussion will be followed by a presentation on hip hop and Jamaican sound systems, plus a reception. There will also be Caribbean food on sale provided by Bascom Catering.

For information, call Elena Martínez of City Lore at (212) 529-1955, ext. 306, or contact Kellie Terry-Sepulveda of The Point at (718) 542-4139, ext. 27. On the Web, see www.citylore.org or www.thepoint.org.