Emerging talent gets a break

By JOANNA HUNKIN

Change is in the air for this weekend's fifth annual hip-hop summit. All events are free and the summit will focus exclusively on New Zealand hip-hop talent.

It will no longer include international MC acts or evening concerts.

Organiser Jess Peters said the focus of this year's summit was to provide a platform for new and emerging local talent, rather than to promote established artists.

Incorporating the four elements of hip-hop - MCing, DJing, breaking (break dancing) and graffiti art - the summit is now known as the Boost Mobile Aotearoa Hip-Hop Summit, after gaining a naming rights sponsor.

After criticism that last year's event was more of a concert than a summit, this year will include more breaking than previous years, and features its first B-Girl Battle.

That's a contest between female crews, including Auckland-based Disruptiv Allstar Breakers' Bgurl Sheeq and Bgirl Shadow, and Wellington's Bgirl Praise of the Step Kingz.

Allstar captain Bgurl Sheeq, aka Amy Raumati, said the battle was significant as female breaking was largely underground. The summit would help to raise its profile.

"This weekend's gonna be massive ... we're gonna be representing hard."

Breaking will feature in a three-hour open circle on Friday afternoon and three-on-three battles between top male crews on Saturday.

The graffiti-writing event, Disrupt the System, is also growing this year, using six cars and 4x8m billboards as canvases rather than the usual MDF boards. The event will feature more than 25 graffiti artists, including French artists Mist and Tilt of LeClub.

Disruptiv manager Deidre Dawson believes this year's summit is more balanced than in previous years, with a greater emphasis on breaking and graffiti art.

Peters said although every act would be a highlight, some of the ones to watch were current No 1 single artist Dei Hamo, Tha Feelstyle and newcomer Temple Jones.

Performing as one of only two female MCs, Temple Jones, aka Shirley Bethan, felt privileged to be included. "It's a real big deal. Everyone wants a spot."

However she said first and foremost she considered herself an MC, not a female MC. "We've earned that right."

Grateful for the exposure and the experience, Jones said: "It's been a goal of mine for a few years."

Summit regulars Scribe, Mareko and Savage will not attend this year as they are touring Australia, but Peters felt it would not affect the event.

"People are excited about seeing people they haven't seen before."

She said the summit was a celebration of emerging talent in the community and the more popular hip-hop became, the larger the event would be.

The summit runs from noon till 6pm today and tomorrow, in Aotea Square. More than 15,000 people are expected.

Performance

* What: The Aotearoa Hip Hop Summit

* Where and when: Aotea Square, today and tomorrow, noon-6pm


Hip-hop summit programme


TODAY

Main Stage

Noon - DJ Shan

12.30pm - .45

1pm - Goodfellaz

1.30pm - Albino

2pm - Breaking Showcases

2.30pm - Disruptiv Showcase

3pm - Bluebloods

3.30pm - 4 Corners

4pm - Tha Feelstyle

4.30pm - Temple Jones

5pm - Fast Crew

5.30pm - Alphrisk, Ill Semantics, R.E.S

6pm - finish

Breakdancing Stage

Noon-3pm - Open Circle with DJ Manchoo

Graf Art Arena

Noon-6pm

Workshops at Aotea Centre

1pm - MC Workshop with Word Perfect

2pm - DJ Workshop with DJ Poroufessor

4pm - Breakdancing Workshop with B-Boy Steez

TOMORROW

Main Stage

Noon - DJ Raw

12.45pm - Hoodwatch

1.10pm - Emcee Lucia

1.35pm - Southgate

2pm - 4th Element

2.25pm - B Girl Battle and Breaking Finals

3.05pm - Wanderers

3.30pm - Word Perfect

4pm - Dei Hamo

4.30pm - Breakin Wreckwordz

5pm - Misfits Of Science

5.30pm - Nesian Mystik

6pm - finish

Breakdancing Stage

Noon - Elimination Rounds

1pm - Showcases

2pm - Semifinals

3pm - Open Circle

Graf Art Arena

Noon - 6pm