Streetwise culture

Hip hop has become such a part of popular culture that no one even notices an irony in this year's annual Aotearoa Hip Hop Summit. It takes place at the Edge - a bastion of mainstream and even elitist arts - and has an exhibition of street artists entitled Disrupt the System.


Hip hop culture - a generic term which includes rap, DJs, graffiti art and breakdancing - has infiltrated television advertisements and art galleries, influenced music videos and pop culture, and is the chosen means of expression for thousands of people around the country.


This year's summit - in the Aotea Centre, Auckland Town Hall and Aotea Square next Friday and Saturday - will see local and international artists showcasing all aspects of hip hop from turntable scratching to aerosol art.


Among the local music roster will be Che Fu and the Krates, Nesian Mystic, Dubious Brothers, Ill Semantics, P-Money and Deceptikonz.


Spray-paint murals will be created on outdoor panels, there will be eight breakdancing crews competing, and on the Saturday night will be the turntable battle to find the New Zealand International Turntablist Federation champion who will represent the country at the world champs in Munich.


The international guests include DJ Vin Roc (winner of the '97 and '98 ITF championships) and Tajai, lead MC with the Souls of Mischief.


Among the graffiti artists will be Bates (from Copenhagen), Ewok (Minnesota) and Days & Shime (Australia).


Respected rapper and b-boy Jonzi-D from Britain is a graduate from the London Contemporary Dance School, has performed in Israel and the United States, and as an MC and poet has appeared with the Roots, Courtney Pine and Lenny Henry. He has featured on numerous British documentaries about hip hop and on the Friday night will perform a 20-minute theatrical dance piece.


Also over the two days will be workshops, a panel discussion on music-industry issues relating to hip hop, and the inaugural British Council Scholarship for outstanding achievement in New Zealand hip hop which offers a $5000 travel scholarship to Britain. And isn't that the mainstream embracing what was once a marginal culture out to disrupt the system?


* The Aotearoa Hip Hop Summit, The Edge, Auckland, Friday, October 4 and Saturday, October 5.

2002 Aotearoa Hip Hop Summit