HARTFORD, CT (2006-04-21) Thirty years ago when DJ’s and MC’s in New York City clubs began isolating sections of music, adding a beat to it, and speaking in rhyme over top of it, little did they know it would spark a musical and cultural phenomenon later to be called hip hop.
Fast forward ahead 30 years, and hip-hop has spread across the globe, a musical genre that has become a political and social force in many countries.
Hartford’s Trinity College is hosting a first of its kind International Hip Hop Festival this weekend, with over 25 acts from every continent on the bill. The weekend will also feature several award winning hip hop films, Lectures, and panel discussions on the many facets of the genre.
WNPR’s Ray Hardman talked to the co-organizers of the event, seniors Magee McIlvaine and Jason Azevedo. They say in thirty years Hip Hop has spread far from its Brooklyn roots.
