As hip-hop evolves from a marginalized art form to a hugely profitable, global market, many different debates have arisen among those invested in the music and culture. While some people believe that mass-marketed rap is in opposition to hip-hop’s original role as a vehicle for social resistance, others question whether a new crop of hugely popular white rappers are removing the genre from its cultural context (much like what happened to rock’n’roll sixty years ago). Meanwhile, others are merely sitting back and watching as hip-hop’s influence reaches the most privileged corners of society, including Fashion Week and the White House. Ensemble Mik Nawooj, an East Bay hip-hop orchestra, and the nonprofit Hip-Hop for Change are hosting a free conference at Impact Hub called The Future of Hip-Hop: America’s Newest Indigenous Art to explore questions about where hip-hop culture is headed. Speakers include JooWan Kim of Mik Nawooj, Khafre Jay of Hip-Hop for Change, Davey D of KPFA’s Hard Knock Radio, graffiti artist Ernest Doty, dance crew Mix’d Ingrdnts, and more.
.The Future of Hip-Hop: America’s Newest Indigenous Art at Impact Hub
