African Hip-Hop Indaba

Rappers, dancers, B-Boys and more battle it out at Iconic Bar and the Good Hope Centre in Cape Town!

Hip-hoppers and beat-droppers, listen up aight! We’ve got the 411 on what’s poppin’, lockin’ and showstoppin’ in the Mother City this August. That’s right folks, Heal the Hood, in conjunction with Sprite, is calling on Mzansi’s freestylers, poppers, lockers, B-Boys and fly girls to indulge in all things rap and battle each other at the 2014 African Hip Hop Indaba (AHHI) at the Good Hope Centre on Friday, 29 and Saturday, 30 August 2014.

Anyone and everyone involved in the culture built around the rhythm and rhymes genre, from rappers and beat-makers to dancers and graffiti artists, are invited to take part in what is billed as the biggest event on the South African hip-hop calendar.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE 2014 AFRICAN HIP-HOP INDABA

HIP-HOP LECTURE SERIES: A first for the annual music conference, the AHHI lecture series is a free-to-attend two-day event, and aims to address the ‘Fifth Element of Hip-hop: Knowledge of Self’. Taking place at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the workshops will be presented by Dr Quentin Emmanuel Williams (UWC), Dr Adam Haupt (UCT), Emile YX? (Heal the Hood) and spoken word performer Adrian ‘Different’ Van Wyk. Attendees can expect to be immersed in the world of rap music with two jam-packed days of talks, documentary screenings, showcases and panel discussions. The conference will take place at UWC’s Centre for Performing Arts and each day will run from 8am to 5pm. Admission to the event is FREE and lunch and tea will be provided. If you’re interested in attending, email emileyx@gmail.com to confirm your RSVP.

B-BOY & MC BATTLES: On Friday, 29 August 2014, the indaba kicks off at Iconic Bar in Long Street with DJs, emcees, beatboxers and B-boys, who are set to blaze up the dance floor. The night-time showcase features past competitors in the turntablist category dropping 10-minute sets while MCs and B-Boys will compete for in one-on-one knock-out clashes; this contest will serve as a qualifying round for a chance to participate in the UK B-boy Championships in October 2014.

DANCERS’ SHOWCASE: Saturday’s 14-hour line-up of events kicks off with solo poppers and krumpers followed by kwaito and house dancers taking the stage. Then, it’s time for the B-girls and juniors (under 16s) to battle it out on the dance floor before the B-boy crews show off their fierce moves and compete for titles and bragging rights. Each of the battles and showcases in the various categories will be judged on genre-specific criteria as well as the overall synchronicity, stage presence, choreography, theme and music.

AN ALL-ELEMENT HIP-HOP AFFAIR: Aside from the competitive showcasing of local talent, the indaba also features a variety of elements geared towards the ever-expanding community of hip-hop heads, including streetwear brand exhibitions, hip-hop theatre, documentary screenings and market stalls.

TICKETS FOR 2014 AFRICAN HIP-HOP INDABA

Tickets for the African Hip-Hop Indaba cost R80p/p per day and are available via Computicket.com and at Computicket outlets; tickets for the Friday night event can also be purchased at the door. Passes are only valid for one night. Doors open at 8pm on Friday and at 10:30am on Saturday.

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Take a look at our overview of annual August events to find out about more hot happenings taking place during the month.
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