Hiphop is the key!

Date 22 December 2013 Author Roma React Category People and life-style

On Tuesday, December 17, 2013 we showed the “work in progress” project called HIPHOPOS at a community club Plechárna, Černý Most in Prague, Czech Republic.

HIPHOPOS is represented by youth hiphop groups Cincinety and Angel Mafia from Prague’s neighborhood called Černý Most. The event featured also group called UGC (United
Gypsi Crew) from Žižkov and Czech solo beatebox champion Tiny Beat who warmed up our event. Around sixty people arrived to see the hiphop performance by Roma Youth. The
project started in October and we hope it will never end. It was organized by Universal ZULU Nation, Chapter 9/ Brooklyn – Prague, and supported by OSF, Prague 14 and NGO
ScArt.

Roma youth loves hiphop. On the one hand they identify strongly with somebody who is of darker skin tone and successful at the same time. And on the other hand, they feel hiphop, they live hiphop, they love hiphop. The rhythm, the vibe, the music is like second nature to the Roma youth. They have the rhythm inside themselves and they are very talented. All of them are working very hard to become an MC. Universal ZULU Nation is here to make sure they also understand the history of hip hop culture, the social background of this international movement, the positive approach to counter the influence of rap music on MTV full of consumerism and sexism.

Working with the Roma hip hop groups Cincinety and Angel Mafia is a hip hop artist Bonus, who is also their mentor. They work together in hopes of reaching the understanding that sexism and curses is not what makes hip hop. Bonus stated: “It is a part of their expression, it is the way they think, talk and live. We are slowly working towards self-
reflection and creativity.”

“We will reconvene again before spring. Together with dancers and other musicians we will take the stage with a performance that will reflect on our society, the racism, drug abuse, hatred as well as love. This is our goal for the next three months” stated Mariposa, the director of the HIPHOPOS project. Check them on Facebook!