On: September 13 at 07:00 AM
At front, Random Abiladeze rocks the crowd. Above, Can Huynh creates a work that will be auctioned to benefit the Gospel Center Rescue Mission.
Video: Scenes from the Art of Hip-Hop. Video: Graham Howes. Editing: Ian Hill.
Local hip-hop fans witnessed the best of their culture Sept. 12 during the Art of Hip-Hop. The event, which was part of the Downtown Stockton Alliance Art Walk, featured the four elements of hip-hop: DJing, breakdancing, rapping and graffiti art.
Spoken-word poets from Stockton's With Our Words got a big reaction from fans with their opening performance. DJ No Shame served as emcee, meanwhile, keeping the crowd hyped as they enjoyed sets by Random Abiladeze, The Icarus Jones Collective and Greyspace.
Hip-hop heads also crowded around spray-paint artist Can Huynh to watch him create a mural that will be sold on eBay to benefit the Gospel Center Rescue Mission. (Keep checking 209Vibe.com for more on that.) And art students from Jane Frederick Continuation High School found their street-inspired work was hugely popular with the crowd.
But the biggest fan response came during performances by the Termites Crew bboys and the open jam that ended the night. The Termites continue to be a downtown favorite, as their rhythmic, acrobatic moves often draw oooohs and aaaahs from onlookers.
The open jam, meanwhile, featured Greyspace emcee Matt Lowe and Random Abiladeze sharing the mic for a freestyle session with lyricists from the crowd. Stockton poet and rapper Justin Chu was particularly impressive, spiting a tongue twisting rhyme that left fans wanting more.
It was a high-energy end to an evening that highlighted the best aspects of hip-hop: Its creativity, its artistry and its sense of community.
Video: Random Abiladeze at the Art of Hip-Hop. Video: Graham Howes. Editing: Ian Hill.
Video: Poet Miko J at the Art of Hip-Hop. Video: Graham Howes. Editing: Ian Hill.
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great event... i thought it was a good example of positive hip hop and what it can do for the youth... giving them a form of expression that bleeds creativity..and originality. often over looked by the media.. thats always choosing to report the negative aspects of our culture the music was dope, the b-boys killed it with the dance moves... the only weak representation to me was the "mural" painted at the event. i heard it refered to as graffiti at the event. the word "graffiti" is more assosiated with vandalizing someone elses property......we see our art form as "aerosol art" wich is art with the sole use of spray paint with out stencils or masking tape.. what i seen painted at the show looked more like a bob ross painting.."space art" you see being done for tourist at fishermans warf.. lacking that hip hop funk & soul. i thought the dj could of been repesented a little better also...being the show was about the art of hip hop. some turntablism would of been nice. dont get me wrong im jus a b-boy over 30 with an opinion. all together it was a good event. thanks to everyone who brought this together.. hip hop... ya dont stop. peace mazon