Category: graffiti

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Trinity International Hip-Hop Festival

The Trinity International Hip-Hop Festival and Conference is seeking submissions for performers and presenters for their 15th annual event to be held at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, on March 26-29, 2020. This year’s theme is “15 Years of Hip Hop: Past, Present and Future”. This year, the festival is honoring the roots of hip hop as a vehicle of empowerment and resistance for marginalized voices while celebrating how hip hop has also dynamically changed as a movement through time. Looking back in order to step forward, this 15th year’s focus is to honor the foundations of hip hop as well as to celebrate the artists that keep hip hop alive. We invite all artists from around the world to celebrate the roots, seeds, and branches of hip hop as we honor how it has existed, developed, mobilized, and sparked change throughout the decades.

Continue reading

HHAP Episode 31: Wachata Crew on Graffiti & Hip Hop Culture in Tanzania

Wachata Crew is the biggest, and oldest graffiti crew in Tanzania. With more than a decade of experience, the members of Wachata Crew are established and respected members of the hip hop scene in Tanzania. The members of Wachata are Local Fanatics, Kala Singa, Medi, and Mejah.

We met up at their studios at Nafasi Art Space (nafasiartspace.org) in Dar es Salaam and talked about graffiti culture in Tanzania. We discussed the origins of Wachata Crew with WAPI (Words and Pictures) at the British Council in Dar es Salaam back in 2007. Wachata Crew sheds light on how many Tanzanians see graffiti culture in Tanzania and the connections between graffiti and hip-hop culture in Tanzania.

Graffiti culture differs all over the world, the members of Wachata Crew talk about the cost and qualities of spray paint cans in Tanzania, v. other places. The artists also discuss their connections with graffiti beyond Tanzania, and the participation of women in graffiti culture in Tanzania.

You can find Wachata Crew on Instagram @wachata07 and each member at @muabaka, @kalasinga24, @mejahmbuya, @localfanatics

Continue reading

1 2