WBEZ & Vocalo Present: 5th Annual Winter Block Party
Sidewalk Chalk, Add-2, & Psalm One
Sat, 2013-01-26 12:00
Metro (3730 N. Clark St.)
Chicago
event producer WBEZ & Vocalo
event sponsor Gowhere Hip Hop, City Of Win, & Local Chicago Vendors
WBEZ & Vocalo present the 5th Annual Winter Block Party.... Hip hop fans, keep this day open on your calendar.
During the day, stop by the Metro from 12pm - 6 for a celebration of hip hop arts complete with B-Boy/B-Girl dance battles, a screening of "Benji" from Coodie & Chike, a poetry/storytelling slam, and a hip hop marketplace filled with local vendors (say hi to us! Gowhere Hip Hop will have a booth. Get some fresh gear from City Of Win. And more!). These day events are FREE!
Then, come back at 8pm for a series of performances from Sidewalk Chalk, Add-2 - hosted by Psalm One, Vocalo's Jesse Menendez, & Kevin Coval. Hope to see you there!
The itinerary for the day events:
12:15PM
Main Floor || B-Boy/B-Girl Dance Battle Prelims
12:30PM
Upstairs || A screening of "Benji" directed by Coodie and Chike
1:45PM
Main Floor || B-Boy/B-Girl Dance Battle Semis
2:15PM
Upstairs || Screenings of selected local Hip Hop music videos
3:00PM
Main Floor || B-Boy/B-Girl Dance Battle Finals
3:30PM
Upstairs || Solo Tip: An Exploration of Hip Hop Theater and Storytelling (The Public Square and YCA)
The Mash is the teen edition of the Chicago Tribune - a high school newspaper distributed to Chicago area high schools, produced entirely by high school students! Today's issue brought Chicago hip hop to the forefront after the recent murder of Lil Jojo ignited a look at how hip hop and its violent, lyrical messages, especially seen here locally, is having an impact on the youth.
The cover story 'Bad Rap?' does a great job concisely describing the issues with an informative, light-shedding perspective, letting people within the scene tell the story. Amongst them: rappers Rhymefest & Chance The Rapper, WBEZ/Vocalo radio host (and birthday boy!) Jesse Menendez, Fake Shore Drive deputy editor Ty Kidd, and our own GY312.
Simply put, this is a must-read for any local visitors where this topic hits home, but really to everyone reading out there, wherever you are. We can all assess how this issue influences our own communities and focus our intention on learning and growing from it. Big ups to The Mash for a job well-done informing and sparking conversation and action.
Read the full cover story here. Comment with your thoughts!
