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THE HIP HOP DON'T STOP
Every Saturday since the start of May, kids from the west have descended on the Footscray Community Arts Centre to be shown the ropes of Hip Hop elements, under the all-encompassing banner of the Hip Hop Academy.
Run by Aamer Rahman and Nazeem Hussain (from Fear of a Brown Planet), this free 10 week program offers young people the opportunity to work with some of Australia's best artists and performers.
There is breakdancing with Lama Roc from the Fresh Sox crew along with B-Girls Stash and Kaos, DJ Jumps from the Cat Empire on the decks, Pata Physics teaching production skills and MCing, and our very own Monkey teaching street art and graffiti writing.
Monkey says it's good to guide the kids in how to be an
artist rather than being 'trash bags' and it's fun to see
some of the wild ideas six or seven year olds can come up
with.
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"There's one kid who decided his graff name is going to
be Wolf Boy, there's a 5 Cent Millionaire, Little 20 Cent
and Kid S, so they're really embracing the mischievous
side of street art and graffiti writing", says Monkey.
"We were painting characters and a six year old kid got
up and said, 'I'm going to paint a condom with a nappy!".
The workshops give participants the opportunity to investigate issues of social discrimination and race relations, while having fun with things traditionally associated with getting in trouble. It's a positive step away from the social stigma associated with hip hop by providing a creative and constructive environment around successful, influential people.
"We just haven't told the kids that they can't get arrested till they're 16," says Monkey. Anyone can come along to get involved, share some skills or just hang with the crew for the last two sessions, which are on Saturday July 3 and July 10.
Academy 'graduates' get the chance to show off their newfound skills in a big Hip Hop Academy Super Jam in August to be held at Whitten Oval. Stay tuned.
Check out Hip Hop Academy action here:
www.footscrayarts.com
Hip Hop Academy is part of Fear of a Brown Planet's three year residency at Footscray Community Arts Centre and is supported by VicHealth.
Images by Rachel Main
© Footscray Community Arts Centre
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