Word Out 2013

If you love sketching and free-style drawing, do check out Justin Bua's The Legends of Hip Hop. Did you know, he just kept drawing what he loved – the hip-hop scene – even though adults in his life said his art wasn't 'real'?   Way to go Justin.  Now, can we get Queen Latifah on all the dollar bills?

If you've ever been curious to mix up beats, sample like zaniness, do DO check out one of the Skratchlab DJ workshops.  The feeling of mixing is incredible. 

And for spoken word performance, check out the mind-blowing BAM! Toronto Youth Slam.  You'll leave there a changed person – so many experiences, so many raw stories and great people.

Want to get started making hip hop but don't have the equipment or space?

Check out the SPOT at Malvern Library.  YES, DJ & music production workshops and incredible equipment in the sound studio for you to use.  And folks to show you how to get all those songs in your head on to a recorded track.  Truely an amazing space!!!     Also, SPOT has a dance studio – visual art gallery for you and so much more.

If you find mainstream rap / hip hop – say full of homophobia and lots of oppression, DO check out so many underground hip hop movements going on around the world. 

Crip-Hop (a reclaiming of the word cripple, not the gang) and queer rapper Kalyn Heffernan – front person of Wheelchair Sports Camp is just bad-azz. And she swears more than a sailor.  Another crip-hop star is the Australian rapper, MC Wheels.

Queer-Hip-Hop is growing – there's a monthly queer hip hop event in TO called Yes Yes Y'All. Dancehall, dub, and a sample across all genres of rap / hip hop – this is a hot sweaty dance time.  Need an out and safe place to show off your breakdance skills? This is it.  Epic.

Curious? Check out the write up on queer hip hop artist, Johnny Dangerous 

Who's your favourite local or underground hip hop star?**

Do you mix  / write / record your own material?

**If we don't have their album in our collection, we may be able to add it.  Let us know!