Represent Review: Hype Hip Hop Awards
Is Hip Hop yesterday, today or tomorrow? Rooted in the US, but scattered all over the world where young people feel urged to stand up and wax lyrically about their lives, we believe as long as there are lyrics, dope beats and issues to be expressed, hip hop’s global appeal will continue to reign proudly. We love hip hop, and have loved it since its earliest days. We believe Hip Hop is for today and tomorrow, but like every genre of music, it’s followers won’t put up with crap… they need to be inspired and uplifted. Hip Hop must continue to explore, evolve and innovate, finding new ways to surprise, engage and entice the fans. When was the first time you fell in love with Hip-Hop? Many people remember this question from the movie Brown Sugar. I was confronted with the same question at the Coca Cola Dome this past Sunday. The hippie and at times down right bizarre clothing aside, I had to admit that Hip-Hop is all but a part of our daily existence. So real and strong are its effects on the lives of youngsters that the atmosphere at the MTN Hype Hip-Hop Awards could have been wrongly mistaken for a runaway Guy Fox day parade in the US. Kids as young as 12 years old were fully adorned in similar apparel and brands to those of their favorite MTV Cribs personas. Look! There goes 50 Cents, Eminem and the entire west coast brotherhood! Sprite basketball hoop shooters were sweating it out to punt the decade old jingle: Obey your thirst! Whilst Skateboarders enticed my eyes in a tireless seesaw recurrence as I dearly wished I was 19 kg’s lighter, Darn McDonalds!!! This being the first ever dedicated South African Hip-Hop awards event, the budget must have been very tight as the interior decor and Hip-Hop related activities left a whole lot to be desired. Do not quote me wrongly! This was an exciting event, but the lack of the usual “bling” that is associated with all things Hip-Hop was very scarce. Perhaps roping in the right sort of sponsors would do the trick for next year’s event. Do it some proper justice, I mean… My specific qualm was with the inclusion of KFC as one of the event’s anchor sponsors, no disrespect to good old Colonel Saunders and all, but KFC is all about loving family atmospheres, least of all Hip-Hop, let alone the sort of hyped up culture we see on a daily basis…A little reality please. THE AWARDS The opening of the awards ceremony was down to earth, but the Hip-Hop charged vinyl...