Tag Archives: Hip hop

03Jun/26

CHISENGA’ s corporate shield for raw hip-hop

June 3, 2026Media1, African hip hop, African-American music, Akon, Australia, c.r.i.s, Gosnells, Hip hop, Hip-hop culture, Katongo, London, Marcus Paul, New York, Perth, Port Hedland, Sean Paul, Southern African Development Community, United Kingdom, Zambiaadmin

Tue, Jun 02 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The legacy of Diamond Chain Media is fundamentally tied to the pioneering two-decade career of its founder, Chisenga Katongo (historically known as C.R.I.S.I.S. or Crisis Mr. Swagger), who established the foundation of Zambian hip-hop by producing the country’s first-ever hip-hop album in 2005. This legacy is defined by a commitment to quality, authenticity, and elevating African narratives for an international audience. By challenging the historical marginalization of African media, the organization represents a deliberate convergence of artistic integrity and professional business structures. Continue reading →

30May/26

Breaking Boundaries: How Beat Street and Breakin’ Exported Street Culture

May 30, 2026MusicAfrican-American culture, African-American music, Afrika Bambaataa, Beat Street, Brazil, Breakdancing, DJ Kool Herc, Dresden, East Germany, Films, Harry Belafonte, HERC, Hip hop, Hip-hop culture, Hip-hop dance, Japan, Jay Electronica, Kenny, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Melle Mel, Nas, Phoenix, Poland, Rae Dawn Chong, Ramo, Ramon, RED BULL, Rock Steady Crew, Roxy—Lathan, Sha-Rock, South Bronx, Soviet Union, Stan Lathan, Street danceadmin

The Phoenix of the Bronx: From 1970s Block Parties to the Olympic Games and Broadway

Sat, May 30 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The Origins of Street Dance Hip-hop dance originated in the 1970s as a powerful form of self-expression and community building for marginalized youth. In the South Bronx, African American and Puerto Rican teenagers developed breaking (b-boying/b-girling) as a creative outlet and a peaceful alternative to territorial gang violence. Concurrently, West Coast dancers in California independently invented “funk styles,” such as popping and locking, which were originally danced to funk music rather than hip-hop. Continue reading →

03Apr/26

How Street Codes Survive the AI Era

April 3, 2026Music.google, African-American culture, Compton, Crip Walk, Crips, DeepMind, Hip hop, Hip-hop dance, Kendrick Lamar, Robert, Sam Mbale, Serena Williams, Signs, Snoop Dogg, Street dance, THAMES WATER, TikTok, West Coast hip-hopadmin

Decoding the Dance: How the Crip Walk Transformed from a Secret Gang Code to Global Entertainment

April 3, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The C-Walk, originally known as the Crip Walk, was developed in 1970s Compton by gang member Robert “Sugar Bear” Jackson as a complex, non-verbal “secret code”. It utilized precise footwork to spell out gang identifiers like “C-R-I-P” and visually cross out the names of rival gangs. During the 1990s, West Coast hip-hop artists like Snoop Dogg and WC popularized the dance, transforming it from a localized ritual into a mainstream symbol of regional pride.

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11Feb/26

Chisenga Katongo: The Global Voice of Zambian Hip Hop

February 11, 2026MusicAfrican-American music, Australia, Australian hip hop, Chisenga Katongo, Hip hop, Hip-hop culture, Katongo, Perth, Tim, Zambiaadmin

Feb 11, 2026 /Mpelembe media/ — Chisenga Katongo is a Zambian-born Australian hip hop artist known for blending African sounds with socially conscious lyrics. Based in Perth, he addresses issues like peace and justice. A multi-instrumentalist and artist, he won the Australian Peace Prize in 2009. Continue reading →

17Apr/24

Breakdancing’s inclusion in the Olympics is a big deal! Here is how

April 17, 2024EntertainmentAfrican-American culture, African-American dance, Boogaloo Sam, Breakdancing, Dance, Dance crazes, Electric boogaloo, Gucci, HERC, Hip hop, Hip-hop dance, New York, New York City, Pee-Wee Herman, Popping, Street dance, The Electric Boogaloos, Uprockadmin

NEW YORK, April 17, 2024 /Entertainment/ —

To understand its journey, let’s rewind to the 1980s, a pivotal decade for street dance, rap, and hip-hop culture. Continue reading →

14Aug/23

Hip-hop at 50: how the sights, sounds and moves of the music spread across the world

August 14, 2023MusicAdam de Paor-Evans, African-American culture, Afrika Bambaataa, Break, Chuck D, Cindy, Creative Commons, Disc jockey, Disco, DJ Kool Herc, DJ Mean Gene, Electronic dance music, Grandmaster Flash, GrandWizzard Theodore, HERC, Hip hop, Hip hop production, Kendrick Lamar, Kool Herc, Kurtis Blow, Louis Farrakhan, M.C. G.L.O.B.E., Malcolm McLaren, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Melle Mel, New York, New York City, Rapping, Sedgwick Avenue, Street dance, Sugarhill Gang, Tim III, Travis Scott, United States, Worms Aliadmin

Adam de Paor-Evans, University of Plymouth

On August 11 1973, DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy threw the now legendary Back To School jam in the recreation room of 1520 Sedgewick Avenue in The Bronx, New York.

Herc’s party represented a coming together of music and the start of something new. The Bronx crowd did not want the dancehall sounds Herc had begun to play. They wanted soul and the tough percussion of funk. So, Herc changed up the sound and used the main switch for the lights like a strobe-light to add atmosphere. Little did they know, that his event would be commonly accepted by the hip-hop fraternity worldwide as the starting point of what was to become one of the most important creative movements of the last century.

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13Aug/23

Why is hip hop culture so strong in the philippines?

August 13, 2023MusicAbra, Abra Filipino, Alex Bruce, Betty Bruce, Ex Battalion, Francis Magalona, Hip hop, Motown, Philippines, Pinoy hip hop, Sponge Cola, United Statesadmin

Aug 12 2023 — Alex Bruce is a 13-year-old Filipino rapper who is making waves in the hip hop scene. She is known for her unique style, her powerful lyrics, and her energetic live performances.

Alex Bruce started rapping at the age of 10. She quickly gained a following for her talent and her ability to connect with her audience. In 2022, she released her debut single, “Dime Girls.” The song was a commercial success and it helped to establish Alex Bruce as a major force in the Filipino hip hop scene. Continue reading →

09Aug/23

Perth has produced some of Australia’s most successful hip hop artists

August 9, 2023MusicAustralia, Australian hip hop, Big Bash League, Colombia, Drapht, Hilltop Hoods, Hip hop, Mali Jose, Music of Perth, Perth, Sydney Sixers, United Kingdom, Western Australiaadmin

Wed, Aug 9 2023 — Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is in the news for a variety of reasons. Here are a few of the top stories:

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01Aug/23

Hip Hop movies that made impact

August 1, 2023FilmsAfrican-American culture, African-American music, Beat Street, Breakdancing, Detroit, Eminem, Hip hop, Krush Groove, N.W.A, Rapping, Run-DMC, Spike Lee, Street danceadmin

Here are some of the hip hop movies that have had the most impact: Continue reading →

01Aug/23

Hip Hop is beyond Drake memes. It’s a phenomenon

August 1, 2023MusicAfrican-American culture, Cardi B, Cardi B. Cardi, Drake, Hip hop, Hip hop music, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, LGBT representations in hip hop music, Music of New York City, Musical improvisation, Political hip hop, Travis Scottadmin

July 31, 2023 /Entertainment/ — Hip hop has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the Bronx in the 1970s. It has evolved from a local street art form to a global phenomenon that encompasses all cultures and generations.

There are a number of factors that have contributed to hip hop’s rise to popularity. One of the most important factors was the release of the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979. This song was the first rap single to reach the top 40 of the Billboard charts, and it helped to introduce hip hop to a wider audience. Continue reading →