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Festival Swag: Celebrate Hip Hop With Some Boom Bap
RnB/Hip Hop | Tuesday 17th September 2013 | Shay
What happens when you get a field, fill it up with rappers, MCs, graffers, DJs, speakers, funfair rides, three tents, broken down cars, food and skate ramps? A banging, Boom Bapping incredible time!
This weekend celebrated this festival's second year running as the UK's only festival dedicated to Hip Hop. The weather was not an issue for hardcore fans who managed to ride out the weekend, head-nodding in the rain with their revolutionary fists in the air, and skanking until midnight in the mud... all for the love of Boom Bap.
The UK Hip Hop scene has really come a long way and Boom Bap Festival really captured its current essence. Although small in comparison to some other festivals occuring during the summer, its heart was big! Dons of the scene such as Chester P, Mystro and Poisonous Poets touched stage as well as more recent artists like Sonny Green, Lyrically Challenged Collective and Onoe Caponoe.
With half cut vans, barrels and skate ramps being graffed up, the field was a canvas, with splashes of vibrant colour lifting its spirits. Beats were booming from every angle and faces were smiling.
Friday paved the way for the weekend. The energy of Triple Darkness members included Ray Vendetta, Tesla the Ghost and Melanin 9, who gassed up the crowd, their dark heavy beats taking over the atmosphere. On Saturday, the vibes continued. Over at the Hoochinoo tent, poet and rapper Sonny Green brought his energy to a intense set, followed by rapper Kingpin, who punched every bar of his tracks over some catchy high quality instrumentals. This gave us a taster of the fire that is to come from his solo project, and his "hype man" Filfy laced the set with a new track that is going to completely blow! The LC Collective Girls were there to represent all the females in Hip Hop, with conscious and powerful lyrics over raw beats, getting the audience warmed up for the rest of the acts. DJ Shorty blessed us with some big tracks for a Saturday afternoon!
The evening livened up even more with Reveal, Tony D and Locksmyth who rammed the tent, spitting classics and deserving a few pull ups. Genesis Elijah and Union Black also graced us with their presence, and the TPS family came onto the main stage with heavy beats and a engaging performance.
The producer battle then popped off with the crowds, getting passionate - who could blame them? The quality and speed at which beats were being pumped into the air was magical.
Sunday's weather may have taken a turn for the colder, but the potion from Onoe Caponoe and his psychedelic set brewed enough heat for the crowd, leading onto Life and Nappa, who smashed it with a freestyle outro which got the crowd roaring. The Beatbox Collective reminded us that a major part of this genre includes the incredible beats from the mouth - who needs an MPC - it was jawdropping! Headliner Chester P tore it up with a grand Sunday finale.
Throughout the whole weekend there was a nice range of cuisine which catered for all taste buds, from Caribbean dishes and natural foods, to down right grease! The fans were excited, the artists were pleased and everyone was there for the same reason: the shared passion for the music, and to celebrate where we have come from. The more that artists unite, support each other's hustle, keep festivals like this alive and interact with their fans, the more that this will mean onwards and upwards for our Hip Hop scene!
Shay D @shayduk
