Eindhoven: a HipHop story

Entrepreneurial spirit

'HipHop culture could be about turntable skills, graffiti art, breaking or rapping; but it's always about the people making it happen.' This was once written on a flyer of an illegal HipHop party in Eindhoven. It symbolises the entrepreneurial spirit of this subculture that blew over from the United States in the early 1980s. Eindhoven's raw, industrial character proved to be a fertile breeding ground for this scene. Forty years later, HipHop has been absorbed into mainstream culture.

‘HipHop has the power to transcend the individual and bring people together, whether on the street or in a museum.’ Stephan Cornelio Velema (breaker and filmmaker, a.o. of documentary Street Stars in Light City.

Labyrinth

When visiting Eindhoven: a HipHop story, you step into a labyrinth. This set-up symbolises the world of subculture: there is no single beaten path that the creators in this scene take, more often it is a complex route they have created themselves. The maze leads you to the heart of the exhibition. That central meeting place symbolises the four elements of HipHop: DJing, mc'ing, breaking and graffiti.

‘HipHop had an appeal. Nobody said to me, 'go do this'. You thought, 'this is where I want to belong'. Without realising it, I belonged to a community with shared values.’ MC Melodee (rapper, and performer).

Multi-disciplinary work

The exhibition invites you to participate. Because engaging in a creative process together, inspiring others and passing on your knowledge and skills, that is HipHop. Imagine yourself in the head of a rapper while thinking up a song, you enter an illegal HipHop party through VR glasses and an innovative breakdance installation invites you to dance.

‘HipHop is a feeling and a way of life: you don't do HipHop, you are it.’ Grndmxr CazOne (graffiti artist, breaker and DJ).