Robert HyltonTheatre in yah hip hop
Panic buying hip hop is more of a media thing – get in quick sell high then leave. For some of us hip hop is entrenched in our very sense of self and our everyday expression. In daily terms that maybe through trainers the way we stand or say hello some of us even take hip hop to the theatre. Not as audience members – well yes that too, but as performers, thinkers, or doers. In other words, hip hop made for theatre albeit hip hop in its every practice is theatre. The clothes, language, dance etc..
So, what is hip hop theatre? My answer is or can be both simple or complex. The simple version is that hip hop theatre is theatre that is made up or influenced from elements of hip hop – rap, dance you know the doo. The more complex version is that hip hop theatre is a vehicle of self-expression and performance born out of hip hop culture which in turn grew out of African diaspora social experience. Which is where the complexity arises and what we know, or experience as hip hop throws a bridge(s) to a deeper story and legacy of hip hop. Past the South Bronx or in the UK’s first wave of hip hop and Covent Garden. Past James, Brown, The Nicholas Brothers, Whiteys Lindy Hoppers or even Master Juba to lead us eventually to slavery then on in Africa and its pre-colonial Europeanised period.
As hip hop theatre – hip hop as theatre strikes itself further into the 21st century no doubt panic buying will occur. Off the shelf no questions asked consumerism. That’s not a complaint more a fact of life – there is though I think (hope) always balance so this BLOG goes out to the ones developing, researching, implementing, and building this thing called hip hop theatre.
“the past has a future we never expect’
keep on!
Hip hop is a long story, to long I think for a blog – my point being when we say hip hop theatre what do we mean?