Hip-hop lovers and newbies alike will gather at The Union, 18 W. Union St., tomorrow as 1Side music, sponsored by Hip Hop Congress, holds Hip-Hopalooza III, a celebration of hip-hop culture and a benefit show for Good Works.
The show, which is in its third year, promotes the positive sides of hip-hop culture. Preparation for the show takes around two months. According to event coordinator Christopher Summers, the performers are chosen based on their reputation and ability to compliment the goals and attitudes of Hip-Hopalooza.
The lineup for the show features Jéan P. Johnson, Briana Brandy, Braxton Howell, Athens natives Dysfunktional Family, Christopher Graves (also known as CG) and Ohio University students J. Doze, IZ and house DJ, DJ iShine.
“One thing that all the artists have in common is that they have positive music that attempts to show hip-hop in the positive light that it was meant for rather than the negative image the culture currently has,” said Russell Morrow, president of Hip Hop Congress.
The event allows anyone in Athens to enjoy and learn about hip-hop. Lovers of the genre will be provided with “exposure to underground artists with talent just as good, or better than, the mainstream music that they hear,” Morrow said.
For those who don’t know much about hip-hop, the event should provide them with a better understanding of the genre.
“This event will show that hip-hop exists in various forms and it is the music that brings people together,” Summers said. “From its birth back in the Bronx in 1979, this genre is meant to bring people together and those who have never been to a ’Palooza will see it.”
The idea of the event is to steer away from the hip-hop stereotype of objectifying women and taking drugs, instead focusing on the lyrical side of hip hop. Headliner Jéan P. Johnson takes pride in his music’s poetic nature and reliability, rapping about real life situations that people can understand.
“It will be something special because it has been a while since I performed at The Union,” Johnson said. “Seeing my friends and new faces is motivation for me.”
The show will donate proceeds to Good Works.
“We want to leave an impact in Athens and just Ohio in general,” Johnson said. “People remember a great show and we want people years from now to say they attended OU Hip-Hopalooza III.”
eb104010@ohiou.edu
