Twin Cities hip hop
Twin Cities hip hop is hip-hop or rap music that originates from the Twin Cities metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Minnesota.
History
Pre 1996
Although strictly underground, there existed a sub-terraean hip hop culture in the Twin Cities starting as early as 1981. Similar to the development of hip hop in the South Bronx, Twin Cities rap started as humble parties with a DJ and an emcee.[1]. A DJ named Travitron was comparable to the DJ Kool Herc of the Twin Cities area. Shows took place at many venues, most notoriously Club Hip Hop on Selby Avenue in Saint Paul. Other artists and DJs include Disco T, Verb X, Brother Jules, Delite, and Truth Maze. The first real album to come out of the Twin Cities was called The I.R.M. Crew, released in 1985. Graffiti and b-boy crews were also existent in the city. This is the world that the current movers of Twin Cities Hip Hop were brought up in. However the first verifiable rap record to be released in Minnesota was Twin City Rapp, a 12" on Twin Town Records. This record was produced by David TC Ellis who is also the founder of STUDIO 4/HSRA high school for recording arts, hsra.org aka (hip hop high) soon to be a Viacom docuseries about education and hip hop.
1996-present
The main movers of Twin Cities hip hop came together to form the group Headshots, a precursor to the Rhymesayers Entertainment label. Members of this group included Slug, I Self Devine, Micranots, Musab, Siddiq, and Ant. Slug was one of the main artists to move into the foreground, setting the tone for the style of music to follow in the years to come.
Style
Twin Cities hip hop is characterized best by the alternative rap, underground rap, conscious hip hop and Midwest hip hop, heavily influenced by the Chicago mainstream and underground. The content of music speaks about, political, economic, and social issues. The beats use influences from jazz, soul and classic rock. Many rap songs from the Twin Cities speak on social and political issues, and also involve personal stories. More recently, in the post-2000 years, other styles, including heavy Chicago underground and mainstream influences have arisen in the young hip hop movement in the Twin Cities, embracing the sounds of soul sampling and epic drum kits, as made by popular by producers such as Kanye West, No I.D and the Heatmakerz.
Twin Cities Celebration of Hip Hop Festival
The Twin Cities Celebration of Hip-Hop a.k.a. The Hip Hop Fest is an annual event founded by Larry Lucio, Jr. and Toki Wright in 2002. It is hosted by YO! The Movement and brings together people from all walks of life to celebrate the power of community through hip-hop culture.
In addition to featured performances from National Headlining artists and local acts, The Hip Hop Fest includes Battles in the following Categories: MC Battle, DJ Battle, B-Boy/B-Girl Battle, Beatbox Battle, and Production Battle.
In the first five years alone, nearly 20,000 people from around the world had taken part in the festival and conference. Past participants include Slick Rick, MC Lyte, Cee-Lo of Gnarls Barkley, Clipse, Camp Lo, Crazy Legs, Slug of Atmosphere, Jean Grae, Asia-One, EWOK (HM Crew), Brother Ali, and many others.
Headline performers:
2007 (6th): Naughty By Nature and Eyedea & Abilities
2006 (5th): MC Lyte, Brother Ali & The Chosen Few
2005 (4th): Slick Rick, Slum Village & I Self Devine
2004 (3rd): Cee-Lo of Gnarls Barkley & Goodie Mob, Clipse, & Jean Grae
2003 (2nd): Camp Lo
2002 (1st): The C.O.R.E
The Annual Twin Cities Hip Hop Awards
Main article: The Annual Twin Cities Hip Hop Awards
The Annual Twin Cities Hip Hop Awards is an annual awards celebration giving recognition to the year's most prominent artists in the area. The 1st Annual Twin Cities Hip Hop Awards were held on January 20, 2007 at the University of Minnesota Campus in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Over 1000 local hip hop, R&B and urban music artists, and even more fans attended the event. The event was hosted by High Society, ran by local emcee Depth.
The night included performances by Mista Maeham, FIC, Maria Isa, Toki Wright, True High Class, Rico Nevotion, Holler Early Fam, Saint Paul Kings, DEPth, Ghetto Poets, Lyrasis, Sandman, Blaze 1 Camp, Tony Bones & Big Wiz, Young Maniak , Plus Envy & Leviticus
The 2nd Annual Twin Cities Hip Hop Awards Nominees were announced on November 13, 2007. Large categories include Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Twin Cities Next Up.
Notable artists
Atmosphere
Blade Brown
Brother Ali
P.O.S.
Heiruspecs
I Self Devine
Oddjobs
Eyedea & Abilities
Unknown Prophets
Sims
Cecil Otter
Los Nativos
Booka B
Kill The Vultures
Orikal
Dessa
Mike Mictlan
Kanser
Young Son
Big Quarters
PLC
Micranots
Musab (f.k.a. Beyond)
BK-One
Raw Villa
Abstract Pack
Toki Wright
Joe Green
A.Dream
Carnage The Executioner
Maria Isa
Desdamona
Trama
Selfish
In addition to these artists, these labels have added other artists from around the country, most notably those from the Midwest and Northwest United States.
The major record labels in the area are Rhymesayers Entertainment, Interlock Records, Loonatix Productions and Doomtree.
Some notable indie (small time) labels include Thurabreads Entertainment, Influential Melodiez, Street Knowledge Entertainment and Mystro Management
Locations
The headquarters for Rhymesayers Entertainment is located in Uptown, Minneapolis, Fifth Element, the store owned and operated by the label.
The well known Minneapolis venue First Avenue has been a typical location for major performances of Twin Cities hip hop, including the annual Twin Cities Hip Hop Festival. Other common places for shows around the cities include Dinkytown (in venues such as the Varsity Theater and The Dinkytowner), The Red Sea and the Cedar/Riverside area, and downtown Saint Paul.
Other Locations include
Foundation Nightclub
Duke's Lounge
Trocaderos
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