We’ve seen a number of successful Hip-Hop events in India this year. Hip-Hop culture is rising on the up and up in India. It seems the graph is still on it’s way upwards with no ones time or energy put to waste. Enter SlumGods. Being an active member of the SlumGods, I have seen the team create and perform at many events together. We at DesiHipHop.com thrive to push these events so that they can reach their maximum potential in terms of reaching out to the masses. The support means everything to artists and enthusiasts alike. What sets SlumGods apart from the rest is the uniqueness in what they do as a crew. The events are mostly not just based on one specific subculture, but are presented as a holistic view of the hip-hop culture in India.
We have a growing number of events that are related to all subcultures in Hip-Hop. And this is happening at a rapid pace. We have separate events for Graffiti, like workshops, wall/room painting sessions etc. Separate events for rap (yes, even counting street cyphers). And year long, we observe various events especially for the breakdancing element. It is no doubt that breakdance is the leading force in Indian hip-hop in terms of its widespread acceptance. SlumGods as a crew and collective has also been heavy in terms of Breakdancing.
Founded by bboys, the crew has developed its collective form. And has been host to various memorable events along the years. Events have taken place in parks, on the streets, in halls, clubs, venues, lounges and even at historical forts. But this is the first time in 200 years that a Hip-Hop event will take place in the docks of Mumbai. In this article you will find out the relevance and beauty of the event. All this, in pictures as well as words from Bboy Akku, describing the significance of the event.
SlumGods & The Rise Of Indian Hip-Hop
Emcees, Beatboxers, B-Boys/girls, DJ’s and graffiti writers all take active part in the makings of these events because at the end of the day, SlumGods itself is a Hip-Hop collective and not just a crew. They have been part of these types of events since a long time and a shining example of this was the “Street Art” event they hosted back in 2015. It was an event presented by Adidas where different graffiti acts were involved in creating their own set pieces on different sections of a ground in Bandra. All this while simultaneously entertaining the crowd with breakdancing battles/cyphers, rap battles, and performances from top emcees.
This year has also been a benchmark for SlumGods in terms of events. The “After-School Jam” that showcased the young talent that have been nurtured by SlumGods crew was put in exhibition for the world to witness. This was a brief introduction to the next generation of hip-hop in India. The “Bhaari Scene Jam” was the first of its kind where the b-boys were given new shoes through the contributions of the people of Hip-Hop worldwide. And finally, the date is set for their next endeavour – “The Dock Jam”.
The Dock Jam
On November 19th – The Dock Jam is going to be one of the best events to have been created from the SlumGods portfolio. Firstly, it is called the “Dock” jam because it is going to be held at Sassoon Dock in Mumbai. That itself is a first of its kind move. Major developments are happening behind the scenes and it is movements like these that make the Hip-Hop world in India worth exploring. Bboy Akku of SlumGods is spearheading the event and he promises it to be one of the most unique jams out there.
Here is the link to the event for details of the DOCK JAM: http://bit.ly/TheDockJam
SlumGods are working hand in hand with Street Art India [St+ Art India] to curate the event to be as bhaari as possible! The walls of the dock are being spray-painted in murals and graffiti as we speak. The jam is putting forwards Bboying culture as its highlight. Setting up breaking battles with a cash prize of Rs. 20,000 up for grabs. This is a major callout to all b-boys and girls in the area to step it all the way up on the floor and give it their all.
All-Star Lineup
Apart from that, SlumGods will have Dreamteam member D’Evil hosting the event. We will also witness multiple emcees spit their games and set it off in their performances. The line-up will be announced directly through their Facebook event page. To amp the excitement even further, SlumGods have officially announced that DJ Ko Flow & Radikal Forze Krew from Singapore will be the special guests for the evening. This is easily building up to be a key event for the hip-hop culture in India because it is during events like these that we get to see cultural exchange. We learn more about the hip-hop ecosystem in other places once we experience them in person. Big ups to the team to make this happen.
Judges/Performers
At the seat of the judging panels we also have an all-star judging lineup. We will see 3 of the city’s best bboys all line up to select the top bboy/girl of the event. The first judge is Bboy Wildchild of Beast Mode crew. We’re sure he’s ready to lace up his sneakers and pump the dance floor up at the jam. Next we have Bboy Last Minute of Sexy Socks Crew. He is a force to be reckoned with and everyone knows it. And lastly, we have Bboy Bunny of Roc Fresh Crew. He is one of the most talented and acclaimed bboys to hit the floor in this country and were sure hes ready to raise the roof with his moves at the jam.
We also have performances by top emcees like Enkore, D’Evil, EMF & Gari-B, Shaikhspeare, and Poetik Justis. The emcees are bringing their best tracks on stage to have the crowd move and groove with the hip-hop vibes. The jam also includes a special feature called “Who is the Cyphercat”. What happens here is, once the floor is open for the cyphers, the bboys all get down one by one at the gig. Then, the crew members of Radikal Forze crew will be keeping an eye out for the one who rocks the stage the best at that time. At the end, the Cyphercat will be announced. And he or she gets to win a fresh pair of kicks at the event! So bboys and girls, lace up your boots and get down to your freshest set of moves, get ready to win.
Whats the best thing for you at this event you say? Well, for starters, the entries are free for all. Drop all your plans, gather all your friends and step inside hip-hop culture (literally). The whole day is going to be filled with hip-hop vibes all around.
SlumGod Talk
On speaking with BBoy Akku (Akash Dhangar) of SlumGods, we asked him on his personal experience curating this event. He told us the following:
“This is not an ordinary jam. The motive of the jam isn’t just the One on One battles or the cash prize of Rs. 20,000. This jam is for the pure hip-hop scene. And the best thing about this for SlumGods is that we get to represent the scene in a different way, which hasn’t been done before. In the past years, when we initially started, we used to hold down events at the Sion Fort. That fort later came to be known as Battle Fort because of us. A few years later we were throwing jams directly in the Bombay streets.
Now, we are making use of the dock areas. This, in our own way is keeping that tradition of rawness going. Our speciality is that we have put up Hip-Hop events at spots where people might not have even thought it would be possible. Mostly, what we have observed is that a lot of these jam events go down at studios, halls, even clubs. We have broken apart from that tradition and started doing different stuff. We have kept this event in such a place where people will literally walk in to hip-hop. The location is filled with street art. And it is a larger than life event when we will see breakdancers, DJ’s and Emcees get down at the event. We aim to make a statement through this event and uplift the Hip-Hop scene in the country with these kinds of events.”
Why You Should Show Up
This event is not your ordinary event. It is an immersive experience worth having. By entering the gates of the building, you are literally stepping inside street culture and witnessing first hand the power, influence and impact of Hip-Hop culture globally. There are, without a doubt, going to be some great moments and memories about to be made at this venue.
The Hip-Hop culture has come a long, long way to this point. Convincing the local authorities to hold an event on this scale here in Mumbai is also a pain. But the amazing people at St+Art India have managed to do that and much, much more. This event has brought in people from different parts of the world to express themselves through art and music. This is what makes this a festival level event in the building grounds. The three floors of the building have been perfectly drenched in different art from different artists, and that’s the best part about this whole event day.
Audiences can check in anytime during the day as entry is free. All they need to do is register themselves at the gates and they will be allowed to explore the building. They will be able to witness the beauty of the art on that day as well as vibe and groove with the people once the jam starts! Below is the link, do press the “GOING” button on the event page to show your support, and if you can’t make it, do share it with your friends and let everyone know whats going down! LINK -> http://bit.ly/TheDockJam
So tell a friend to tell a friend, bring your squad along and enjoy the festivities! This is history in the making, this is THE DOCK JAM!