Hip-hop festival ends

“Who said hip-hop is dead?” Indianapolis native and hip-hop icon DJ Top Speed asked a packed audience at the seventh annual DJ battle and show Friday. Top Speed refereed the event and scratched the turntables for break-dancers.\nThe event was just one of five separate events in conjunction with the Hip Hop Awareness Festival, which kicked off last Monday. \nTim Zawada, chapter head of the IU Hip Hop Congress, which presented the event, was impressed with the show.\n“It was so packed you could hardly move,” he said. “The event was representative of hip-hop culture in its purest form. DJs, MCs, B-boys and graffiti artists were all equally represented. It showed people that hip-hop is made out of four different elements that come together to make a culture. It’s not just about the music.”\nOn Monday, the documentary “Scratch,” a film about the evolution of DJing, was played in the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union.\nThe film’s associate producer, John Carluccio, stayed after the showing for a question-and-answer session with \nthe audience.\nFormer Source Magazine editor Bakari Kitwana spoke Tuesday night in the IU Auditorium. One of Kitwana’s first questions he posed to the audience was, “Anybody here a Kappa?”\nHowever, Kitwana didn’t come to speak on behalf of Kappa Alpha Psi, his fraternity, which was founded at IU. The renowned hip-hop intellectual went on to speak of hip-hop’s presence in a political spectrum. Kitwana spoke of the importance and relevancy that hip-hop possesses in politics.\nHe talked about artists such as Kanye West – a rapper who might make political statements but is not a political rapper, Kitwana said.\nWednesday’s poetry slam was even more crowded than the first two events of the week impressing the organizer of the event, Braydon Thompson, better known as DJ Krotch.\n“The poetry slam was the biggest it’s ever been,” Thompson said. “We had the best poets, and the level of talent was higher than ever.”\nThompson not only organized the Wednesday poetry slam, he also battled in Friday’s event.\n“I loved it, it was fun and I’d never been in a scratch battle. I need to work on my scratching. I think everyone did really well. It was a good time to shine,” he said. “You got one sample and a beat and you just scratch it – it was a good test of DJ skills.”\nThe week culminated at Alumni Hall with Saturday’s performances by Iomos Marad, Crayz Walz, Percee P and other local MCs. In addition to the performances, there was an MC battle for $500.\nThe show started with local group Hoosier Connect, which warmed up the crowd with a humorous sketch about whether they were performing a piano recital or jazz show and then finally agreeing that it was hip-hop show. The next performer, Feso, didn’t disappoint the audience with his serious lyrics and presence on the stage.\nWhen Chicago MC Marad came on the stage, he said that he wouldn’t play a single song until everyone came up close to the stage. The Eulorhythmics also joined Marad on the stage and performed a live set with keys and drums. \nPercee P and Crayz Walz both put on sets. Chapter head Zawalda was very excited to see the MC. \n“He is definitely one of the most talented MCs out right now, and his style and flow is intense,” Zawalda said. “He’s an artist that everyone can enjoy whether you like popular club rap or the most underground experimental stuff.”\nThe MC battle also energized the audience. Round after round, MCs were eliminated until it came down to R-Juna and Sonny Bamboo. Although Bamboo ended up winning, the battle was not easy for either MC.\nRoy Waterford, or R-Juna, was not disappointed with losing the battle.\n“I think I held it down for my first-ever battle,” Waterford said. “The favored MC was Halfblown and I ended up reigning victorious for my first battle. I showed my unique style.”\nWaterford was impressed with his opponent and happy for him. \n“Me and Sonny are good friends. We even performed together at (Uncle) Festers,” he said. “I dig his style and we’re both doing our part for hip-hop. I’m glad somebody that had real talent won the battle.”