MEDIA RELEASE

HIP HOP ARTISTS BREAK IT DOWN AT CITY HALL

HRM and Concrete Roots Announce September’s New Annual Hip Hop Arts Festival

(HALIFAX, August 11, 2010) - The 2010 Hopscotch Arts Festival will celebrate Hip Hop culture in Halifax. Bboys, emcees, DJs and urban artists will take over Downtown Halifax and showcase their talents from September 4 - 11. Classified will perform a free, all ages show on Saturday, September 11 in Grand Parade. The event will feature France’s premier urban artist ‘Cellograff’ and Canada’s best dancers will compete for over $2,000 in prizes.

“This event will focus on positive traditional Hip Hop and provide free accessible events for all involved. Classified is the best-selling Hip Hop artist in Atlantic Canada and we’re excited to show everyone why he’s earned that title,” said Drew Moore, Chair of Hopscotch.

Hopscotch will entertain its audience, but more importantly it will educate. Hip Hop culture is too often portrayed as a negative art form. However, through workshops, open mics, the 100 foot urban art wall and concerts, the event will prove why Hip Hop was first created to portray self expression in a free and accessible manner. Workshops will be free to the public and hosted by recognized and respected urban artists like Shauntay Grant, Glizzi and Cellograff.

Hopscotch is also proud to introduce 3 Coast Roast, the first national one-on-one bboy (breakdance) battle ever held in Atlantic Canada. Representatives from across the span of the world's second largest country, even from North of 60, will be descending on downtown Halifax to find out who the best bboy in the country is, walking away with a $2000 cash prize. The event is free to the public at Grand Parade on September 10th and 11th.

This year, DJ Olympics has joined forces with Hopscotch. The platform for artists will be at Reflections Cabaret between September 7 and 11. Local artists will be competing for over $17,000 in prizes.

The Paragon Theatre will kick-off the celebration by featuring New York’s Hip Hop pioneers, Pete Rock, Large Professor and JuJu from the Beatnuts. Pete Rock grew up in the Bronx which is considered to be the birthplace of Hip Hop. Hopscotch feels it is very important to pay homage to those that helped form the culture and Pete Rock is the perfect example of authentic Hip Hop. 

HRM is now supporting Hopscotch which will become an annual event for the city. Other corporate sponsors include Z103.5, Delta Hotels, Bell Aliant, William F White, Concrete Roots and Paragon Theatre.

For more information visit www.HopscotchHalifax.com or call Drew Moore 902-497-7846.

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Contact:
Billy Comer
HRM Civic Events
902-225-5847
comerbi@halifax.ca