Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at 5 PM – 7:30 PM
Leong Hall Auditorium
Leong Hall, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, NCR 1800
Tickets
USAPANG HIP-HOP: AMBAGAN SA EKSENA AT KULTURA
Researched, written, and directed by Lara Katrina T. Mendoza
The proliferation of YouTube videos on the internet has made available a plethora of DIY music videos and interview clips of luminaries considered popular and huge within their own niche scenes. The documentary presents multiple layers and nuances on the integral concepts of culture, what it means to give back (mag-ambag) to hip-hop, a culture and intricate scene of other classic elements (e.g. dance, deejaying, visual arts) that have not only enriched the lives of practitioners in the musical sense but also in the way that they have chosen their paths in terms of career, advocacy, and lifestyle. It weaves stories of artists trying to make sense of their place in the culture that they love and live, and privileges the notion of imparting a legacy for Pinoy hip-hop, of giving back to a culture that is knitted into the DNA of their lives, inspiring them to create a better world as it has inspired them to be better artists. As culture bearers of a genre that speaks of their hardships from the streets and from below, they grapple with the complexities of honing their craft, the successes and perils of music production, and the impact of fan reception to their own narrative arcs.
Ultimately, the “ambagan” of Pinoy hip-hop artists to Hip-Hop culture itself is the ability to laugh after a rap battle, hug after a fierce word war, drink beer, blow vape rings, and create music that is the perfect reflection and embodiment of their artistic styles and ethos of their collectives. “Usapang hip-hop” is an initial depiction of hip-hop’s “slice of life” (Yuson, June 2019), where artists explain how they release aggression, boast of rap skills, and have a laugh trip cum drink fest after all have been said and done. At the end of the day, we are all the same, eking out a living, busting our asses to bring food to the table, and hip-hop is just the coolest way to do all these and still be true to who we are.
The first screening of the documentary will take place on the first day of the conference at 5:00 PM.
