WRITER and film-maker Eileen Walsh is staging a whole evening celebrating hip hop culture in Northern Ireland during Belfast's Imagine Festival of Ideas and Politics.
What Has Hip Hop Ever Done For Us? at The Sunflower pub on Sunday March 18 will feature film, discussion, music, breakdancing from 5th Element NI and an interactive hip hop-themed quiz hosted by Derry comedian Rory McSwiggan.
"It should be a pretty interesting evening celebrating the underground hip hop culture in Northern Ireland, going way back in time from the start of The Troubles to the present day," Walsh explains.
The evening kicks off with the documentary Bombin’, Beats and B-Boys by Belfast film-maker Chris Eva of Subculture Productions, a celebration of Northern Ireland's cross-community hip hop scene from the 1980s to the present day.
The documentary will be followed by an audience Q&A and panel discussion with Chris Eva and guest speakers including ex-Belfast City Breakers MC and founder of Belfast rap group 3 Core, Geoff Allen, Portrush rapper Slaine Browne and godfather of NI breakdancing William Madden.
Later, Rory McSwiggan will be donning his scrubs to become 'comedy medic' Dr Hip Hop, dispensing 'urban medical advice' during an interactive gameshow featuring Hip Hop Bingo and Family Fortunes.
"The whole thing is going to be very interactive and hopefully amusing as audiences watch Rory learn to get down with the rappers and build up some serious street cred," comments Walsh.
"I've no diva behaviour to report from Rory so far. The only thing on his rider is a Cadbury’s Crème Egg trifle, so we should be OK with that."
Doors 7pm, tickets £12/£10 via Imaginebelfast.com
