On Monday morning, the group visited the Kalighat temple and described their trip as “spiritually enriching”. While Bengali food and Kolkata biryani remained on top of their wish list, The Invisibles conducted two back-to-back workshops for the city’s young hip-hop enthusiasts.
The first one took place at a Salt Lake-based NGO for the underprivileged children. Belonging to local communities with humble backgrounds, these children have been trying to change their lives by learning different dance forms for over a decade now. Many of their children are already into hip hop, and they have even come up with two productions of their own. So, when Hans Pierre, a professional dancer and choreographer, kicked off the dance workshop, the children knew what they had signed up for. “This is great – the children, the energy and this city. Hip hop is a language that anyone can use to express themself, and these kids are killing it,” said Hans.
The second workshop was held at American Center by Carl “DJ Invisible” Hollier, lyricist Miz Korona, producer and beatboxer Richie “Robot” Steighner and emcee and rapper Khary Kimani Turner. More than 50 students from St Xavier’s College, Loreto College and Calcutta University were thrilled to attend the workshop. Starting with a brief history of hip-hop art and how different styles were developed, the team of four musicians taught the students how to create hip-hop music, including beatboxing and DJing. The students were called onto the stage by the musicians and asked to create music with them.
Snidhi Dhar, a participating student, couldn’t hide her excitement. “I was introduced to hip hop when I was 12. After that, I started writing casually. Gradually, I found a new way to express myself. This is my first experience with professional hip-hoppers. I went on the stage and created music with them,” she said. Valentine Gomes, who recently dropped out of college to become a professional DJ, was also present at the workshop. Describing his experience, he told us, “It feels like I am closer to the roots
of hip-hopping. It’s like learning from
the masters.”
“This art form has traditionally been used to celebrate diverse cultures. Hip hop encourages innovation and experimentation. We look forward to understanding cultures better together through music and artistic expression”
– Adrian Pratt, director, American Center Kolkata and Public Affairs Officer of the US Consulate General Kolkata
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/american-hip-hop-group-sings-dances-with-city-youngsters/articleshow/91124212.cms
