Believe the Hype

Veteran German DJ Marc Hype is helping Indian hip hop practitioners fine-tune their art

Marc Hype’s was introduced to hip hop after the fall of the Berlin Wall

The hip hop scene in India today is a lot like what it was when this form of expression started in the late ’70s in New York. It functions without any support from the government or any other agency. Yet, the artistes are very connected with one another and organise events on their own,” says Marc Hype, veteran DJ and promoter of hip hop from Germany, who has been observing India’s hip hop sub-culture for the past few years.

Hype, who is currently touring India, was with a crew that came down to participate in the Indo-German Mela. It was a programme held between 2011-12 that looked to build a cultural bridge between the two countries, through a variety of events. His role at the time was to give Indian hip hop practitioners — B-boys, graffiti writers, beatboxers, and rappers, among others — a glimpse into the underground scene in his homeland. It’s taken three years for him to return to the country, and he is back to infuse energy in the growing sub-culture.

This time around, Hype has with him graffiti writer Rake, B-girl Sinaya, B-boy Ludi Rockoon and beatboxer PEKOR. Together, they have been conducting workshops and organising events, which began on November 23 and brought the hip hop exponents in Delhi together. A similar event has been going on in Bangalore (November 29 – December 1) and will be organised in Mumbai (December 4 –7) next.

Talking about the similarities between the hip hop scene back home when he started and what he sees in India today, Hype says, “I started DJ-ing with a tape recorder and a CD player when I was 14 years old. I used to play for all of my school friends’ parties. There was no one who told us what hip hop is about.” His education in hip hop took off after the fall of the Berlin Wall. “In East Berlin, we were not allowed to dance on the streets. A new world opened up to us when the Wall came down, and I fell in love with the culture.”

Through his NGO Berlin Massive, which works in cultural education, Hype hopes to help Indian artistes grow the scene. To do so, he is working with organisations such as the Empowerment Foundation in India. “It’s an open and inclusive sub-culture. It can be used for the empowerment of the poor and also teach discipline to children. Last time we were down, we worked with the Roc Fresh B-boy crew from Mumbai so they can take forward what we taught them. We are looking for more partners this time,” says Hype, who has conducted similar programmes in China and Russia.

kevin.lobo@expressindia.com

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