B-Side Hip-Hop Festival is Back!

Following the success of the city's first, annual Hip-Hop Festival in 2016, Birmingham Hippodrome is thrilled to announce that B-Side Hip Hop Festival will be returning in 2017.

Produced in partnership with local hip-hop artists Break Mission, Juice Aleem, Mickeal 'Marso' Riviere, andGraffiti Artist.com, B-Side Hip-Hop Festival will, once again, see the streets of Southside filled with the sights and sounds of contemporary hip-hop culture in a three-day event featuring some of the biggest names in local and international Hip-Hop talent

The festival will take place across the weekend of the 19-21 May and will feature a range of exhilarating outdoor performances, pop-up dance events, rap-battles, interactive talks and live graffiti art alongside an explosive programme of high-energy workshops.

Last year's B-Side Hip-Hop Festival attracted over 5000 visitors to Southside, bringing together over 70 performers, wordsmiths and artists from across the city plus an additional 150 local street dance competitors from across the UK.

Highlights from last year's festival included The Hip Hop Conversation, a city-wide symposium hosted by local MC and rap artists Juice Aleem and DJ Silence exploring Birmingham's independent and vibrant contribution to global Hip Hop culture, the Break Mission x Just Jam International finals which saw the UKs top national bboys and bgirls battle for the chance to win a place in the international championships and a specially-commissioned contemporary Hip-Hop dance piece by Birmingham-based theatre company Frantic Assembly created by 'Ignition' in partnership with the Old Rep, the company's UK wide training programme for young men aged 16-20.

Graham Callister, Birmingham Hippodrome's Director of Creative Programmes said: "We are delighted to once again to bring Southside to life through B-SIDE Hip Hop Festival. Working with some amazing national and internationally respected artists, performers and partners, last year's pilot event brought huge numbers of participants and new audiences to the district through a mix of free performances and events. We recognise that Birmingham and the wider Midlands region has a long association with and demand for Hip-Hop culture, from the production of artists and performers to music producers and audiences. Through B-SIDE Hip-Hop Festival, we want to provide a platform to engage with and celebrate today's talent from the city region and further afield."

Mickael 'Marso' Riviere, independent choreographer and founder of Company Decalage said: "I'm excited to be working on this second edition of the festival as it brings old and new generations together, from the city and far beyond, the energy is terrific! BSide is setting a new standard for representing the city and its Hip hop culture as well as bringing other art forms together into one platform. I am looking forward to see how much progress returning competitors have made and also to present a new edition of the experimental battles with more live musicians..."

Loose from Break Mission said: "Break Mission is ready to rock Birmingham Hippodrome once again for a second year running in collaboration with B-Side Hip Hop festival, bringing you the best in Hip-Hop culture and dance from around the world right to the heart of Birmingham."

Panda at Graffiti Artist.com added: "Graffiti artist.com are excited to bring you not only the best of Birmingham's graffiti talent but also invite pioneers from around the globe to bring the walls and spaces of Southside alive with colour."

Full details of this year's B-Side Hip-Hop Festival programme will be announced shortly. For further information and updates about B-Side Hip-Hop Festival, visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com/bside

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