Hip Hop 50: a video-projection set with DJ Hunnicutt & Friends

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Hip Hop burst into the streets of New York City 50 years ago and has been an unstoppable cultural force ever since. Join us on Nuit Blanche for a glowing tribute to this global, artistic and cultural phenomena.

A video DJ set with one of Winnipeg's own Hip Hop Emissaries, DJ Hunnicutt, along with special guest DJs, Lonnie Ce and $uraj, and a live graffiti mural collab by Winnipeg's own Pat Lazo and Honolulu-based artist Melon.

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DJ Hunnicutt has been DJing since 1991, both in the clubs and as a member of the Winnipeg instrumental outfit, the Hummers. As a member of Farm Fresh, Hunnicutt is was a co-founder of the acclaimed Canadian hip hop label Peanuts & Corn Records. His video DJ set is an impressive collage barrage through Hip Hop history that will make your booty shake.

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$uraj (they/them) is a queer, second-generation Indian, who lives out their values, rooted in social justice and communication. Their decade-plus experience has shaped creative ability, as well as a highly conscientious observance of human behaviour. This dedicated awareness to other’s experiences preserves a timeless motivation to deliberately inform deep social cohesion.

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Lonnie Ce is a seasoned selector with over a decade of experience behind the turntables, he’s your go-to DJ for the finest hip-hop and R&B anthems. Beyond surreal moments like DJing for Houston legend Bun B or bizarro rap personality Riff Raff, Lonnie Ce has toured Canada, Europe, and Japan as one fifth of hip-hop luminaries The Lytics, and shared the stage with rappers Rick Ross, Danny Brown, Wale, and Clipse.

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Pat Lazo stands as a dynamic visual artist, muralist, and tattooist deeply rooted in the vibrant graffiti culture. He began the illegal graffiti journey in 1993. By playing a small role in the early Canadian graffiti movement, Lazo's influence extends not only through his individual artistry but also as the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Graffiti Gallery.

His portfolio includes dynamic partnerships with acclaimed artists such as the collaborative Canadian drawing initiative, En Masse, alongside international graffiti legends including Erni Vales, Cey Adams, Greg Lamarche, Risk, Waneone, and Pursue.

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Melon went from the edges of the law in Chicago to painting murals commissioned by the city itself. After growing up in his hometown of Chicago, he moved to Hawai‘i in 2001, where he embedded himself in the local graffiti and urban art scene. Painting the streets of Hawaii, Chicago, Japan and more with lavish striking blues and turquoise, bold pinks and rich greens, Melon’s unique style is inspired by his surroundings.

Scrawling rooftops and scaling billboards is a dangerous way for a graffiti writer to get noticed. Melon didn’t mind; he liked to climb. He used to hop on the trains moving through his old Chicago neighborhood of Humboldt Park, seeing more of the city beyond his block and drawing inspiration from other artists he met. Searching for something, adventure, maybe. Melon credits graffiti writing with saving him from gang life.

Links

• Event Website exchangedistrict.org

Organizer

Exchange District BIZ

The Exchange District BIZ works with the community centred on the Exchange District National Historic Site on behalf of the nearly 500 independent businesses who call it home.

A recognized hub for artists, the arts, and the creative sector, the Exchange District is Nuit Blanche Winnipeg's ground zero.

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