A year after putting on a block party to celebrate hip-hop’s 50th birthday, organizers are gearing up for a sequel that will bring one of the culture’s most celebrated MCs to Montreal.
Ghostface Killah, a leading figure from the legendary Wu-tang Clan, will perform in an unlikely venue: Vinet Park in Little Burgundy.
The outdoor event is free and open to the public next Saturday, Aug. 3.
“Even when we were in negotiations, I couldn’t believe it,” said Kevin Calixte, whose organization Harlem of the North is behind the event, in partnership with Natyf TV.
“If you ask me, the most symbolic, the most popular group in the history of hip-hop is Wu-Tang.”
The goal is to create an authentic, outdoor hip-hop experience, similar to the block parties that shaped hip-hop culture in its early years.
Ghostface is known for his solo albums Supreme Clientele and Iron Man as well as his contributions to fellow group member Raekwon’s revered 1995 debut album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.
“These are records that I played and played and played constantly in high school. I listened to it some more in CEGEP,” said Calixte, who also pointed out that the rapper’s management team was intrigued by the idea of performing in such an unconventional setting.
“It’s like they knew what we were trying to do. They were like ‘Yo, that’s a nice park. You have that vibe like you’re in the hood.'”
The event will feature many Quebec-based artists, including Chung, Raccoon, Maky Lavender, DJ Redd Dredd and MPP, an 11-year-old beatboxer.
DJ Whoo Kid, a longtime member of 50 Cent’s G-unit Records, will also headline the event.
Celebrating hip-hop over 2 days
Last year’s block party happened on a Saturday and lasted 11 hours. This year, the event will be a two-day affair: Saturday, Aug. 3, from noon to 11 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 4, from noon to 9 p.m.
DJs are expected to play sets that feature music from the early 70s up until the present day.
Calixte says the event being back and bigger than it was last year is due to popular demand.
Although hip-hop is featured at established, long-running events like the Montreal International Jazz Festival and Les Francos de Montréal, he says large spaces solely dedicated to the culture are not common.
“It sort of became a meeting point where you literally had people from the old school, the new school, anglophones and francophones coming to the park,” Calixte said.
“It was really cool to see people come to a block party that’s not necessarily a major festival, but they were in an environment that felt extremely organic.”
Montreal talent in the spotlight
Chung, whose real name is Daidra Cobran, is one of the rappers who’ll take the stage at the two-day event.
She was born and raised in Montreal’s Lasalle borough. She describes herself as a lifelong hip-hop head whose love for rap music grew while watching her older siblings freestyle in her basement when she was younger.
“Even though I don’t do turn-up music, there’s still a lot of energy. When you hear my music, it’s levels to it,” said Chung, who released the EP Perdu in Peru, in May.
“There are songs that you can vibe to, you dance to. There’s songs you can just smoke to.”
The Wu-Tang Clan, especially Ghostface, are among her musical influences.
When asked what she’s looking forward to at the event, her answer was direct.
“Just building with the god,” she said, referring to the chance of connecting with Ghostface, using slang the Wu-Tang Clan uses often.
Don’t forget about visual arts
In addition to MCs and DJs, visual artists will once again be featured prominently during the outdoor party.
According to Maliciouz, a painter and muralist, showcasing visual arts during a hip-hop celebration is “essential.”
“The visual element is omnipresent in the culture,” said the Montreal-based artist, whose projects often focus on the Black experience and have brought her to the Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Haiti.
“It puts images to what the artists are saying in their songs.”
During last year’s musical performances, Maliciouz often stood in a more quiet part of Vinet Park, about 100 metres from the stage, feeding off the crowd’s energy and using it as inspiration to produce a painting on the fly.
“I felt this cohesion. There was this synergy. It was like everyone was in the same vibe,” she said.
“It was a beautiful celebration. It was precious,” said Maliciouz, who will also be attending this year’s edition.
The organizer expects a similar level of cohesion and togetherness at the event, especially considering how Wu-Tang appeals to hip-hop heads across several generations and the site will include games for children, helping to make it a family affair for many.
Calixte is confident this year’s block party won’t be the last, and wants it to turn into an annual tradition.
“We’re going to give you a hip-hop festival, for people who love it, but also for people who may not have the money to purchase tickets for four or five festivals at $230 each,” he said.
“This is what hip-hop is all about, being able to have an event for the culture and by the culture.”
Artists representing different forms of hip-hop — MCing, DJing, B-boying and visual arts — describe what makes Montreal’s scene unique.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
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