Category: News

The 4 Pillars celebrating Hip Hop and the way it continues to influence Bristol’s culture and the rest of  the world!

As Hip Hop marks its 50th Anniversary this year, ‘4 Pillars Bristol‘ aims to explore its connection with the city and its lasting legacy that has impacted numerous cultures throughout the world. The emergence of Hip Hop during the 80’s could see cities like Bristol form their own scene, created as an underground movement by those marginalised by mainstream society. It was able to unify different cultures together though the ‘4 Pillars Bristol’: Rapping, Breaking, Graffiti & DJ-ing

‘Freestyle Bristol‘ & ‘Bristory‘ will deliver a series of multi arts events as part of a full day celebration, marking this iconic milestone on Saturday 12th August 2023. Come try your hands at one of the elements, and also immerse yourself in Hip Hop’s origin through images, archive footage; music videos and mini documentaries.

The Sparks Bristol, 78 Broadmead BS1 3DS, (former Marks & Spencer store) will be the central location for our activities and entertainment, which will begin from 12 midday outdoors.

• Starting  with a live broadcast on multi award winning radio station Ujima.
• They will be showcase and performances from local artists, breakdancers
• Inside the store activities: Graffiti & DJ workshop digital corner on Bristol music history,                                            . 

During the evening, as part of Bristol’s Summer Film Takeover we will be screening two classic Hip Hop movies

• 5pm –  Beat Street 
• 7pm – Wild Style 

The celebrations are rounded off with the Official After Party @ Basement 45, 8 – Frogmore St Bristol, Doors 10pm til 4am

 All sessions can be booked in advance by visiting: www.headfirstbristol.co.uk

& Midtown Av – St Nicholas Market.

Delroy Hibbert, one of the coordinators of the event said  “The 4 Pillars is our way of celebrating Hip Hop and the way it continues to influence Bristol’s culture and the rest of  the world”.

This event is part of Bristol’s Summer Film Takeover and is being delivered as one of the activities under the City Centre and High Streets Recovery and Renewal programme, funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets project.

The screening & workshops are free, book your tickets in advance at: www.freestylebristol.com/the4pillars

View more free events at: www.bristolcityoffilm.co.uk/summerfilmtakeover

View all the events in Bristol’s Summer Film Takeover at www.bristolcityoffilm.co.uk/summerfilmtakeover

To stay up to date, follow:

#BristolFilmTakeover

@BristolCityofFilm – Instagram and Facebook

@BristolFilmCity – Twitter

@4pillarsbristol – Instagram

#bristolcityoffilm #bristolfilmtakeover

@artspaceuk and @globalgoalscentre

Siren Bristol – ” Never Ever has there been a more eclectic, inclusive, intergenerational, diverse, vibing, incredible, electric audience!”

By Miranda Rae – Station Manager/Presenter – Ujima Radio

From the moment you arrived at Siren Bristol you knew you were in for a great night, on entering the huge outdoor Amphitheatre space in the city centre of Bristol, you walk straight into Arena 2 promoting local artists and front and centre a huge Ujima Banner!

For the 3rd year running organisers of Siren Bristol delivered an incredible event, this time lasting over 3 days and including a sell out performance with international superstar Sean Paul and a Hospitality Drum & Bass All Dayer on Saturday. Depending on your age and personal tastes you could argue which was the better day but kicking off with an incredibly clever and well thought out performance by Fabio & Grooverider and the Outlook Orchestra they covered 30 years of DnB from the conception of Jungle with classics like DJ SS and Lighter to Shy FX’s Original Nuttah, at which point had their been a roof on the Amphitheatre it would of been blown off.  It was incredible to see such a huge & diverse age range, literally from 18 to 80 years old and every single person in that crowd was a lover of the jungle and dnb vibes, be that an OG from the 90’s, Noughties or bang up to date, there was something for every body. Walking around the crowd it seemed like every single person knew the lyrics to every single song & the atmostphonere was electric!  And this was just night 1.

Massive kudos to Fabio & Grooverider who took time to acknowldge that jungle really did start in Bristol and Ujima’s very own Lawd Skrew could arguably be one of the main influencer’s & instigators. Mercury Prize winners: Roni Size, Krust, Die, Dynamite MC, Onallee & of course Ujima’s very own DJ SUV aka Reprazent were producing jungle to a standard never heard anywhere before and although the history books will tell you one story to the original crew, we all know it started in Bristol with reggae dub plates being mixed over techno tracks, but that’s a whole other story for another day…a personal highlight was seeing the 3 brothers who have had such a major influence on the Bristol music scene, again Lawd Skrew, The General and Roni Size, and I promise one day we will share that story with you (big love to Iva).

But for now the Ujima Family would like to say a huge thank you and congratulations to the Siren Bristol fam and especially Tom Hoyle and the Plaster Crew who went out of their to make us feel so welcome and support the Ujima cause! An incredibly well organised and delivered 3 day event that left the city buzzing and hoping that Siren Bristol will return for a 4th year…but will the continual city centre development allow for this, only time will tell.