It’s not just about the music. Hip-hop is an entire lifestyle and culture and Cal Poly’s Hip Hop Congress is making sure that often-misconstrued notion is dispelled.
Despite its reputation of rappers and beats, these things don’t entirely make up hip-hop’s mantra; Hip Hop Congress is much more than just that. The club represents four elements of hip-hop: DJing, MCing, break-dancing and graffiti art.
Instead, the club tries to promote changing the status quo and battles the stereotypical negative connotations associated with hip-hop culture.
“We’re not just a bunch of kids that have boom boxes and wear sneakers. We’re part of an organization that fights for change,” said Cal Poly chapter president and graphic communications senior Rachel Cherny.
“(Hip-hop) is about empowerment. It’s about people getting together and having a good time. It’s hard to get past the negative imagery and get people to understand that it’s really a positive social tool,” Cherny said.
The Cal Poly chapter of Hip Hop Congress originally began as a small hip-hop interest club by former students.
The club became one of about 50 chapters of the international non-profit organization Hip Hop Congress in 2007. This meant more direction for the Cal Poly club, which had previously been less focused.
“Being an issue-based and political-based organization, it gives us a little bit more legitimacy,” Cherny said. “We also like to get together and have fun and break-dance, and rap and DJ, but we do it as a tool.”
Shared taste in music is still a big reason why many members join Hip Hop Congress.
“I like West Coast underground hip-hop artists like Brother Ali, Living Legends, Atmosphere, Aesop Rock and Hieroglyphics. I kind of wanted to learn how to break-dance, but it never happened. But it’s been fun,” said mechanical engineering senior Denver Shaffarzick, who has been in the club since its beginnings.
“Hip-hop is a mutt of different things. It’s disco and soul. That’s how hip-hop started. I don’t know what happened along the way, but something happened where all of a sudden it became seen as this delinquent of genres, when really it’s a beautiful creation of all of them together,” said Cherny who is originally from Chicago.
Hip Hop Congress has put on many different events for Cal Poly thus far. From hosting break-dancing competitions that showcased local talents and their very own break-dancing crew to recruiting artists such as Zion I to play a show on campus, Hip Hop Congress wants to spread the culture.
“We’re just a couple of kids that really like hip-hop and we wish we could get more support,” Cherny said.
Hip Hop Congress also held Cal Poly’s first-ever hip-hop comedy show earlier this year, which brought together comedic talents of former Cal Poly students.
But the club’s campus involvement doesn’t just stop within the Hip Hop Congress walls. The club has been known to stretch its efforts out into the community and even to campus resources, such as the MultiCultural Center with Another Type of Groove.
“We’re really open to anything,” said Cherny, who said they are trying to partner up with the San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum and local high schools.
But even with the apparent optimism, Hip Hop Congress still faces many roadblocks from ASI when trying to book big name hip-hop artists, such as hip-hop godfather, Afrika Bambaataa.
According to Cherny, the club has turned away many artists from performing because of budget issues. But to her, it’s important to remain optimistic.
“As frustrating as it can be to face so many roadblocks and hear no so many times, are we just going to give up? Or are we going to try to make a difference on campus?” she asked.
Hip Hop Congress will host an event in Chumash Auditorium today at 8 p.m., including musical performances from Random Abiladeze, Bman, Public Defendaz and Rahman Jamaal. The cost is $5 for students with a PolyCard and $7 for non-students.
“Hip Hip Congress is generosity. It’s people willing to fight for our cause with us that have really helped us grow into what we are now,” Cherny said.