Today Hip Hop is a multi-billion dollar per year industry, but where did it come from? Why was it created? And most importantly, what can we learn from it?

The 4 Corners Assembly takes students back in time to the Bronx, New York; one of the most inequitable circumstances for people of colour. Throughout the 70’s the area was a symbol of urban decay. However, it was from these dire circumstances that Hip Hop was born. 

The story of Hip Hop is the story of how a community started to communicate a message of equality to the world. Through decades of suffering, this art form blended and transcended to become a means for seeing, celebrating, experiencing, understanding, confronting, and commenting on life. Hip-Hop became a way of life, inextricably linked to culture for people of color. 

The name “4 Corners” comes from the four elements of Hip-Hop culture. They include: 

DJing — The artistic handling of beats and music

Mcing — Putting spoken-word poetry to a beat

Breaking—Hip-Hop’s dance form

Graffiti — The painting of highly stylized graffiti

DJ’s are the soul behind the beat that pleases, surprises, and puts people on the dance floor; all while communicating a subtle and powerful message through song. It is that insight, a passionate knowledge of music, and technical know-how that make Djing one of the pillars of Hip-Hop culture.

60 minutes