Hip Hop Congress

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The icy, cold weather melted away on Jan. 31 as some of the hottest hip-hop artists in Chicago fired up U.S. Beer Company, 1801 N. Clybourn Ave., to raise money for the new Columbia chapter of the grass-roots organization Hip-Hop Congress.

The “Keep It Alive Hip-Hop Jam” was the Columbia chapter’s first event and brought out artists representing all elements of hip-hop: deejaying, emceeing, break-dancing, graffiti and beat-boxing.

Kyle Maguire, also known as DJ Arkitek, a junior arts entertainment and media management major, started the Columbia Chapter of Hip-Hop Congress, which has about 40 chapters worldwide. The group’s mission is to inspire social change through the celebration and preservation of hip-hop.

“When you say ‘hip-hop’ people think of what they see on TV—rings, girls and cars,” Maguire said. “Those things may be nice to have, but we try to look at it from a realistic point of view. And not everyone has it and those are not necessities of life.”

Justin Bell, known as Ill Legit, who graduated form Columbia last spring as a music business management major, was one of the emcees who performed and said the diversity of the organization is one of the best things about it.

“I’m here supporting a good organization,” said Bell, who met Maguire at Columbia and has worked with him outside of school for a few years.

Rogan Birnie / The Chronicle

Director of Hip-Hop Congress, introduces the show, which included Flupgans

Columbia’s Chapter of Hip-Hop Congress will meet twice a month and hold monthly events, which could include community outreach, live performances or speakers that would talk about the art of hip-hop. Maguire said the chapter is going to collaborate with the Hip-Hop Congress chapters in Englewood and Cabrini Green to set up hip-hop workshops for the youth.

“We want to do something positive for the kids to come out and do for the day to show them that there are alternatives to selling drugs and hanging out in gangs,” Maguire said.

The Hip-Hop Jam was a major success, according to Maguire, and featured performances by Iomos Marad, Kidz In The Hall, Mass Hysteria, Twisted Knowledge and Shot’s-on-Site and “hip-hop legend” GQ Tha Teacha. Columbia students Matthew Hooczko and Andrew Saylor mixed the live sounds for the show.

Anthony Soltero, a sophomore audio design and production major, has been a deejay for eight years and is a member of Columbia’s chapter.

“It’s not about being at a bar it’s about art and having a good time,” said Soltero, who also performed at the Hip-Hop Jam.

Rogan Birnie / The Chronicle

Andrea Ferlgus, a sophomore graphic design major, said events like the Hip-Hop Jam are really fun and give the artists great exposure.

“I didn’t know about [Hip-Hop Congress] until tonight, but I’m going to continue to support their events,” Ferlgus said.

In May the chapter is going to hold its largest event that will be a hip-hop appreciation week and festival. Maguire’s goal for the organization is to create a better sense of hip-hop culture, rather than just a way of making money.

“It’s a way of life, a way of thinking and really focusing on hip hop as an art and not a business,” he said. “We want to bring it back to the golden age of hip-hop.”