This year at the 4^th Annual Arizona Hip Hop Festival there were a large number of artists performing live. They varied in style and as so many had mentioned, never has there been a platform like this festival to showcase all of them in one venue. We talked to few artists and even caught a number of live performances like Jalopy Bungus, Brixx, Bag Of Tricks Cat, everyone’s favorite superhero MegaRan and others. Some we watched, others we talked to. The crowd that was in attendance seemed to fill the space at the Comerica theater beyond capacity at times. Running back in and out of the theater, it was a blessing for most, hearing the level of artistry growing within this community. While some social media naysayers scoff at the idea of an event like this being good for the community but I have yet to see any other events, of this size, showcasing only local and regional artists. The independent Hip Hop in Arizona is here in full form.
Food trucks were lined up behind the venue, and the cuisine ranged from Mexican, Carribean, Greek, and much more. Concert-goers enjoyed funnel cakes and popcorn by the hundreds, while I sampled Jamaican beef patties, sans coco bread, Greek Fries, and pretzels. No one went hungry.
There was a plethora of eye-candy to go with the sweet tasting foods; fans of classic lowriders lined up the sides of the theater, showing off vibrant paint jobs and beautiful lines. For many people, this alone was a sight to behold.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to catch everyone’s performance throughout the day. With multiple stages, indoor and out, as well as set times clashing with one another, it wasn’t humanly possible. And obviously, with no disrespect to certain artists, names were completely missed although performances were on point! Many artists fired back at audience members with fire spit through microphones and deep, heavy beats blaring through subwoofers. In all though, it was an amazing event. Here we caught up with a few artists who gave us their take on what Arizona and Hip-Hop mean to them. It’s not just music, it’s a way of life. This was an amazing event put together by Respect The Underground and I’m sure plans are already set in motion for the next event. Every year it gets even better. We spent the day at the Comerica Theater in Phoenix, AZ and this is what we saw…

 
A few artist videos:
Jalopy Bungus

 
Denzel Davis / Spit Hell Manuel / Bag Of Tricks Cat

 
Mega Ran