UMAC

UMAC, The Urban Music Association of Canada, in conjunction with The Harbourfront Centre as part of Planet IndigenUS, presents The 2009 First Words Hip Hop Conference & Showcase

First Words is an international Indigenous Hip Hop Conference & Showcase that will provide a space for debate and discussion about the participation in, and impact of, hip hop culture on First Nations youth around the world. Hip hop is arguably the most pronounced cultural identifier for First Nations youth regardless of gender, ethnicity or class positioning. The culture operates as a springboard for discourse surrounding the politics, desires, and activities of today’s hip hop practitioners while addressing social and political realities both on and off the reserve. This conference will provide a forum for scholars, students, artists, activists, and community members to celebrate the successes and contributions of First Nations hip hop practitioners through music showcases, film screenings, and panel discussions.

Participants include:

King Kapisi (New Zealand) – King Kapisi is New Zealand-based Samoan hip hop artist Bill Urale. He was the first Polynesian hip hop artist to receive the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Award for Songwriter of the Year for his single \'Reverse Resistance\'. Kapisi\'s lyrics and imagery have explored his complex post-Diaspora Pacific immigrant identity.
http://www.kingkapisi.net/

Ernie Paniccioli (USA) – Ernie Paniccioli is a legendary American photographer and documentarian of hip hop culture, and a longstanding member of the Zulu Nation. He is a Cree Native American, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His photography of hip hop began in the 1970s with shots of graffiti in New York.

First Words Indigenous Hip Hop Conference and Showcase
Date: Saturday, August 22, 2009
Location/Stage: Brigantine Room, Harbourfront Centre,
Start Time: 1:00PM
End Time: 5:00 PM