TOOFLY NYC

As soon as I landed in NY, I took a long power nap and then it was off to the Bronx! I had to rock the “Toofly Graffiti Workshop” at Bronx Works with 15+ afterschool students. This year the budget for the Pepatian “Bronx Hip Hop Academy” was enough to extend it from 2 weeks to 4 weeks which gave my class the opportunity to learn a lot more, and put a little more effort on their graffiti project. We got some bigger canvases, and acrylic paint to fill up big areas of eye poppin’ color. Their goal to collaborate and work together as a team on a backdrop for their final presentation alongside Rokafella’s dance crew, DP One’s Dj crew, and La Bruja’s MC/Poetry crew. The “Toofly Crew’ had a lot of fun spraying and stenciling their pieces, and working with Reph on the outlining of their letters with big fat sharpies. Shout out to our hommie Reph for subbing on a day I could not attend workshop. Everything worked out great and the kids had fun. It’s always nice to see it all come together.  Next year we hope to get a nice long wall to re-create their 2014 piece:) A big thanks to Jane Gabriels for making this project happen and getting the “true school” crew together to educate young men and women the art of Hip Hop’s Culture. Big thanks to Shanika and the youth at Bronx Works for rockin’ out with us again this year! Have a wonderful summer.

Bronx Hip-Hop Academy was Produced by Pepatian for more infromation visit their site: www.pepatian.org

In a collaboration with BronxWorks Teen Program, Pepatian’s Bronx Hip-Hop Academy offered a series of workshops in all four disciplines of Hip-Hop in April 2013, culminating in a final informal showing. Held at BronxWorks, the Hip Hop Academy gives youth in the Bronx a similar opportunity: to feel and experience hip hop in its birthplace. The youth learn the history of the genre and its connection to our borough but also to personally connect. Inspired by their lives and the culture they develop tools for creative expression. From stirring poetry to fresh art work to fly steps, Bronx Hip Hop Academy is a program that connects youth to the spirit of the music and to learn more about themselves. My hope is that the youth take inspiration from hip hop and continue to express themselves and tell their story. By telling their story, they are hip hop!

NYC TRUE SCHOOL! —>  TOOFLY, LA BRUJA, DJ DP ONE, ROKAFELLA
proud to be part of this wonderful teaching artist team. Thanks Jane for linking us all up!