The Back to the City HipHop Festival returns on October 12 at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg. Headlined by Hennessy, this festival brings Africa’s largest HipHop event to life, championing the evolution of HipHop from its legends to the current generation of talent across all genres of urban culture, including music, fashion, street art, and dance in South Africa.
Get ready to bop your head all night with an exciting lineup of international acts, including Benny The Butcher, alongside local talents such as Usimamane, The Qwellers, Tony Dayimane, Blxckie, Mashbeatz, Wordz tha Prince, Nasty C, Nadia Nakai, Kikky Badass, Major Steez, Big Zulu, Priddy Ugly, and Emtee, to name just a few. Prepare to put your back into it with the baddest hip hop music maestros, including Ayanda MVP, Venom, PH, Speedsta, Spontaneous, Mac Shawty, Fiflaa, and many more.
The Back to the City HipHop Festival takes pride in honoring South African HipHop and Kwaito pioneers who not only produce the music but also positively influence our cultural legacy and art in the community. The festival will pay tribute to legends such as Thebe, Mr. Selwyn, Zubz the Last Letter, and feature a heartfelt performance by Lection in celebration of the late HipHop Pantsula, who will be gracing the stage.
Celebrating 18 years of Back to the City and 50 years of HipHop, this festival is a testament to the enduring impact of the genre.
The evolution of HipHop has deep roots. It reflects our style—how we choose our outfits daily, the streets we inhabit that shape our behavior, and how we present ourselves to the world through speech, demeanor, and ego. After 18 years of the Back to the City HipHop Festival and 50 years of celebrating HipHop, we are excited to showcase our drip & qwell it on the highest.
Written By Sisipho Caroline Nyamela
