THE First China (Shenzhen) International Hip-hop Cultural Festival will be held at Futian Sports Park on March 29 to 31.

    More than 100 hip-hop groups will attend the event which will feature break dancing, rap performances, graffiti art, cultural forums and creative exhibitions, according to the organizer of the festival.

    Popular street dancers, Huang Zhanjun and Wu Zefeng, will also attend the event. The two have won break dancing competitions in China, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam, and have performed on stages as far away as Australia.

    A Second China Hip-hop Award Ceremony will also be held during the three-day event. It is the first time the ceremony is jointly held by government and nongovernment hip-hop organizations.

    More than 100 break dancing teams and more than 100 rappers from the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, participated in a selection activity for the award ceremony.

    A forum for hip-hop culture will be held March 29. Top hip-hop promoters, organizational leaders and performers will attend the forum, discussing the future of China’s hip-hop industry.

    The creative exhibition, opened from March 30 to 31, will display popular hip-hop fashion brands, top graffiti works and precious hip-hop-style motorcycles. All graffiti lovers can apply to attend the graffiti exhibition.

    Hip-hop is a musical genre which originates from the United States and is loved by young people around the world. As a youthful city, Shenzhen has consistently been at the forefront of China’s hip-hop scene.

    “Many parents think that skateboards and break dancing are a sign of rebelliousness. Actually, many hip-hop lovers work hard to make their mark to support themselves through these hobbies and even make a career of them. Many of them succeed,” a hip-hop lover in Shenzhen told a Chinese newspaper.

    “A pioneer city should have an open mind. We encourage young people to look for their own ‘free style’ with their innovation and passion, bringing more outstanding artworks with a distinct Shenzhen style,” said Jian Dingxiong, director of Futian District’s public culture and sports development center.

    More cultural events for young people, such as a drum festival and a student band festival, are expected to be held this year, helping more children find their own stage in Shenzhen, Jian said.

    (Wang Yuanyuan)