Hip Sista Hop

Monday 1 - 2 pm

In English.

Women's hip hop and Indigenous hip hop, featuring guest MCs, interviews with local female hip hop artists, the low down on what's on and much more.

We play local ladies, Indigenous, political, activist hip hop, tracks recorded in prisons, hot beats by busty ladies...

Hip hop as a resistive art form and a means of communicating within and across communities has a long history in Australia and other nations. We're excited about playing music that speaks back to power, and breaks silences around oppression. We also like to play old school grl hip hop sometimes and bring booty dance to Monday lunchtimes.

Shout out to all the laydy hip hop artists/ activists/ beat-writers/ producers out there. If you are any of these we'd love to interview you on Hip Sista Hop, play your music, promo your work. Send us a message with your contact details. Spread the laydy hip hop love. Support diverse, phat, independent community radio 3CR 855am.

Presented currently by Bec Smith and Phoebe Barton.

Website www.myspace.com/hipsistahop and email HipSistaHop.

CRAM Article November 2005: HipSistaHop

‘Hip hop’ as a phrase was only coined in the early eighties. It was commonly used in rhymes, eg, “ hip-hop ya all don’t stop ya all, till the break o dawn” by many rappers. One of the pioneers in Hip Hop, New York Dj Bambaataa, named it such. Hip Hop is the umbrella term to cover break dancing , graffiti art, beatbox (using the vocal cords to create back beat sounds for rhymes) and rapping. As a genre of music, Hip Hop has only been in existence since the early 70s.

There are a few theories as to the origins of Hip Hop. Some believe its roots lay in the Afro-American chain gangs and plantation slaves, with their calling rhythms, verbal acrobatics & rhyme jostling within the communities. Others believe it started deep in the heart of African traditions and culture. Some believe it was a direct backlash to the watered down, Europeanised disco music that was permeating the airwaves in the 70s. Another theory is that it is an off-shoot from reggae. Some believe all of the above.

One of the most common misconceptions people have about Hip Hop is that it’s violent, misogynistic, xenophobic gangster music. This is the part of Hip Hop that has been given the most airplay by the mainstream music industry. Obviously this music has huge selling appeal, but it’s only one small component. This is not what Hip Hop is all about. Like any music genres, its artists and music varies greatly. What makes Hip Hop so attractive to many people, especially marginalised people, is that it is poetry in motion. The rhythm of Hip Hop is often based on word play with beat orientated music well suited to passionate polemics, arguments and protests. All you need is your mouth and you have a vehicle for expression.

HipSistaHop gives airplay to the revolutionary in Hip Hop as well as to the breadth of Hip Hop musical experimentation. Focussing on, - but not solely playing – women and Indigenous Hip Hop, HipSistaHop is presented by Bree, Fionn and E.J.

Whichever way you look at it’s political. Whichever way you look at it, you should listen to it. It is the most political, confronting, inspiring and evolving genre of music of today.

by Fionn Batchelor (2004 -6 presenter)