For nearly two decades, Johannesburg has been home to one of Africas most vibrant celebrations of hip-hop culture, the Back to the City Festival. Since 2007, it has grown from a vision sketched in a small Newtown store into a sprawling cultural hub that unites artists, dancers, producers, graffiti artists and fans from across the continent. This year, the festival marks its 19th edition under the powerful theme, Power in Numbers.
I spoke to Osmic Menoe, the festivals founder, widely regarded as a pivotal figure in South African hip-hop, to trace the journey of Back to the City, explore what this years edition holds and understand his philosophy as a custodian of the culture.
When Menoe reflects on the early days, he takes me back to a time when hip-hop in South Africa was largely misunderstood, both commercially and socially.