Week-long mural festival Below The Stacks, took place in REO Town Lansing, MI September 15 – 21, 2019. Presented by Muralmatics and All of the Above HipHop Academy, one year later there’s still plenty left from the event to talk about and celebrate.
I spent most of that first day, a kickoff event called “Art Attack”, standing on a stage in the square with two of my AOTA Creative brothers, Ess Be and Y’z council.
The three of us had the task of entertaining the event visitors, me with words and them with music. And they created a soundtrack of hip-hop and soul music that kept people engaged, smiling, and dancing throughout.
For a while, though, the festival visitors were pretty spread out because there was a lot to do in REO Town.
There were family painting activities, how-to workshops, and lots of food and artwork to take home. People were bagging up goodies while watching two of the first murals painted before their eyes. As entertaining and intriguing as this was, many of them eventually migrated to the music.
Y’z and Ess Be had the perfect song for them.
As a diverse group of the enthused congregated in front of the stage, the duo piped in popular party song “Cupid Shuffle”. And at “Art Attack”, just like any other gathering, it proved to be irresistible. The lyrics gave its well-known commands and every participant obeyed in rhythm.
“To the left, to the left, to the left, to the left!
To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right!
Now kick…” |THIS.
All of the Above HipHop Academy is a 501(c)3 organization of artists and educators using the elements of Hip-Hop culture to mentor youth, support their artistic expression, build their confidence, and nurture their development into community leaders. Our program teaches writing, breaking, music production, and street art, meeting the needs of the youth across Lansing, MI
[By Mr. Joe Walker | Photo by Kendall D. Lartigue]
We go “Above & Beyond” every Wednesday at 8:00 AM!
