by SCOTT C

Everyone has heard the grumblings about the hip hop scene in this city for a long time, some going as far as to say that it doesn't even exist. The truth is that, with a little digging, you can unearth a wide range of dedicated heads doing things just under the radar. This Saturday, the Represente event (part of the Under Pressure 2004 weekend) convenes in Peace Park, right beside the SAT on St-Laurent, just above René-Lévesque. This over-the-top hip hop extravaganza - organized by Café Graffiti, Montreal Underground and a slew of heads with direction and purpose - looks to address the apparent rift in the Montreal hip hop scene. The Mirror spoke to Malick Toure, one of the organizers and producers behind Represente and the Ligue d'improvisation hip hop du Québec.

Mirror: Why do you think that an event like this doesn't happen more often? Why is it necessary at all?

Malick Toure: Basically, I think there is a big unity problem in Montreal hip hop, and between the English and French scenes. There's also a split between all the different elements of hip hop within the city. The way Café Graffiti promotes hip hop culture involves the four elements, the roots of all of this - MCing, DJing, graffiti and the b-boys. There's a lot of people doing really great things in the different aspects of hip hop and this event is a great way to have all these people in the same place at the same time, with a positive vibe. A lot of active heads went into organizing this.

M: It sounds like a great networking opportunity.

MT: It's almost like they're forced to meet each other, and build with the alternate elements.

M: Tell me a little about the LIHQ TV show and what you're trying to do with that.

MT: The freestyle league was really developed to showcase the best in this city from all the elements, but because of the way TV is produced, we had to focus on the MCs and the b-boys. It's super complex to organize and execute a show like this. The show captures the real rawness of freestyle MCing and b-boying, with lots of crowd participation. It has some aspects of a battle, and of a game show, but it also goes way beyond that at the same time.

M: When are we going to see this on the air?

MT: The show was developed as a pilot for MusiquePlus but they didn't have the funds to support its production, so we're trying now to get some grant money as well as investing a lot of our own money. We think a lot of people would enjoy something like this on TV and we really want to make it work, but it's a difficult process. It's a new show, but it incorporates things that already exist in hip hop culture.

M: You should do the LIHQ live on a regular basis. That's what people need to see, man.

MT: Well, now we're doing the practices every week at Saphir. Every Tuesday at 9 p.m., you can see the MCs and the b-boys in a show situation, with the hosts and everything - and it's free to the public.

Le Ligue d'Improvisation Hip Hop du Québec join Sans Pression, DEE, Lyrical Assault, Manspino, Phast and more at Represente, at Peace Park on Saturday, Aug. 14, 1 p.m.–9 p.m., free

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