The Hip Hop Association of Advancement and Education (HHAAE) connects, and supports Hip Hop scholars, educators, advocates and practitioners who use Hip Hop to empower their communities. The HHAAE provides a platform for scholars, educators, advocates and practitioners to collaborate on local and global initiatives, publications, and artistic projects and provides tangible and informational support to individuals, organizations and institutions.
The HHAAE was founded by Dr. Tasha Iglesias and Grand Rapids native and current resident, Matthew "Monk Matthaeus" Duncan. The HHAAE hosts the annual Global Conference on Hip Hop Education and participates in or supports various initiatives within and outside of our nation's boarders.
Monk is active in Grand Rapids as a Hip Hop culture advocate and artist. He is involved in various community projects and is always looking to collaborate and build with folks who see Hip hop as a tool to promote positive change in individuals and communities. You can reach Monk through the HHAAE or you can email him directly at monkmatthaeus@gmail.com.
61Syx is a collective of dancers who believe in empowering the community through the different styles of Street Dance. By using Hip Hop’s “In the now – movement” mentality to build character, confidence and individuality. We believe in passing down the legacy of Breakin’(breakdance).
The various styles of street dance carry many lessons to be learned about patience, drive, dedication, and originality. One of the core values of this dance is to create a free self expressive art form connecting yourself with the music. As your journey develops, you will find that each of these dances help exercise your mind, body, and soul.
Hip Hop Culture is one of the most popular sub-cultures today, and has influenced millions of people across the world. We believe in celebrating and passing down it’s original dance styles in it’s purest form. While proving that the lessons you learn while dancing know no boundaries, and apply to everyone.
Mission:
To be the church that mobilizes individuals and families in the urban community to be disciples of Christ in our community, region, and world.
Vision:
Create an environment in the midst of the urban culture that will transform individuals, families and communities. Environment includes the physical church location(s) and off-site location(s); the physical location is more than a building: it is an environment of change.
Bringing people together in a time of division. That is the mission. The philosophical elements of Hip Hop are PEACE, UNITY, LOVE, and (safely) HAVING FUN. Add health and wellness to the formula and you get ONE PEACE FESTIVAL. We know health and wellness comes in many forms and education is key to being able to take the necessary steps to get where you want to be. ONE PEACE FESTIVAL is devoted to health and wellness of the mind, body, and soul. The festival is more than having fun through the artistic elements of Hip Hop and athletic competition. One Peace Festival uses its platform to educate and inform folks of all ages. The festival seeks to advance a collective consciousness for the improvement of the community and highlight the great people and organizations right in our backyard who make Grand Rapids "GRAND".
In 2020, the idea for One Peace Festival was born out of a desire to help the city heal from the pandemic, isolation, and the division that was seen on a daily basis via TV and social media. One Peace Fest founders Edwin Anderson and Monk Matthaeus spent countless hours looking for ways to use their talents and connections to ignite their desire to serve the community. A shared purpose by Greg May (Nexus Technology Services) and Dominic Shannon (All-In Sports) allowed One Peace Fest to take shape and form.
Please check out a short video recap from 2021: https://youtu.be/Zu4PZH-dJXk
Each year will impact even more people and include more activities to bring Grand Rapidians together for a shared experience that will not be easily forgotten.
Hip Hop Appreciation Week begins every third week in May as a time to acknowledge and appreciate the actual existence of Hip Hop itself. Instead of wondering what happened to “real Hip Hop,” Hip Hop Appreciation Week is an opportunity to answer that question; to become a supporter of Hip Hop’s original Kulture, and not just an exploiter of Hip Hop’s original arts.
The DanceSpire family is a group of dancers who are passionate about dance and dedicated to training at a high level. We are committed to building a community in Grand Rapids that can be the next leaders and teachers of urban dance and hip hop culture throughout West Michigan and beyond.
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616 Records is a family; we aren’t just a label or a business, we work together and respect one another. We built our label in 2018, where we started off with one artist and one engineer. We have welcomed six more members of the team in 2020. Each member of our team is gifted, hardworking and dedicated to what we do. Our goal is to impact the music industry, release music and give back to our community. We are 616!
Grand Trapids Recordings is a Grand Rapids, MI based recording studio specializing in hip hop and R&B. Grand Trapids was created in late 2017 by Devin Holston. Devin realized a need for more production options for hip hop artists in the city. He also sought to advance his love for music production. Grand Trapids has become a powerhouse for great sound and productivity, recording over 600 artists from Grand Rapids to this day. Devin has worked with billboard cited artists, many notable artists in the city, and even beginning artists looking to explore the art of writing and performing. Grand Trapids offers recording, mixing, mastering, beat production, live shows, merchandising and more. Grand Trapids continues to strive to bring the highest quality to Grand Rapids artists and help the Grand Rapids music community expand. Contact Devin at Grand Trapids with the links below to get started today!
Facebook.com/gtrecording
Instagram.com/grandtrapids
