1st August 2010
Ain't no party like a hip hop party, and a 10 year anniversary at that.
"Appelsap" ("Apple juice"), Amsterdam's annual, open air, free hip hop festival in the Oost celebrated 10 years of rhymes, breaks, and beats on Sunday afternoon/evening.
This city just continues to spread musical love - the second full day free open air concert I've been to this summer: cue the mention of the Roots Festival, a whole day World music festival which was also free in June this year.
A categorically different strategy on bringng families and communities together, I have observed. The thing is, the whole mentality on what sorts of events bring the community together is 180 degrees different to Australia.
With there being nearly 5000 people at Appelsap, it was strange to observethe amount of community love. I felt like an event like this in my hometown would have brought out the pre pubescent wannabes in combination with the general dregs of society from the Outer suburbs, and been a huge arena for dickhead-like behaviour.
The audience here consisted of some very hip Daddy O's, families, and mostly insanely street chic twenty and thirty somethings. Sure, there was a bit of ego around the place, but nothing that spilled over into acts of aggression or power. It was serious love for the music and the hip hop community all around.
Speaking of ego, I know I said I felt really safe and comfortable, but there was a very peculiar and strange, isolated incident which occured, which relates to me saying I wish I had some photos to show you on here, but I almost got beaten up by an aggressive festival punter for pulling out my Fisheye camera. ( And did not have any ill effects on my love for this festival whatsoever.)
There I was, sitting innocently after an hour or two of burning up the (asphalt) dancefloor , by the cupcake stand. I wanted to take a photo of the very atmospheric outdoor decorations, so I pulled out the camera, and my supa brite Lomo flash caught the attention of one paranoid, possibly schizophrenic little lady.
From 5 metres away from me, her eyes make contact with me, with a glare that could burn a hole through Titanium.
I was initially confused. Then scared. Very, very scared.
She then proceeded to march over to me to interrogate me about my intentions with heresaid photo. In dutch, I might add.
"Errr, engels?" I said, almost cowering in terror under the picnic table. (Please don't hit me. I don't have any health insurance yet.)
"Why you gotta take photos?"
"I wasn't aiming at you..." (...Ms Paranoid. Are you a F grade MC celebrity or something? Is your entourage hiding behind the giant bassline speaker over there?)
"Don't be taking no photos around here." ( Did I miss something? Is there a flourescent light screaming "Amateur photographers will be shot. B-Boys with cameras only"?)
"Delete it," she ordered.
"Er. I can't. "
"Why not?" she bellowed.
"It's not digital."
She looked at me, shook her head and waved her finger in my face.
"Don't let me catch you takin' no more photos around here."
It is with a bit of relief (to be alive) and a bit of regret that I can only present to you with a few photos from Appelsap from talented polished photographers Dennis Branko, and Dennis de Groot.
God daaaaaaaamn:
what a good looking city.
Oosterpark Massive
(image from Appelsap Official website)
What up Appelsap?????(images from Dennis Branko)
La Melodia - A Fierce MC. I thoroughly enjoyed your energy. Applause.
(image by Dennis De Groot)
La Melodia - A Fierce MC. I thoroughly enjoyed your energy. Applause.(image by Dennis De Groot)
Vic Crezee - You had me from "Double Up". A little note: You look good from a dancefloor.
(image by Dennis de Groot)
Mr Wix
(image by Dennis de Groot)
DJ Abstract
(image by Dennis de Groot)
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