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Even though Portland Hip-Hop Week just wrapped up its ninth year, the annual celebration was so low key that unless you were a true student of the culture, you probably missed it. The real heads were, naturally, out in full force, diving headfirst into a deep schedule of performances and events.
This year’s installment culminated in a proper blowout this past Sunday at Alberta Street Pub, beginning with a fresh edition of the Beat Down, a showcase for producers to play some of their freshest beats. It was bracing to hear how far the three showcase artists ranged in their work. Portland’s own Rappy Dooski went from soul-sampling grooves covered in East Coast grit to sleeker, lowriding tunes that were pure West Coast. Chicago’s Uncle JoNH III, on the other hand, kept things playful, sampling sitcoms and Revenge of the Nerds atop his Massive Attack- and J Dilla-inspired boom bap.
The party eventually moved into the main room at the venue where foundational DJs O.G. ONE and Klyph handed out the 2024 Star Awards honoring, as they write, “deserving individuals in hip-hop.” Among the winners were multifaceted trumpeter Farnell Newton; one of the city’s hottest young MCs, Mighty; and Tope, a rapper and producer now living in Oakland who got his start here in Portland.
It was an appropriately joyous affair with loose and lively performances by some of the honorees — all of it tinged with a touch of acidity. The only flowers the hip-hop community seems to receive from the larger music scene are the ones they grow and present to themselves. The Alberta Street Pub was packed with fans and fellow artists, but one wonders how much bigger this night could be if the city’s cultural gatekeepers gave hip-hop as much attention as folk, indie, and electronic artists consistently receive.