PHOTOGRAPHY: The Northern Face of Hip Hop, Viking Rappers

Writer/director Simen Braathen and photographer Martin Johansen devoted two years to documenting the Norwegian rap scene and the different regions that make up the movement. Viking Rappers: from New York to the North Pole, opening June 14th follows indigenous Sami(Laplanders) rappers in the Arctic Highlands. As NOoshpere Gallery notes, the rappers "use hip-hop as an instrument to revitalize their nearly extinct language." The exhibit will present photographs, a documentary film, and a live performance by SLINCRAZE.

The documentary Máze Represent! tells the story of how SLINCRAZE, a rap group from Máze, Norway uses hip hop to fight negative stereotypes and bring back their dying language. During the opening SLINCRAZE will perform live for the first time in New York.

Whether or not you believe this is a clever promotional event for the artist SLINCRAZE (((PR reps take note))) it may in a slick way show how you can use art as a promotional tool. Regardless of what you may think the installation is about, photographer Martin Johansen has more than 10 years’ experience as a music and documentary photographer - including his work for Kingsize Magazine, Scandinavia’s largest hip hop magazine. We look forward to the flicks and what hip hop looks and sounds like way up there.

You can find out all about the exhibition in the gallery's press release here.

You can find out more about NOosphere Gallery here.

You can find out more about Martin Johansen here.