New Music Video: Indonesian Hip Hop in NYC
In May, Asia Society brought the Jogja Hip Hop Foundation — the foremost hip hop group in Indonesia — to New York to perform their unique blend of ultra-modern hip hop beats and protest lyrics, mixed with traditional Javanese spells, wishes and poetry. During their short stint in the city, the Jogja Hip Hop crew, who hail from the culturally rich region of Yogyakarta, truly immersed themselves into New York life, feeding off of the excitement and energy of the city, which led to a tremendous performance at Asia Society.
The show was part of Creative Voices of Islam in Asia, a project that seeks to explore the pluralism of Muslim majority countries through the rich cultural mix of the arts, traditions, religious expression, popular culture and current politics.
Below, check out their new music video, filmed in and around New York — and featuring a cameo by Asia Society Director of Cultural Programs and Performing Arts Rachel Cooper — as well as clips from their extraordinary performance at Asia Society.
And watch out — the Jogja Hip Hop crew is returning to New York City next spring to be a part of Center Stage!
This post originally appeared on Asia Blog.