Although Krip-Hop Nation is back home, the work, news and music keeps on going. DJ TBC of London, England tells us about the Deaf Hip-Hop scene in Lodon England.
Deaf Hip-Hop Scene in London
Being Deaf it is hard to experience music properly DJ TBC writes…
Deaf people want to be able to enjoy music but it has to be loud, so loud the vibrations of the bass line can be felt. Hip-hop does well with its bass lines as Deaf people can understand the rhythm and therefore can dance to it.
DJ TBC, I produce music and have a heavy emphasis on the bass so my Deaf peers can feel it literally! I love to see people dancing to the work I have devoted much time and energy into and knowing I’m doing something positive for the community makes me smile.”
Deaf people for years have been often left out of the music industry and it is only now with the likes of Signmark whom hails from Finland that the industry is starting to realize that there is hidden talent within the Deaf community. Signmark is a sign language based rapper who translates lyrics that are spoken which he has himself created in order to bring important messages/wordplay into the mainstream such as “It ain't no rocket science, don't need a microphone to rock it” which creates empowerment for Deaf people at large.
DJ TBC is involved with a Deaf/hearing group who are organizing a party in London called Sencity aimed at bring Deaf and hearing people together for a night of music but it focuses on all the senses rather than just sound for example there will be Aroma Jockey’s who mix smells to match the mood of the music, Video Jockey’s to mix video’s as If they were music tracks and one of the highlights of the night will be the vibrating dance floor where people can actually feel the beats and bass lines! Signmark will also be headlining the gig along with some other prominent names in the business. Sencity has been running for the last 7 years and started in Holland to make the impossible possible by putting on a music event for Deaf and hearing people to come together and since those days it has grown with events taking place in Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Finland and many other countries. See www.your-sencity.com for more information.
Hip-hop has its place within the mainstream but needs to reach out further to Deaf people who love to watch music videos such as Drake’s “Over”, Public Enemy’s “Fight the power” and Birdy Nam Nam’s “Abbesses. Hopefully one day we can see more artists like Signmark emerging and breaking through the ranks in to the mainstream.
DJ TBC “We all need a form of escape and we need for everyone to enjoy Hip-Hop whether they be Deaf or disabled after all we live in a society that is very much about inclusion. If you put your mind to it anything is possible!”
For a free download of TBC’s track “Facing the barrier” go to http://www.mediafire.com/?hajsxcgkb1dqg2f