In September 2005, Zurich DJs Ivan Sterzinger “Ceo Müller” and Klemens Wempe “Soulsonic” launched “Rap History” at Zurich’s Club Helsinki, a series of events that brings to life one of the most important cultural phenomena of recent times: the rise and establishment of rap as a musical style.
“Rap History” is danceable and accessible to the public, while offering DJs, connoisseurs and collectors a wealth of in-depth information. The club is a university, conference centre or institute, the party itself is a seminar, lecture or lesson, and the DJs are the professors, researchers or specialists. The profane status of rap music is enhanced by a structure-building approach. The “Rap History” event series thus performs a balancing act between party events and cultural studies analysis.
“Rap History” traced 30 years of rap history over three years; now the event series is being celebrated in style at the message salon with an exhibition and the “Rap History” party at the University of Helsinki, the institute’s home classroom. As a logical highlight, the grand “Institute of Rap History” final exam will take place in the Perla-Mode lecture hall, where students from the University of Helsinki can demonstrate their knowledge of rap history.
A total of 30 “Rap History” events traced the development of rap from 1979 to 2007 with web streams, cassettes, fanzines, lists and posters. The message salon displays all the “lecture material,” such as party posters and all issues of the fanzines (copied magazines). Mixtapes and boomboxes are available to take along as audio guides on a tour through the history of rap in the exhibition. The reading room contains further research material, including the most comprehensive list of rap releases, a cassette with 30 years of rap history in 60 minutes, and handmade woodcut posters by Zurich artist Eric Andersen.
This year, the Institute of Rap History was awarded a prize by the Federal Office of Culture in the design competition for the consistent implementation and execution of its concept.