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KYLIE]~ “CHRISTMAS. CREATIVITY
Natalie Woolman finds out about a one-day celebration of hip hop, street art and b-boy battling, as she talks to Emma Hamilton, aka b-girl Remady
anksy’s subversive street art sells for millions. Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre are basically musical
royalty and films such as Step Up 2 continue
to popularise break-dancing and battling. Hip hop
and street culture couldn’t be having more of a ~
moment. Funny. then. that there’s no agency representing this artistic sub-culture in Britain. Or rather that no such agency has existed until now.
The Ever Ready Agency will be launched on
Sunday 3 August. in an all-day hip hop extravaganza
hosted by Glasgow b-boy crew the Flyin Jalapenos (pictured). Formed in 2002. and with members from as far afield as Poland. the Flyin Jalapenos are
planning almost 12 hours’ worth of battling b-boys.
live graffiti and stand-alone performances for the eclectic. electric event. in association with Emma Hamilton. the founder of Ever Ready.
Hamilton. alias b-girl Remady. learned to dance aged 17 at Edinburgh University. After a whirlwind decade battling her way across the globe. she has set
up the Ever Ready Agency in a bid to draw together and represent hip hop factions from across the
country. ‘I just realised that there isn’t anyone in this .
country who represents hip hop at the level that we want hip hop to be represented.’ she says.
Choosing an atmospheric space to advertise her wares and put on the launch event was important for
i
Hamilton. ‘It had to be somewhere where hip hop I actually happens.’ she says. Her eventual choice was
Studio Warehouse in Glasgow. which. as well as hosting studio space for various local musicians and artists. is usually the home of the Flyin Jalapenos training sessions. ‘They rent a space there that they can go to wherever they want. just to practice and
train and teach classes. It’s their space. and we’re l putting on this jam in conjunction With everyone else f
in the warehouse.’
Hip hop artists are coming from across the country to dance for four hours on the spot in Sunday’s b-boy jam. including Hamilton herself. ‘Yeah. I’ll be in the circle — I’m also going to be performing Altitude. a ten minute show with [hugely popular Edinburgh hip hop dance. graffiti art and DJing duo] Etch N Sketch.’
The climax of the night happens at 10pm. with an exhibition of the weekend labours of the 2()-strong gathering of graffiti artists. Hamilton felt it was important to include street art alongside the music and dance showcases. ‘We want the day to represent all aspects of hip hop. The graffiti artists don’t just do their own thing - everything’s mixed together. It’s a culture.’
Studio Warehouse, Glasgow, Sun 3 Aug. See www.everreadyagency.com
>i< The Flyln Jalapefios 3-- Boy Jam and Gram Exhibition Battlin’ B-Boys, fast-paced graffiti art, MCs, DJs, and the launch of a brand new hip hop agency. See preview, left. Studio Warehouse, Glasgow, Sun 3 Aug.
>l= Laura Mamey (pictured) The best-selling Scottish author with the tongue twisting titles — okay. the one who’s not Christopher Brookmyre — launches her newest book, My Best Friend Has Issues. See what we mean? Waterstone’s, Sauchieha/l Street, Glasgow, Thu 37 Jul.
=l< Pollok Family Day They’ve been doing it for 30 years now, and this gigantic outdoor jamboree, with everything from livestock to live music, promises to be bigger and better than ever. See picture caption, page 16. Pol/0k Country Park, Glasgow, Sat 2 Aug. l =i= Secrets Timely — given that Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging is maxing up the multiplexes as you read this —
stage adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's novel about the
friendship between two lonely pre—teen girls. Theatre Royal, Glasgow, from Wed 6 Aug.
31 Jul—7 Aug 2008 THE LIST 15