Portland, Oregon isn’t known as a hip-hop city—despite its long history of sonic experimentation and wealth of talent. KMHD Jazz Radio, OPB’s Oregon Experience and the Albina Music Trust teamed up to learn why, calling in Portland’s hip-hop pioneers to share their insights.
Hip-hop is a cultural movement: A synthesis of cumulative Black artistic expression, urban hardship and resiliency born out of marginalization. Out of block parties in the Bronx in the early 1970s and then Compton in Los Angeles, a musical way of life swept the globe.
But all those starter elements were also getting mixed around in historic Black neighborhoods in Northeast Portland at roughly the same time and Portland hip-hop’s initial flight met some turbulence. Local nightclubs and venues denied artists access to their performance spaces due to racial and musical discrimination.
This story was written by J Jackson, edited by Arya Surowidjojo and Anthony Dean-Harris, digitally produced by XYZ, with archival material provided by the Albina Music Trust. In partnership with KMHD Jazz Radio: Jazz Without Boundaries.