Past the Mic: Time Travelers and MCs

The Legendary Cyphers, a group of talented MCs who have lead a weekly freestyle rap circle in Union Square, will discuss how time functions in hip hop lyrics, and then drop some bars. Moderated by exhibition curator, S.I. Rosenbaum.

As a genre, rap is built on allusion. In order to parse hip hop lyrics, the listener has to be master of a huge corpus of historical, personal and cultural narratives that are often combined and juxtaposed within a single bar. The effect is to collapse time: the song exists in a space that has access to all points of the speaker’s personal and generational history. With exhibition curator, S.I. Rosenbaum, The Legendary Cyphers will discuss how time functions in hip hop lyrics and then drop some bars.

For a few hours every week- 8-12 pm every Friday night from May to November- the southwest platform of Union Square Park is transformed from one of many busy New York city corners, into a creative space that elevates free expression, originality, and raw hip hop in its purest form. Knowledge is shared, cultures are connected and community is born. The cypher is, in its simplest form, a group of artists exchanging ideas in rhyme. Look deeper and you’ll see an environment come to life- one we all build together. In this environment, all voices are appreciated, everyone is accepted and all are welcomed.

This event is free and open to the public. RSVP here.











When: Sat., Dec. 8, 2018 at 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where: apexart
291 Church St.
212-431-5270
Price: Free
Buy tickets/get more info now
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The Legendary Cyphers, a group of talented MCs who have lead a weekly freestyle rap circle in Union Square, will discuss how time functions in hip hop lyrics, and then drop some bars. Moderated by exhibition curator, S.I. Rosenbaum.

As a genre, rap is built on allusion. In order to parse hip hop lyrics, the listener has to be master of a huge corpus of historical, personal and cultural narratives that are often combined and juxtaposed within a single bar. The effect is to collapse time: the song exists in a space that has access to all points of the speaker’s personal and generational history. With exhibition curator, S.I. Rosenbaum, The Legendary Cyphers will discuss how time functions in hip hop lyrics and then drop some bars.

For a few hours every week- 8-12 pm every Friday night from May to November- the southwest platform of Union Square Park is transformed from one of many busy New York city corners, into a creative space that elevates free expression, originality, and raw hip hop in its purest form. Knowledge is shared, cultures are connected and community is born. The cypher is, in its simplest form, a group of artists exchanging ideas in rhyme. Look deeper and you’ll see an environment come to life- one we all build together. In this environment, all voices are appreciated, everyone is accepted and all are welcomed.

This event is free and open to the public. RSVP here.

Buy tickets/get more info now