Hip-hop was born in the Bronx

 During the early 1970s a cultural movement sparked by the youth of marginalized Black and Latino communities looking for a voice. DJs like Kool Herc pioneered the technique of looping breakbeats, while MCs began to rhyme over the beats, giving birth to what we now call rap. Hip-hop wasn’t just music it was a full expression of street culture, combining DJing, MCing, breakdancing, and graffiti art. It started at block parties and park jams, eventually spreading across boroughs like Brooklyn, Queens, and Harlem. What began as a local response to struggle, creativity, and community quickly grew into a global force. New York laid the foundation not only for a genre but for a worldwide movement rooted in resistance, storytelling, and self-expression.

Artists and creatives from all backgrounds are welcome. No egos, no judgment just passion, expression, and respect for the art.

Express Yourself Freely

Rap cyphers are one of the most powerful and authentic expressions of hip-hop culture. At their core, a cypher is a circle both literally and symbolically where MCs gather to freestyle, trade verses, and feed off each other’s energy in real time. There’s no stage, no hierarchy, just raw talent, mutual respect, and the rhythm of the beat or even just a handclap. Cyphers go back to the roots of hip-hop in the Bronx, where battles and impromptu sessions became the proving ground for MCs. Over time, cyphers evolved into not just showcases of lyrical skill, but safe spaces for artists to share their truth, sharpen their craft, and build community. They’re about presence, flow, energy, and connection no two are the same. Whether on a corner in Harlem, a train station in Madrid, or inside an art gallery in Vienna, the cypher is where the culture lives, breathes, and continues to grow.

"The cypher experience is just as important as how it starts. I always make sure to close it out with words that honor the energy, the artists, and the moment we’ve all built together. Whether it’s a thank you to the crowd, a shoutout to the MCs who stepped in, or a message about staying true to the culture, the ending is meant to leave people feeling inspired and connected. I want everyone to walk away knowing they were part of something real something rooted in expression, unity, and respect. The final words are a reminder that the cypher doesn’t end here it continues in every verse written, every beat made, and every story told beyond that circle."