Hiphop & Rap in Bristol

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Bristol's Hiphop Scene

Bristol’s Hiphop Explosion in 2022?

Hip-hop is big in Bristol in 2022, but it’s never really gone away. Acts like the High Breed bring meaning back to hip-hop in the Bristol underground scene, which some Bristol rap artists have cited as limiting on their chance of success (as compared to their London hip-hop rivals). The shadow of Bristol trip-hop still looms large, with Massive Attack and Tricky being the defining moment for some (and anything else that doesn’t conform to this is swept aside). Hip-hop nights in Bristol set to redefine this, nights booking international hip-hop artists like Next Up and Raise the Bar (who combine hip-hop and spoken word).

It is often said that graffiti is the written expression of hiphop and a key element in hiphop cuture, however the huge quantity of graffiti and comparatively small amount of hiphop in Bristol suggests otherwise... While Bristol is certainly a key stopover for big rap and hiphop tours with artists like De La Soul and Wu Tang Clan playing Bristol's big venues, smaller hiphop events are less prominent.

Although not exclusively hiphop venues it's worth checking the listings for The LAB club, Mr Wolfs and The Croft. Metropolis has emerged as reliable hiphop venue with past guests including Ugly Duckling, Peanut Butter Wolf and Arrested Development. The Contraband Sessions held at The Golden Lion on Gloucester Road every Wednesday can be a good place to find free, Bristolian hiphop gigs.

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Our recent hiphop recommendations

Marauding Norsemen Agabas charge into town wielding their self-coined ‘deathjazz’: a pummeling uptempo rawk engine with a thrash gallop, horn blasts strafing through the noise, and shredding throat growls atop a storm of riffs and rhythms. A cataclysmic ruin ritual FFO: Kvelertak, Imperial Triumphant, Slipknot, Converge. AGABAS at Exchange.

Sell out warning! Crazed cumbia meets mutant surf, acid champeta and retro-future radiophonic SFX via Bogotá’s most notorious supergroup (ft. Meridian Brothers mastermind Eblis Alvarez). Astonishingly strange new instrumental worlds FFO: Romperayo, Dengue Dengue Dengue!, Ondatrópica, Frente Cumbiero, Fumaça Preta. Los Pirañas at The Jam Jar.

Sell-out warning! Gorgeous, dream-soaked ghost music, refracted through hypnagogic pop lulls and a soulful jazz poise. Tara Clerkin Trio’s seductive sound is rooted in the city’s lineage of smudged trip-hop and experimental forms, with this homecoming gig at Trinity promising something quietly magical that we’ll all look back on for years to come… utterly unmissable. Tara Clerkin Trio at The Trinity Centre.

Sell out warning! Come commune with the music of the stones: TSHNE continues to astound after THAT intimate Bridget St John happening with Incredible String Band treasure Robin Williamson – the arch bard of UK outsider folk – gracing the lil ol’ Microplex. Undiminished by time, he performs with longtime partner Bina on a stunning set of Celtic and Indian traditionals, marked by intricate, eccentric magic. Robin & Bina Williamson + Rosie Brownhill + Fohn at The Cube.

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What our editors say

“Previously called Seed Sessions, this is now our Lets Talk supported hip hop/jazz fusion jam on the last Monday of every month! Let's Talk/Seed Sessions are a fantastic charity for male musicians providing musical mentorship and counselling, come along, jam out or just show your support!”
From: Let's Talk Jam

“DEADPUNK PRESENTS: CODEFENDANTS (Los Angeles, USA) After storming Exchange with Melvinator, Codefendants are back in Bristol this October. Expect a riotous night from the genre-smashing punk collective who blend alternative, hip hop and rock to create a sound they call Crimewave. Tickets sold by Strange Brew on behalf of the promoter, Deadpunk. All ticket revenue belongs to the promoter.”
From: Codefendants

“MĀDŁY is a multilingual singer, rapper, and poet, whose work weaves together the threads of Neo-soul, Nu-jazz, and hip hop. Expect hard hitting flows and content, combined with Soulful Melodic and jazz influenced sounds from Komposa. Instagram: @me_madly @onlyonekomposa Following on from this we will have DJ Wink Collective taking over till 3am! Free entry until 9.30pm, £6 after”
From: MĀDŁY & Komposa

“The one and only place to be on a Sunday evening. 4 years of Sundays, Family Business has hosted an open hip hop jam night. Hosted by some of the most prolific faces on the scene, the weekly hip-hop jam invites collaborators to the stage - make yourself known to the house band and get involved! The stage is open to musicians, MC's, poets post-punk noise from South West UK and everything in between. Express your creativity with the house band other collaborators. Free Entry.”
From: Family Business Hip Hop Jam

“Kickstart your weekend with an eclectic mix of bootleg tunes and undiscovered gems. Guiding you through the evening will be some of the city's finest disc jockeys, covering genres such as UK garage, house, disco, soul and hip hop. BEN DALEY B2B SALT Free entry, music from 9pm.”
From: BEN DALEY B2B SALT