Let?s face it ? hip-hop has a less-than-stellar reputation in today?s musical world.
Darin Atwater, composer, conductor and founder of Soulful Symphony is doing something about the bad rap with some unique spin doctoring this weekend. His 75-member Soulful Symphony, along with the dance company Soul Movement and Baltimore-based rappers M.E.P., will perform the world premiere of his hip-hop symphony, “Paint Factory.”
“Hip-hop has grown into a global phenomenon, present on all continents and performed by all races ? it?s a uniting force,” Atwater said in a recent statement. “But over the years, hip-hop has been corrupted by commercialism, and infected with racist, sexist and homophobic messages.”
A heavy assessment, indeed, and one that led to “Paint Factory,” a piece that offers an uplifting message of unity, respect and hope.
“I wanted to recontextualize hip-hop and demonstrate a whole new way of looking at the art form,” Atwater said.
Atwater structured the piece as an oratorio, with an orchestral overture, recitatives, arias and two dance interludes, “Arabic” and “Africa.”
Ten of “Paint Factory?s” 14 movements are associated with color and its symbolism. White represents purity and is represented in a soulful aria emblematic of women?s self-esteem. In the movement “Red (One blood ? Red blood connects all races),” Atwater reflects hopefully that “It?s cool to groove/But we need to move/To that place of you and me/A colorblind community.”
“Mr. Atwater is getting people to respect hip-hop as an art form,” said Ezekiel “Alcatrez” Givens, a rapper with M.E.P.
The group?s acronym stands for Making Everything Possible, a philosophy as well as a performing style executed since the Baltimore-based trio formed in 1998. The two other members are James “Japiro” Nealy and Derrick “Panama” Beasley.
“Ours is a positive outlook on the genre,” he said. “Hip-hop is maturing [and] we?re reaching out to the community with an uplifting message.”
IF YOU GO
Soulful Symphony: “Paint Factory” (world premiere)
» Venue: The Music Center at Strathmore; 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
» When: 8 p.m. Friday
» Tickets: $21 to $80
» Information: 877-BSO-1444,
www.baltimoresymphony.org
» Venue: Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall; 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore
» When: 8 p.m. Saturday
» Tickets: $25 to $78, call
» Information: 410-783-8000, www.baltimoresymphony.org
