Manitoba Music Launches Decipher, a Professional Development Series Focused on Hip Hop in Manitoba

Winnipeg’s hip hop community is in the spotlight with Manitoba Music’s new professional development series, dubbed Decipher. Building on Manitoba Music’s hip hop-focused projects over the last year and responding to feedback from the local community, the series will centre on building Manitoba’s rap scene and helping the local community make critical career connections.

The series kicks off November 23 at the Manitoba Music resource centre with an open discussion about the relationship between hip hop and the larger music industry. Designed for Manitoba-based rappers, DJs, producers, promoters, and R&B acts, the event will featuring a panel of four rappers sharing their insights into navigating the industry.

Acclaimed artists Tasha the Amazon from Toronto, Daniel Bennett of Calgary's Transit22, and hometown hip hop heroes Andrew Sannie of The Lytics and Carmen Omeasoo aka Hellnback are set to talk about their years of experience in a rapidly-changing music scene.

Manitoba Music’s own Alan Greyeyes, who is a member of The JUNO Awards rap committee, will moderate a discussion aimed at finding opportunities and resources to move the local scene forward and help put Winnipeg on the national hip hop map.

Manitoba Music has presented and partnered on several hip hop-focused projects in the last year including a showcase and roundtable discussion in the spring, a partnership on the conference portion of the inaugural Northern Touch Music Festival in the summer, and a partnership with Graffiti Art Programming’s Studio 393 last winter for a special edition of New Music Night featuring emerging young talent.

The Decipher series is slated to continue in 2018, offering the local hip hop community more opportunities to learn from and connect with key hip hop industry pros and peers alike. Stayed tuned for more at manitobamusic.com/workshops