Hip Hop is deeply rooted in the Northwest, an extension and reflection of the unique blend of artistic and social legacies that birthed Jimmi Hendrix, Quincy Jones, Bruce Lee, Nirvana, and the Seattle Black Panthers alike. These roots feed a creative local community that has produced world-renowned artists in all the elements of Hip Hop Culture. However, the impact of Northwest Hip Hop is not limited to artistic excellence; the culture and artist community are influential components to the region’s education, activism, and nonprofit ecosystem. Local Hip Hop is a tool of self-determination and empowerment as well as a platform for organizing and advocacy for our most underrepresented and underserved. Unfortunately, many in the broader community are unaware of Northwest Hip Hop’s vast, vibrant, and multifaceted mosaic of narratives.

OurStory brings it to light in an ongoing, multimedia Northwest Hip Hop history documentation project. As a collaboration among 206 Zulu and the broader community, OurStory presents an online historical archive, hosted at OurStoryNW.com, that collects and organizes interviews, oral histories, research papers, vintage photos, artwork, and memorabilia on a multimedia web platform.

B-girl Naj

Nasty Nes

Scene

Spyc-E

King Wojack

Cloud Nice

Kindu Shabazz

Keep One

Infinity Lessons

MADK 20

For nearly four decades, Hip Hop has been rapidly evolving, not only as an arts discipline, but as an influential cultural force, especially amongst youth of historically under-represented backgrounds. However, despite it being recognized by the United Nations and the U.S State Department as a culture, Hip Hop still struggles to find representation beyond the commercialized, mass-media portrayals of its artistic practices. By approaching Hip Hop history documentation as a heritage discipline, “OurStory” provides a foundation and platform to authentically represent neglected aspects of Hip Hop heritage, while showing how the unique historical and sociological environment of King County has shaped the culture here and its diverse representative community.