During the months of July and August 2021 Break to the beat, Arkade Graphics and MK Gallery collaborated to host an exhibition highlighting Hip Hop Culture that evolved in and around the city of Milton Keynes, England between the years 1980 – 1990. The exhibition that was held at the MK Gallery Project Space in Central Milton Keynes featured artwork by local graffiti artists, footage of local Hip Hop crews and displays of memorabilia such as records, cassettes and flyers from the above dates. Local DJs and artists from the city also supported the event by demonstrating the various artforms associated with Hip Hop culture. In this series of articles Break to the beat aim to recreate the exhibition online and give visitors to the website:

• A visual incite in to the exhibition
• Detailed background information on the artists included
• Document the various impromptu performances by local artists that supported the event.

MK Hip Hop Culture Part 1 – MK Gallery Project Space, 2021.

Before we go in to specific details the below video was created to capture the exhibition and its contents as it appeared visually to the general public. The soundtrack to the video was recorded in 1987 by MK Hip Hop crew Double Deff Chillers who’s performance from the same era was screened at the event. Since the exhibition took place in summer 2021 Break to the beat have documented the achievements of all the artists covered. Further information on the various artist/crews can be obtained by clicking on the orange hyperlinks contained in this article. Continue reading →