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In Photos: Back To The City Over The Years

These images by photographer Tseliso Monaheng capture special moments from the South African hip-hop and street culture festival Back To The City, which would be taking place today on Freedom Day, were it not for the global pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an undeniable effect on a significant portion of the world's population. When surveying creative industries, it's live music in particular that has been hardest hit.

Back To The City, the Mecca of South African hip-hop and street culture, has been taking place annually on April 27, since its inception in 2007. The date is a public holiday, Freedom Day which commemorates the first democratic elections of 1994 which led to the ANC taking on power and Nelson Mandela inaugurated as the country's first Black president.

Read: In Photos: Back To The City 2019

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Emile YX?. Photo by Sabelo Mkhabela.

Emile YX? Shares Some Gems About South African Hip-Hop History, Its Relationship to Capitalism & More

Here's a transcript of SA hip-hop pioneer Emile YX?'s talk at the hip-hop summit during Back To The City.

Emile YX? is a member of one of the oldest South African hip-hop crews, Black Noise. He's a rapper, break-dancer, author, philanthropist and life teacher, among other things. Last week, he was part of the panelists of the SA Hip-Hop Summit, which takes place during the annual hip-hop and street culture festival Back To The City.

His speech stood out among the other speakers, who also dropped major gems. The OG drew similarities between indigenous African cultures and hip-hop, touched on the genre's relationship with capitalism, spoke on how Cape Town hip-hop's divisions affect the genre's growth, why Cape Town hip-hop struggles to shine nationally, among other things.

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In Photos: Back To The City 2019

South Africa's annual hip-hop and street culture festival Back To The City came back strong this year.

EPMD is Performing in South Africa This Month

EPMD will be performing at Back To The City, South Africa's biggest hip-hop festival.

This Is What South Africa's Biggest Hip-Hop Festival Looks Like

In Photos: The 12th annual installment of South Africa's Back To The City festival.

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Pharoahe Monch Is Performing In South Africa This Month

Pharoahe Monch will be performing at Back To The City, South Africa's biggest hip-hop festival.