Macedonian premiere of the documentary "New York: Pilgrimage", interview with Dr. Slavcho Koviloski, professor and director: Hip-hop culture has unknowingly entered our everyday life

At the beginning of the documentary, footage from Skopje and archival footage of various hip-hop events that took place in Macedonia over the past twenty years are given, and the remaining 99 percent were filmed in New York in some of the most dangerous places that resulted in a series of fun and quite serious situations.

Tonight (September 19) starting at 22 pm, at the open cinema park "Ibni Pajko" in Skopje, as part of the Cinedays Film Festival, the Macedonian premiere will be the documentary hip-hop film "New York: Pilgrimage" by director Slavcho Koviloski, member of the hip-hop groups "Klan Istok" and "Brothers in Blood", and full professor at the Institute of Macedonian Literature.

The hip-hop documentary "New York: Pilgrimage" is a kind of journey through the streets of New York, the birthplace of hip-hop culture. Cultural influences, racial issues and rights struggles are portrayed in a cultural sense in this 39-minute documentary. The main goal is to draw a parallel between the development of hip-hop in the United States and in Europe, more precisely in Macedonia, where hip-hop appeared in the early 90's. The documentary is filled with music from the golden age of hip-hop and pictures of ghettos and places where this culture developed, and gives a personal account of the city experienced by the author of the film, who grew up with hip-hop culture.

Filming began in 2018, but post-production lasted as long as two years.

Rap albums often have an intro, which one is yours?

- Microphone check-in, one-two check-a!

What is hip-hop, realism, inclusion, culture, transversality, challenge, poetry?

- All of the above. Hip-hop affirms, challenges, creates transfers, breaks taboos, creates discomfort for the soft ears, educates, entertains. No hairs on the tongue.

How the documentary "New York: Ajilak ”and for what purpose?

- The film was made as a product of the project "Hip Hop Made in Macedonia" (Hip Hop Made in Macedonia), which was held in New York in order to present the Macedonian hip-hop culture on American soil. An exhibition of covers of Macedonian hip-hop albums was made, the documentary "Jigsaw" was screened and a performance by the Klan East group was held, which was also the first official performance of a Macedonian hip-hop group in America. It was important to show that hip-hop is a culture, with its own specific characteristics.

I see hip-hop mostly as a tool with which some rights can be fought, which indicates the consequences of irregularities in the system, the double standards and which reflect the situation in the country.

Where did you shoot, who are the participants, how long did the documentary take?

- At the beginning, footage from Skopje and archive recordings of various hip-hop events that took place in Macedonia over the past twenty years are given. The other 99 percent were filmed in New York in some of the most dangerous places in the ghettos of Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, which resulted in a series of fun, but also quite serious situations. Filming began in 2018, but post-production lasted as long as two years. And here it is, hit during a pandemic…

How would you explain it to them hip hop the culture of those who have always stayed away from it?

- Listen to the rhythm and the lyrics. Open your minds and do not be afraid.

Hip hop is over 40 years old and over three generations of artists have passed. As a representative of the new wave in our country, what is the difference between new hip hoppers and , the old school ”?

- In fact, I am part of the oldest generation of Macedonian hip-hop activists. The difference is more than obvious and concerns the rhythm, the lyrics, the clothes, the building of attitudes and their expression. Back then hip-hop was underground, now it is part of popular culture. In fact, we live in a time of commercial hip-hop. Just look, graffiti as art is present on our walls, sweatshirts, DJs, the way we talk, all this is influenced by the hip-hop culture that is already unconsciously entered into our daily lives.

Does hip hop have a political dimension, and what is it?

- Absolutely. I see hip-hop mostly as a tool with which some rights can be fought, which indicates the consequences of irregularities in the system, the double standards and which reflect the situation in the country. This applies to all countries in the world. Thus, what is happening in the United States today is a logical product of hip-hop attitudes toward the mainstream and the behavior of large corporations.

Ena Veko was the first Macedonian rapper and in the early 90's she was a real attraction, can we agree that rap in our country was promoted and launched, however, by a woman?

- She is known for the media attention she attracted, otherwise there were hip-hop artists in front of her who did their job.

Today, at least with us, it seems hip-hop in general has become a "male thing", what about women, or do you not accept them in company?

- We receive them, how can we not receive them, it has always been so. In fact, worldwide today, female performers stand side by side with men, and even more so in the science and theory of hip hop. We also collaborate with some of them, we have exchanged experiences and we have had interviews: Trisha Rose, Myra Brown, Raquel Rivera, etc.

Hip hoppers, among other things, are great provocateurs but also educators. What provokes and what educates our new generation?

- On several occasions we have pointed out that hip-hop is like electricity - it can be used both positively and negatively. The team of "Hip Hop Macedonia" which has existed as an organization since 1999 is the only Macedonian and Balkan company that held lectures, discussions and debates on the topic of hip-hop, in Macedonia and abroad. The main point of our lectures is the need for education, knowledge, our contribution to the community in which we live. Hip-hop became part of the academic environment by organizing lectures at the Faculty of Philosophy, the forum held last year at the Institute of Macedonian Literature, and is part of the curriculum of the subject Subculture of Cultural Studies at the Institute.

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