Dedicated to telling the untold story of Hip Hop in Manchester, the Archive is committed to collecting and sharing verbal, visual, audio and physical documents, to help curate a rich collection of artefacts that authentically highlight the events, groups and individuals that contributed to the social and cultural phenomenon known as Hip Hop.
The Manchester Hip Hop Archive aims to shadow the values held by Unity, working with volunteers and young people from the community to help authentically shape delivery, provide diverse archive opportunities and create meaningful intergenerational connections through Hip Hop education and Hip Hop arts activities.
Following the success of the Unity Radio MHHA Takeover Month back in November 2021, the Archive and Research team have been busy exhibition planning and conducting Covid safe interviews with key members of the Hip Hop community from across Greater Manchester – including the UKs first rap champion Prince Kool to Manchester graffiti legend KREK. You can preview a selection of these interviews on Unity Radio’s IGTV here.
Through our partnerships with One Education&Beat Bazaar, 2021 will also see the launch of the Manchester Hip Hop Archive Education Programme, with schools & community groups across Greater Manchester accessing both digital and face to face workshops covering the Hip Hop elements.