Workshop: From Kingston to the Bronx, the Jamaican Roots of Hip Hop

In this workshop, let's explore how Sound System culture gave birth to Hip Hop — through history, listening, beatmaking, and language.
About this Event

A 3-hour cultural workshop exploring how Jamaican Sound System culture gave birth to Hip Hop — through history, listening, beat-making, and language. For artists, DJs, producers, and curious minds in Barcelona.


Hip Hop didn't start in a vacuum. Before the Bronx, there was Kingston.

Most people know Hip Hop was born in the Bronx in the early 1970s. Fewer know that the man behind those first block parties — Clive "Kool Herc" Campbell — was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and brought with him a cultural technology already decades old: the Sound System.

From Kingston to the Bronx is an immersive workshop that reconnects those dots — historically, sonically, and practically.

What you'll explore:

• The origins of Jamaican Sound System culture (late 1940s–1970s)
• How migration shaped the birth of Hip Hop in the Bronx
• The shared codes between Dancehall and Boom-Bap
• Key figures: Kool Herc, King Tubby, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Grandmaster Flash, KRS-One
• How and why the two cultures diverged
• The influence of Jamaican Patois on Hip Hop language and identity

What you'll do:

• 🎧 Guided listening session with curated music from both cultures
• 🎛️ Hands-on beat workshop: create a Dancehall riddim AND a Boom-Bap beat (led by producer SOLOMANE)
• 🗣️ Language & identity session: Patois, slang, and the power of words

Who is this for?

Artists, DJs, producers, cultural workers, students, and anyone who loves Hip Hop beyond trends and wants to understand the culture from its roots.

What's included:

✅ Access to the full 3-hour workshop

✅ PDF workshop file sent after class

✅ Official workshop photo

✅ Entry into a growing network of music passionate

📍 CO'LAAB — Pl. de Sortidor 4, Poble Sec, Barcelona
🎟️ Early bird: 17€ | Last minute: 26€
⚠️ Limited to 20 participants — intimate format by design.