For the culture
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WBLFEST
The Words Beats & Life Hip-Hop Festival
“If there’s one place to experience literally all of Hip-Hop, old-head or whatever, this is the spot.”
The Words Beats & Life Hip-Hop Festival is the presentation of every corner of Hip-Hop from its most original forms to their most alternative, academic, and exciting evolutions in performance, scholarship, and community. WBLFEST reminds you of Hip-Hop’s roots while showing you its infinite trajectory thanks to the incredible talents of dedicated Hip-Hop artists from around the world. Every year, these artists bring their new innovations to Washington D.C. dedicated to honoring the lasting traditions catalyzed and kept burning by lovers of the culture.
click a date to preview that year’s WBLFEST
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
Breaking Competitions
B-Boys, B-girls & B-x’s competing for the top spot
“...and then they jumped over three people before landing in a split. I knew I was in the right place.”
Who Are the Freshest of All Time? (check back soon to see past Winners)
Teach-In
Remixing the art of social change
The Teach-In is for presenters of all fields - as long as they tie back to Hip-Hop. With the perpetual expansion of the culture, this effort gets easier every year. More people are in contact with Hip-Hop culture than ever before. How does Hip-Hop impact one’s daily life? Their government? Their children’s education? What about Hip-Hop’s role in battling the actual Mafia? These and many more interesting questions are answered by scholars and practitioners of the culture who study and apply Hip-Hop off-stage in classrooms, lecture halls, and auditoriums across the world at the Teach-In. Learn how you can Remix the Art of Social Change.
Fine Lines Mural Jams
A painter’s playground
Who in the world is allowing you to legally throw up your illest designs on 900 ft-long walls in the middle of the nation’s capital? Words Beats & Life - that’s who. Multiple times per year, we find the best spots for mural, graffiti, and other fine lines visual artists to come together for a friendly get down. Portraits, tags, cartoons, stencils - it doesn’t matter as long as you’ve got the skills to show the world your talent. Spectators welcome to witness, dance, and dine as we generally include food trucks, live DJ’s, and community vendors bringing audiences all sorts of fun activities while the artists spray their unfiltered imaginations onto the designated walls.
Winter / Spring Concerts
How are we still performing in the current climate? Take a look below to see how we’re continuing to bring you some of the best Hip-Hop performances and DJ sets in the DMV!
