ATL Park Jam marks hip hop’s 50th; Eyedrum begins drum/bass residency

The Art on the BeltLine celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary will begin with ATL Park Jam Saturday at Adair Park in southwest Atlanta.

The day-long event starts at noon and is curated by Alex Acosta, a founder and executive producer at RAPPORT. Acosta is also the founding executive director of Soul Food Cypher, which will perform its trademark freestyle rap.

There will also be a women’s-only rap cypher, a dance battle, a HBCU-style drumline with Xclusive Percussion and a live DJ set by Atlanta hip-hop pioneer DJ Jelly.

Acosta said the program is designed to highlight and celebrate Georgia’s impact on the hip-hop world. “From the Bankhead bounce to the latest Tik-Tok dance craze, it is undeniable that Atlanta remains influential to hip-hop culture,” he said in a press release. “This Park Jam is a special moment that brings all the homegrown elements together and honors the Georgia-born architects of our culture.”

Atlanta BeltLine has more events on tap through the end of the year to celebrate hip-hop’s anniversary.

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Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery will begin a new quarterly residency called Detours Drum and Bass on September 1 that will feature a performance by Chicago DJ Toyacoyah.

The residency is curated by Chanté LaGon, content director of Slo*Mo magazine and a long-standing supporter of Atlanta’s electronic and soul music scene. “I grew up dancing to house music in Chicago,” LaGon said in a press release. “When I started going to raves in the late ’90s, that’s when I first discovered drum and bass. I love it so much, and this is my chance to move from a consumer of the culture to a creator and curator.”

The fall edition of Detours Drum and Bass will feature Toyacoyah, who has been a DJ since the late ’90s. Her set will feature a variety of genres including electro, breaks, juke, jungle and footwork.

Also performing is Atlanta junglist Dinnamugg (also known as Jae MajiQ), who is a member of Team Rollers, the jungle drum and bass DJ collective.

Atlanta’s Trulyfe is also on the bill. He has been a DJ for nearly 25 years.

“Detours Drum and Bass aims to provide an elevated electronic music experience,” said LeGon. “The choice of Eyedrum as the event’s home is purposeful. It’s the ‘OG’ venue of cutting-edge art and music, known for hosting boundary-pushing musicians and artwork. The DIY ethos of the space is well-established, and it garners deep credibility among innovative thinkers and move makers.”