1) Hip Hop in Poland

Natalia Emi HIRAI（Freelance Writer）

Poland is famous as the birthplace of Chopin, but 200 years later, it is now a hip hop superpower! Nurtured by Polish people’s innate love of poetry and through the influence democratization in the former communist countries in the 90s, hip hop has evolved in Poland to the point where it is now so popular, it dominates the general pop charts all year round. In this presentation we provide an overview of Polish hip hop’s history and special characteristics and introduce around 10-15 groups and artists of note, from veterans to newcomers, highlighting their lyrics.

2) What is Tatar Hip Hop Protesting against?: Russian Social Problems and Tatar Ethnic Problems Seen through the Cries of Tatar Rappers

Mizuki SAKURAMA（JSPS）

Hip hop entered the Tatar music scene in the 2000s and, while it was criticized by the conservative Tatar popular music world, it continued to tackle many everyday issues, such as inequality and injustice, poverty, loneliness and suicide. However, from the latter half of the 2010s, there has been a decrease in the number of songs connected with political criticism, and an increase in the number of songs confronting issues related to ethnic groups and languages. What is the background to Tatar hip hop and what do Tatar artists rap about? Taking Tatar hip hop as a case study, this presentation considers the kinds of issues facing ethnic minorities living in Russia today.

3) Making a Scene: The Generational Change and Structural Transformation of Indonesian Hip Hop

Yujin KIM（National Museum of Ethnology）

Hip hop first took root in Indonesia in the 1990s. However, rap music at that time was an entertainment industry based in the capital Jakarta. After democratization in 1998, underground rap began to develop in the rural areas. Thanks to the emergence of dazzling global stars such as Rich Brain, a new generation of rappers started creating a local scene in 2016. This report unravels the history of Indonesian hip hop from the 90s (first generation) to the present day (third generation).

4) Overview of Cameroonian Hip Hop

Yushi YANOHARA（Kyoto University）

Since 2005, I have been conducting field work on this cultural phenomenon with young local hip hop practitioners in the Republic of Cameroon in Central Africa. Based on this field work data, I will provide a history and overview of hip hop in Cameroon, and explain hip hop’s connection to African culture. Together with the study group members, I would then like to discuss the factors that have led to hip hop having such an influence on popular music and popular culture around the world.