Hip up hop cycle

A hip hop scholar (yes, yes, trust me – there is such a thing) will tell you that one of the most important social phenomenon to come out of the 20th century originated in the Bronx. The neighbourhoods of hip hop’s nascence were short on privilege but long on the kind of creativity that does a modern-day upcycling advocate proud. The early hip hop gods and goddesses created their kingdom thus…

B-boy: “I haven’t got a violin or a saxophone or a piano. I do however have functioning body parts; I will invent beatboxing.”

B-girl: “There’s no ballet studio on my block, but I do have a piece of linoleum, a cassette and a boom box; let there be breakdancing.”

B-boy: “I’d like a drum kit but haven’t got one. I’ve got this record and a turntable though; herewith I introduce scratching to the world.”

B-girl: “Art supplies are thin on the ground in my neighbourhood. But who needs a canvas when I can upcycle this underutilised brick wall in the name of graffiti?”

So let this tale be a warning to you – today’s upcycling experiment could be tomorrow’s cultural movement. Think twice before you dispose of your linoleum off-cuts won’t you?