Photo by Dennis Kailing
Germany’s biggest hip hop Splash! Festival recently celebrated its 17th birthday. This year, the festival saw around 25 000 attendees visiting four different stages hosting close to 90 bands. The Splash! Festival offered a few old school, a lot more new school hip hop as well as some soul, funk and electronic music in front of the beautiful scene of a former power station near a catchment lake in Ferropolis.
Friday marked the first official day of the king-sized Hip Hop delight and NOTHING BUT HOPE AND PASSION set off for the eagerly awaited sound journey which was framed by sunshine, sparkling water and huge metallic cranes. After exploring the numerous stages on the festival area, the German rhyme-machine AFROB justified his position in the rap game and brought his new album Push with him. After his performance the special secret act SAMY DELUXE mobilized the crowd. Only a few yards from there, M.I.A. entertained with a hypnotizing play of colours and plenty of power. Finally, HUDSON MOHAWKE beatified all those who wanted to celebrate into the wee hours of the morning.
M.I.A. at Splash! Festival 2014
Photo by Robert Winter
The first day already left some marks, which were mostly medicated by green power and extensive breakfasts in different states of aggregation in order to be back on one’s feet again. The last ones woke up when SYLABIL SPILL spit flames, therefore it was a masterstroke to put him on the ‘Relentless Samoa Stage’ next to the water. Ditto for MEGALOH, who put his heart and soul into his performance and thus brought a lot of warmness along the festival crowd. The ultimate heat was delivered by André 3000 and Big Boi aka OUTKAST. The American duo presented their soulful hip hop Best-of-Set in the course of their comeback tour, so there was no escape. After their performance everyone was warmed up for the afterparty. We grabbed the chance to dance to the beat-driven-set of ONRA, who brought some sick tracks with him.
The third day started off with the series of events named ‘LOOP SESSIONS’. This concept unifies the dope hip hop band called TRIBES OF JIZU and different rappers. Especially, the performance of German artists DÖLL and WALDO THE FUNK made a lasting impression. After that, DEXTER let his dope beats speak for themselves and emphasized the beautiful spot. He was followed by one of the few female artists, ANGEL HAZE who was on fire and burned the place down while running through the whole crowd. Around 9pm the Football World Cup started and thousands of attendants watched the triumph of the German team that was directly celebrated to the raps of WIZ KHALIFA as well as KAYTRANADA, afterwards.
And simply because the organizers are already back on track to mount next year’s Splash! Festival, we have one request: please bring back some more original hip hop again and cast a better glance on the sound, now and then. Nevertheless, we look back in gratefulness for the opportunity to celebrate the Hip Hop culture for four days and we can’t wait to be part of this peaceful get-together once more.
Outkast at Splash! Festival 2014
Photo by Robert Winter
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SPLASH! FESTIVAL