Hip-Hop 101 celebrates the facets of hip-hop culture: music, art, poetry and dance. The internet radio show, smart phone app and live events are a living tribute to hip-hop’s most prosperous eras and the three elements work together to achieve a singular goal: to maintain the rich and diverse history of America’s greatest cultural phenomenon.
Hip-Hop 101 was founded by former radio personality, veteran DJ, and entertainment and marketing professional Mike “DJ Mike Swift” Smith. Having been a part of the Atlanta music scene since the early 90’s as a member of the first and longest running rap music show in Atlanta history (WREK 91.1 The Beat Box), and one of the pioneering members of Atlanta’s all hip-hop formatted radio station (WHTA Hot 97.5/107.9), Mike Swift is the perfect person to musically chronicle the golden age of hip-hop, and report on it’s continued growth and prosperity.
In January of 2012, Hip-Hop 101 launched a weekly internet radio show on nexradioonline.com entitled Hip-Hop 101: The Mix Show. The show featured DJ Mike Swift spinning classic hip-hop music in addition to featured hip-hop news and flashbacks to the “what’s happenings” of the founding fathers and mothers of hip-hop. Check out Thee Mix Show archives for a fresh music mix, a look back at what was hot in rap music on the Billboard music charts from days gone by, the latest music from classic artists, and historical tidbits and facts.
Because of the show’s immense popularity, Hip-Hop 101 became available as an app for Blackberry and Android in March 2012 and for iPhone and iPad in September 2012. To date, over 30,000 users worldwide have downloaded and use the Hip-Hop 101 app.
Hip-Hop 101 launched in July 2011 with its inaugural live event in Atlanta, GA. The aim was to celebrate hip-hop culture through music, art, poetry and dance all delivered over a classic hip-hop landscape. Freestyle emcees, hip-hop dance crews, graffiti artists and DJ’s transported the night’s attendees back to the golden era of hip-hop. Two additional events were held in September and December of the same year and the next event is currently under development.