Mobile is preparing to celebrate the ninth annual Alabama Hip-Hop Week, a weeklong series of concerts, panels and community gatherings spread across venues throughout the city beginning July 4 and running through July 10.
The event was founded in 2007 by Kalenski “DJ Dirty Dan” Adams, a longtime radio personality at WBLX who spent years in the military before returning home to immerse himself in Mobile’s hip-hop scene. Adams said he created Alabama Hip-Hop Week after watching a wave of talented local artists leave the state for larger cities, often without any grounding in the business side of the music industry.
“This platform is to let them know that they can get that love and pursue their dream right here in their own home state,” Adams said. “Alabama Hip-Hop Week is there for them to showcase their talent and also network and meet the people that you need to meet to take you to the next level.”
Adams said the week was designed to be more than a concert series. Hip-hop, he said, has shaped fashion, art and community identity well beyond the music itself, and Alabama Hip-Hop Week aims to reflect that broader cultural footprint while also addressing the social and political issues that inspire much of the genre.
This year’s festivities kick off on the Fourth of July with a day party at TAG Bar & Lounge on North Jackson Street starting at 5 p.m., featuring DJs and lyrical performers. “We want to bring them the ambiance of straight party with entertainment and let people know that this a fest that you want to be a part of,” Adams said. “So, we want to kick it off with a day party to let people know that it’s Alabama Hip-Hop Week. It’s the Fourth of July, so let’s have a good time.”
On Tuesday, the week shifts toward its educational and civic mission with the first installment of the “Urban Summit” at the Thomas Sullivan Community Center at 2 p.m., where local artists will have a chance to talk directly with community leaders. Adams sees the summit as an opportunity to build relationships and exchange ideas among groups that might not otherwise cross paths. That evening, TAG Bar & Lounge will host RunMob, a weekly open-mic competition, beginning at 9 p.m. This installment doubles as the finals of the broader RunAla competition and is expected to draw DJs and performers from across the region.
The Urban Summit continues Wednesday at the Joseph Dotch Community Center at 2 p.m., followed that night by a celebrity bowling event at Eastern Shore Lanes at 9 p.m., bringing together DJs and artists for a lighter, community-oriented gathering.
Thursday’s schedule turns to industry networking, with a DJ conference at Xcite Pool Hall & Lounge on Dauphin Street at 7 p.m. Organizers say the event is meant to give DJs and performers a rare chance to connect outside the fast pace of a typical club setting, where DJs are usually working and have little time to engage with artists looking to build relationships.
Alabama Hip-Hop Week has long been intertwined with LoDa Artwalk, and this year’s edition continues that partnership with a special installment of Soul Kitchen’s monthly Elements showcase, with doors opening at 7 p.m. Adams worked with Soul Kitchen owners Brad Young and Maggie Smith, along with Elements organizer Seth Maness, to build an evening centered on the Trap style of hip-hop. The night will also serve as a tribute to the late Young Thad. “Young Thad was a great artist on the way to the top,” Adams said. “His untimely death shocked this community. At the end of the day, a lot of guys supported him, and he supported them.”
On Saturday, the celebration moves to Kazoola, one of the newer additions to the Lower Dauphin Street entertainment district, owned by Marc Jackson. The Summer Madness event begins at 5 p.m. and is intended to spotlight the broader cultural institutions that have grown up around hip-hop, including fashion and the beauty industry alongside music. “We wanted it to be a mixer, but we also want it to spotlight people that’s doing fashion and the beauty industry and also the music industry,” Adams said. “Culture, fashion and music all go hand in hand, and he has a great platform to showcase that.”
The week wraps up with a block party spanning Phat Tuesday and Brandi’s Nite Club on St. Stephens Road, which will double as both the closing celebration for Alabama Hip-Hop Week and a birthday celebration for Adams. “It’s all about coming together and having a good time and spotlighting the culture in a fun and safe environment,” Adams said. “It’s just to wrap up a successful week and celebrate crossing another year of life.”
Performers scheduled throughout the week include lyricist J. Simon, spoken word artist Angela Mizzcarrimail Agnew and DJ Loot, among others drawn from Mobile’s local hip-hop community and beyond.
Looking ahead to the event’s 10th anniversary next year, Adams said he hopes to keep expanding the platform’s reach. “It’ll be 10 years of pushing and building and growing and trying to create an environment in our state for hip-hop, which is a billion-dollar industry,” Adams said. “We want to show people that you can be a part of the music and do it in a positive way with your freedom of speech. We also want them to know that they can make money and provide for their family.”