For too long, the hip-hop scene in Atlantic Canada has flown under the radar. But thanks to Michael McGuire, that’s changing. A recent CBC article shines a spotlight on McGuire’s latest project, the East of East Atlantic Hip-Hop Archive exhibition, currently on display at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax. This groundbreaking exhibit, running until November 23, showcases decades of hip-hop culture that have been cultivated in the region, celebrating the local artists who have helped shape the sound.
McGuire, a multi-disciplinary artist, educator, and rapper (also known as Hermit of the Woods), has spent years preserving the legacy of Atlantic Canadian hip-hop. His vast collection, which started with personal mixtapes and posters from the scene, has now grown to include more than 2,000 recordings, 850 CDs, 400 posters, 280 records, and 165 cassettes. His goal? To capture the essence of a hip-hop culture that’s too often overlooked.
The CBC article explores McGuire’s personal connection to the scene, detailing how he began making music himself, eventually becoming intertwined with the artists and producers who laid the foundation for hip-hop in Halifax. In the feature, McGuire dives deep into the roots of the scene, giving special attention to pioneers like Manny Bundy, aka King Bun, who was spitting rhymes in the ’80s before the genre was fully defined in the region.
“We had something of a pipeline direct from New York giving us really interesting new hip-hop music,” he told the CBC. “But because we are separated and we have to do our own thing, people started making it themselves.”
For more information, visit the MSVU Art Gallery website.
