In the summer of 2019, Kunsthal Rotterdam in collaboration with the HipHopHuis Rotterdam and guest curator Lee Stuart will present an exhibition about hip-hop and its influence on today’s fashion and lifestyle. Streetwear is dictating the pace and aesthetics of the fashion industry and has changed the way in which it manifests itself. From being a source of inspiration for high-fashion brands to making sportswear more acceptable as every-day attire. Hip-hop is the leading youth culture and has been dominating the charts and the streets world-wide, with some Dutch gamechangers as major players. Hip-hop is taking over, u better recognize.

The Bronx is the birthplace of hip-hop culture. This New York borough has literally and figuratively been on fire since the 1970s. Violence, poverty and discrimination are everyday realities. This place gave rise to a ‘do-it-yourself’ culture where originality and credibility are key. Creativity is the essence of hip-hop and fashion is a connecting element. Even though you may have been born a pauper, you can still look like a million bucks. The exhibition ‘Do Believe the Hype’ shows the looks, the codes and the creative power of hip-hop. The pioneers who inspire the fashion houses, the hypebeasts who camp outside stores for days, and the artists who are in the front row at fashion shows.