The Montreal arts and entertainment podcast that asks Joe Garque from the Under Pressure Graffiti Festival: “What is the moment that you felt that Montreal became an international city?” – that question asked by Patrick Guay in Episode 281.

We talk about in the episode but I think the first time I went to Under Pressure was in the early 2000’s back in Dawson (not a coincident that was about the same time that I first met Joe Garque). I was blown away by the vibe – just a bunch of graffiti artists (“writers” as they’re called in the parlance) doing their thing while DJs played music and breakers busted out dance moves that make my knees hurt just thinking about. That block party vibe has been maintained over the course of the last 20 years and as the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip-hop so does the Under Pressure Graffiti Festival.

This year Under Pressure will be featuring the “traditional” painting of murals in and around Foufounes Electriques (if you’ve ever wondered why all the art at Foufs is so fresh it’s because Under Pressure gives them a facelift almost every single year) and will feature basketball, dancing and more at the nearby Parc Toussaint Louverture on de Maisonneuve – both sites will feature a bunch of live music celebrating “The Throwback ’73”.  If you’re wondering, the consensus date of the “birth of hip hop” is August 11, 1973 by DJ Kool Herc at his sister’s back-to-school party in the Bronx. It’s a wonderful thing that Under Pressure is nearly 50 years later (plus one day) celebrating all the culture that hip-hop has brought to us in the last 50 years.

Joe Garque talks about that history, the history of the festival, the 5 pillars of hip-hop and much, much more as Lawrence Corber sits in as co-host.

Enjoy the show!

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Credit Where Credit is Due

As always, a big thank you to the providers of our theme song: Leighland Beckman and Aural Turpitude!

Keith does all sorts of things here on 9to5.cc, he works with the other founders on 9to5 (illustrated), co-hosts our two podcasts: The 9to5 Entertainment System and Go Plug Yourself and sometimes blogs here as The Perspicacious Geek.

Lawrence Corber also produces some shows you may have heard of (you should probably check out the next Healthy Living show when you get a chance) and if you’re close with him you can call him Lully. The other way to call him “Lully” is to follow him on his socials. @Lully514 on Instagram.