Judge for Upwords Movement

“Hip Hop is dead” is no longer a rumor. What was once a whisper, hiding under the hoodies and fitted hats of the hip hop community, is now a mainstream pop icon plastered on cheap shirts, in 80’s neon. But lies often spread better than truth. Hip hop is alive and well. It is a movement that is both pious and pundit, both pure and poisoned. It is of the people and for the people. The movement moves on. We praise in the pocket grooves and voracious vocab. We strive to edify, elevate, inform, inspire, intuit, and collaborate. Music is ours for the taking…every last one of us. We are Upwords Movement.

In the fall of 2002, Bryan Hamilton and Ron Hall began performing under the name Phonotype. With Hamilton on the tables and Hall on the mic, the duo set out from the Seacoast of NH to touch the larger hip hop communities of the US. From east to west, Phonotype soon turned into Upwords Movment and connected with mcs and djs from all over; from Crown City Rockers and Heiruspects in the west to The Press Project and Glue in the east.

Between tours and spot dates, Upwords Movement released a 3 disc series of mix tapes titled, “The Evolution Theory,” which celebrated the past and present of hip hop. With four bi-costal tours under their belt, they brought on the sultry, southern voice of Priscilla Parchia in early 2008. Now located in Oakland, CA the hip hop trio is fresh out of the studio after recording their debut album with appearances by B.Cap & Iyeoka, DJ SOE, The Pharos and others.