Organized by Visicita Network and Dyandra Promosindo, the festival will be the first in Indonesia to recognize the fast growth of hip-hop communities in the country.

“Hip-hop as a cultural movement exists from Sabang [westernmost point of Indonesia] to Merauke [easternmost], even Papuans take it as their own culture. We would like to use the festival as a home ground for them and to bring out the different flavors of hip-hop,” said program director Yacko, a rapper, at the press conference on Dec. 18 in Kemang, South Jakarta.

At the event, the organizing committee, chaired by M. Riza, also known as DJ Bhokero, announced the first-phase of the line-up.

The announcement was made by rapper Laze, who called out the names of other artists to perform at the festival besides himself in free-styled rhyming speech.

The line-up included big names in the music genres, such as Iwa K, Tuan Tigabelas, T-Five, Matter Mos, Gamaliel, Adrian Khalif, Dekat, Maliq & D’Essentials, Ras Muhamad, Mario Zwinkle, and Fade2Black.

More artists, including five international artists, will be announced in the next two phases of preparations.

“There will be female rappers as well,” said Yacko. “We’re taking this festival seriously and we ensure it will be a safe place for all genders,” added the initiator of the Hands Off campaign against the abuse of women.

FLAVS, also stylized as flavs, derives from the word “flavor” or the hip-hop slang “flava”. More attention is put on hip-hop because the term was not only used to name a musical genre but also an influential cultural movement that comprises turntabling, also known as DJ-ing; rapping or MC-ing – which includes beatboxing; dancing – breakdancing and B-boying; and graffiti.

Street basketball or streetball, skateboard and freestyle BMX ride were also bound together as they shared the same environment in which hip-hop evolved.

All of the communities will have a place in the festival called Downtown Cypher Area, while visitors will be able to take part in various workshops and enjoy the exhibition of how hip-hop, soul, and R&B cultures started and developed in Indonesia.

Street artist Bujangan Urban will act as the festival’s art director to maximize the hip-hop cultural experience at the venue, while the organizer also boasted offering the best sound system on stage.

“We would pamper the visitors with the 3D Audio Experience system in one of the stages which would be the first time ever in Indonesia,” said technical director Tri Sasongko Santoso.

FLAVS will also hold a road show to visit hip-hop communities in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya for them to compete in Freestyle Session, B-Boy Battle and Open Style Battle. The winners will get to the stage at the Jakarta festival.

“FLAVS would also be a platform to encourage new talents as the future generation of Indonesia’s hip-hop, soul, and R&B artists,” said Riza.

“Our dream is to make this festival among the world's biggest and important hubs for international hip-hop artists." (ste)

-- Follow @flavs.id on Instagram and @flavsid on Twitter or visit www.flavs.id for more information on tickets and the final lineup.

Popular

Volcano erupts in North Sulawesi, hundreds evacuated

Dubai roads, airport reel from floods after record rains

Ramadan boosts consumer confidence, retail sales