Adam Prudhomme
Editor
H.I.C Town, a new music series aimed at bringing urban style to rural settings, will make its debut at Napanee’s Doghouse Studios on Aug. 1.
H.I.C-a play on the ‘hick town’ slang typically assigned to small farm towns-stands for Hip Hop In the County. While music is a major component, the event is much more than just a concert.
“The event series is an urban style event, similar to a city style social event where they play Hip Hop, Rn’B, Afrobeats in a rural town,” said Carlos Merchant of Newburgh’s Future Vibes Entertainment, which is hosting the event. “It give people who like those music genres an event to go to. We’re starting off in Napanee at Doghouse Studios and then we have another happening in Wellington at the Lake Side Motel Aug. 29. It’s going to be like a summertime thing and we’re going to do this annually.”
Napanee’s event will feature Keaton, an independent Hip-Hop artists based in Kingston.
“It’s not just a party or a dance, but it’s a social with networking. We’re trying to highlight local talent in and around the areas as the featured guest,” added Merchant.
The series also aims to challenge perceptions of rural communities.
“It’s a networking event that contains the music that is not normal for the area,” said Merchant. “Napanee is more rock and country type feel but there’s people living in the area that do like the urban genres. It’s just providing something new, something different. People can just come and enjoy and listen and catch a new artist that they’ve never heard before and recognize good talent that are in a rural town.”
To learn more about the event or explore sponsorship opportunities, visit hictown.ca. Representatives will also be at Newburgh’s Hollow Square Market on July 13, selling tickets.