Advertisement from the 2018 Hip Hop Festival. Image credit: Trinity College

The International Hip Hop Festival, organized by Trinity students Magee McIlvaine '06 and Jason Azevedo '08 in 2006, is held annually over a spring weekend on Trinity's campus. The Festival brings in hip hop artists from around the world to perform for both Trinity students and the general public.

The Festival was founded with the goal to connect Hartford and Trinity through music and promote social change through the genre of hip hop. The Festival features lectures and panels that present a wide variety of educational topics related to hip hop, along with dance workshops, and graffiti showcases. Performances by both local and international artists, as well as all-night dance battles and competitions, such as “Trinity 'til Infinity,” are also featured.

The wide interest in the event has led to the establishment of more courses being offered in Hip Hop Studies at Trinity.

The Festival continues to be held in partnership with Nomadic Wax, a company that produces hip hop films and events world wide; Temple, the Trinity chapter of the Temple of Hip Hop; and Notable Productions. The Festival is also funded and supported by many of Trinity's academic departments and a wide variety of campus clubs and organizations.

The Trinity Reporter, Fall 2017.

The Trinity Reporter, Spring 2009.

The Trinity Reporter, Spring 2007.