Next summer, RBC Ottawa Bluesfest should diversify its lineup to equally represent the hip-hop music genre.
Though the 29-year-old music festival was coined after blues, it has featured headliners from pop, country and rock backgrounds.
However, Bluesfest lineups have severely underrepresented hip-hop artists.
According to statistics compiled by the Charlatan, of the 98 performances this year, only 10.2 per cent were by hip-hop musicians. Comparatively, 26.5 per cent of the performances were by rock artists.
These statistics raise concerns regarding why underrepresentation is occuring. The genre is deeply rooted in Black culture and has produced arguably some of the most talented musicians to date, such as Beyoncé.
Hip-hop musicians and fans are deserving of equal representation alongside other genres in festival lineups. For Bluesfest, representation should mean actively seeking out and showcasing hip-hop headliners.
The Ottawa police cancelled multiple hip-hop concerts earlier this winter due to undisclosed “safety concerns.” However, security issues can be present regardless of genre. Any major headliner could generate rowdiness at Bluesfest, and thus, the remedy should be ticket moderation and adequate security, not underrepresenting certain genres.
Bluesfest is in a position to both cater to local rap fans, and present performance opportunities for Ottawa hip-hop artists.
Bluesfest equalizing genre representation is also economically beneficial for the city. A variety of artists will attract larger arrays of fans to support local businesses.
Hip-hop is a rich music genre. Bluesfest should amend their underrepresentation of the genre and highlight hip-hop genius in next year’s lineup.
Featured graphic from files.
