A new exhibition in Cardiff delves into a musical genre that has been bringing Welsh musicians together to collaborate and perform for more than 40 years – and no we’re not talking about male voice choirs.
Though maybe less associated with Wales than some other musical genres, hip-hop has a long-established presence in Cymru, with the first hip-hop influenced tracks by Welsh artists hitting the airwaves back in the 1980s.
Now, National Museum Cardiff is set to celebrate this rich legacy with a new exhibition focused on the genre’s impact in Wales. Entitled Hip Hop: A Welsh Story, the showcase will explore how the genre has shaped the Welsh music scene, from the nascent days when pioneers like postpunk duo Llwybr Llaethog put out the first Welsh-language hip-hop tracks, to what was arguably the genre’s heyday in Wales in the early 2000s, when Welsh act Goldie Lookin Chain’s satirical rap songs became a mainstay in the UK charts.
The exhibition, which begins on 19 July, will also look to the future, showcasing a number of up-and-coming talents making waves in the industry today, such as artists like Juice Menace and Lemfreck, the latter the winner of the Welsh Music Prize 2024.
Along with a strong focus on the music that has influenced the hip-hop scene in Wales, exhibits will also delve into the wider culture around hip-hop, including the fashion and dance styles it helped to create and influence. A portion of the exhibition will also focus on graffiti and street art, which, with its anti-establishment ethos, is widely considered one of the four pillars of hip-hop, along with rapping, DJing and breakdancing.
Speaking about the exhibition, Kaptin Barret, Hip Hop Collecting Coordinator at Museum Wales said, ‘A lot of people don't realise how much hip-hop has become a part of Welsh history and culture. For many it's integral to their sense of Welsh identity so it's only right that it now finds a space within Wales’ national museum.’
‘I believe it will break down many preconceptions but also create a more welcome space for people who feel they haven't been represented there previously. Hopefully it will inspire people to dig a little deeper and learn more about the culture and how it has impacted life here in Wales,’ he added.
The exhibition, which will run from July 2025 to February 2026, is free to enter, with time slots available to book now on the official National Museum Cardiff website. The website also has details of other upcoming exhibitions, including a showcase dedicated to one of Wales’ greatest, yet lesser-known, painters.
National Museum Cardiff is one of the seven national museums of Wales. Learn more about what our national museums have to offer visitors.