Next Level - Hip Hop Diplomacy

In the organizer's words:

On Friday and Saturday, May 29 and 30, the US team "Next Level" will be visiting Heidelberg. They will be joined by Junious "House" Brickhouse, a former US soldier who was stationed in Heidelberg in the 1990s. Together with his team of rap, dance, beatmaking, graffiti and video artists, he will meet the local hip-hop scene and interested visitors.

In free workshops, talks and performances, the focus is on hip-hop as a platform for creative and intercultural exchange. The aim is to bring people together, learn from each other and get to know new perspectives.

"Next Level" is an international program of the US Department of State and the Meridian International Center. The project uses hip-hop to promote cultural exchange and empower young people and local communities in particular. Artists from the USA work together with local creatives on workshops, performances and educational programs. The focus is on respect, collaboration and the exchange of experiences and ideas.

The event is a collaboration with the Freie Hip-Hop Institut, the Stadtarchiv Heidelberg, Hip Hop Heidelberg e.V., the Deutsch-Amerikanisches Institut Heidelberg and the "Next Level" initiative.

PROGRAM:

"GIs and Hip-Hop in Heidelberg" [Language: English]

Talk with Junious Brickhouse (Next Level, USA) and Bryan Vit (Freies Hip-Hop Institut, Heidelberg)

⏰Friday, 29th may / 4 - 5.30pm

📍City Archive Heidelberg (Max-Joseph-Strasse 71)

Cultural Xchange with Team Next Level

• Beat Xchange: Frankie Leroux & Komplex

• Dance Xchange: with Kelli Forman

• Rap Xchange: BS and Plastic TFM

• Live Painting: Demetrius

• + Multilingual Rap Cypher

⏰ Friday, 29th may / 8 - 11 pm

📍 Kulturhaus Karlstorbahnhof Klub (Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 3)

Street Dance Workshop with Kelli Forman (Next Level, USA) [Language English]

⏰ Saturday, May 30, 2026 / 2 - 5 pm

📍 Grün&Gold (Am Karlstor 1)

Rap Workshop with BS (Next Level, USA) [Language English]

⏰ Saturday, May 30, 2026 / 2 - 5 pm.

Beatmaking Workshop with Frankie Leroux (Next Level, USA) [Language English]

⏰ Saturday, May 30, 2026 / 2 - 5 pm.

📍 DAI Heidelberg (Sofienstrasse 12)

"Each One Teach One" Hip-Hop as a Tool for Education [Language English]

Panel talk with Junious Brickhouse, Kelli Forman, BS, Frankie Leroux, Demetrius (Next Level, USA)

& Gee-One aka KANE (Heidelberg)

& Dascha Reimt (Frankfurt a.M.)

Hosted by: Sergio Mukheerje (DAI)

DJ/Rap performance: Akanni Humphrey (1625 Bap Beatz, Bronx/FFM) & Corey James Gray and BS (Next Level, USA)

⏰ Saturday, May 30, 2026 / 7 - 11.30 pm

📍 DAI Heidelberg (Sofienstrasse 12)

All activities are free / no admission fee!

Price information:

Registration for the dance workshop at: sayhello@hiphophd.de (limited number of participants)