Back to the Style is a graffiti and hip-hop event whose annual jams have been a fixture in the European style-writing calendar for well over a decade. Past writers have included such illustrious names as Flying Fortress, Bates and Rosy One, as well as showcasing the finest talent from Naples and beyond. The event also includes a strong section of DJing, rap and breakdancing, making Back to the Style an authentic ode to the hip-hop subculture.
This year’s event, which took place in mid-June, featured the New York legend Keo X-Men as part of the graffiti exhibition, as well as Jake, Riot1394, Debza, Somey, Ojey80, Most, Mind and Giose. MTN World caught up with Daniele from the Bereshit Association that has produced the events since the inception of Back to the Style.
Can you introduce yourself?
Hi, My name is Daniele, President of the Bereshit association which organizes Back to the Style. I take care of bringing together all the realities that gravitate around the event, from the artistic part to the production, to the recreational area and the communication.
‘The key is the love for graffiti and the desire to share our passion and knowledge with the community. The Team has always worked to bring to Naples writers of the highest order, from the sacred monsters who have made history to the youngest talents who are doing it and will do it.’
Who do you work with?
The team is made up of Tres, Koso, Zeus40 for the graffiti area, Vasso takes care of the photos, Oyoshe and the 4raw studio team takes care of the Rap, the TCK movement takes care of the breakdance, the Ammontone Studio team takes care of the music, Rota takes care of social media. But this is a small part of the group working on the event: fortunately we can count on the support of many friends and brothers who love back to the style.
The festival has been an important part of the European graffiti calendar for over a decade. What factors have allowed you to be so consistent?
The artistic choice has always been the fundamental pillar of the event.
The key is the love for graffiti and the desire to share our passion and knowledge with the community. The Team has always worked to bring to Naples writers of the highest order, from the sacred monsters who have made history to the youngest talents who are doing it and will do it. “Knowledge is power” if you want to promote quality things.
What help do you have from the local council and brands, if any?
The main support we owe to brands such as Urban Jungle, Mapei, Montana Colors and Spectrum. This year Black Box and the International School of Comics of Naples have been added to the family and we hope to continue the journey with partners who will allow us to raise the bar of our cultural offer more and more. But basically we self-finance. During the year we produce our own merchandising. (BTTS SHOP) This is a very important thing for us and fortunately we can count on the support of great artists.
The selection of burners was absolutely first rate, as we have come to expect from BTTS. Which artists/crews participated?
The list would be very long if you are referring to the last few years. We speak of more than 100 writers from all over the world. I am always excited to think about who has passed by here.
CESISM, YES2, REVOK, RIME, TOTEM, DMOTE, MAST, JURNE, TOTEM, STAE, CUBA, just to name a few from the USA. But there are many: AROE, JAPON, SWET, RESO, BATES, GREAT, ROSY ONE, MUSA, SOTEN, FASIM, ROICE, SAWE, RAGE, TONES, PRO, DRUID, DIZER, DYRE, KID KASH, SERVAL, NOMAD, HEIS, FLYING FORTRESS, RIAM, to return to Italy, LUGOSIS, BRUS, SPICE .. and many others ..
This year, KEO X-MEN from New York City, JAKE, RIOT1394, DEBZA, SOMEY, OJEY80, MOST, MIND, GIOSE took part in the event, in addition to the very talented locals of which our land is fertile.
How do you choose the artists? Is there an open call or are they selected at your discretion?
The writers have always been selected by the team. The first years were invited by Zeus40, in the last editions this arduous task has fallen to Tres. ☺
There is an important element of music and dance a part from the graffiti exhibition. Who was involved this year?
Music and dance are fundamental parts to share the culture at 360 ° with the local community. The BTTS is a moment of meeting between generations, between successful artists and young and talented artists.
A mix of well-known and lesser-known graffiti writers, so for rap, breakdance and DJs, the philosophy is the same, to promote healthy competition to give space to the new.
Kurtis Blow, La Famiglia, Speaker Cenzou, have been guests in the past editions with live concerts. In recent editions we have promoted DJ sets. Naples is fertile ground and we can count on the support of local realities that make noise throughout the national territory and beyond. DJs of the level of Uncino, Ekspo, Ciccio Sciò, were placed side by side by young talents such as Dj Lento for the rap area and Dj Frello for the breaking area.
FUN FACT:
This year, BboyKent, a 15-year-old breaker from Rome won the break battle!
Rap area: the prize for the winner is the production of a song by him with professional video.
Have you any idea how many people came to see the graffiti jam and DJs in total?
Ours jam is an open event, which takes place in a public park with free entry. So I can’t give you precise numbers, it will be about 3000/4000 people in the three days, but I can say that the audience grows from year to year and the best thing is that it is more and more varied. We aim to share the BTTS with a broad and transversal community, not just lovers of the genre, so we can count on Il Fuori Orario, a bookstore / spray paint shop that acts as an ambassador throughout the year. In addition to lovers of the genre, at Back to the Style there are families, locals residents and people who are simply curious, this is thanks to the work carried out by Il Fuori Orario.
Do you have dates confirmed for 2023?
There are no official dates for the 2023 edition, but stay tuned to our social networks for updates 🙂
Follow us on Instagram here.
More videos here.
Team credit: Beneshit
BTTS Shop.
Il Fuori Orario
Check out reports from previous editions of Back To The Style here.
Read an interview with the Spectrum Store here.
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