The Capital – Samples of Jyväskylä Rap

Rap music is the most popular music genre worldwide and part of the hip hop culture. Rap and hip hop have taken root in Finland, too, with the city of Jyväskylä dubbed as the capital of Finnish rap already a decade ago. For years, successful artists, producers and influential figures in hip hop culture have emerged from the heart of Central Finland. The Capital sheds light on this story and provides background information about how, from 1990 to 2015, the Jyväskylä hip hop culture rose from the grassroots to become a trailblazer in Finnish rap music. The exhibition also summarises the story of 50 years of hip hop and the background to its explosive rise from the Bronx, New York, to a global movement.

A group of pioneers of Jyväskylä rap have been involved in the planning of The Capital: Ossi Valpio (Soul Valpio), Pyry Jaala (Are) and Joni Vanhanen (Joniveli/WANHA). The soundscape of the exhibition is designed by Joni Vanhanen. The exhibition is produced by the Museum of Central Finland.