On the trail of rap, graffiti, DJing and breakdancing in Europe: together with music journalist Niko Hüls and the hip-hop magazine Backspin, Porsche presents the video documentary Back 2 Tape. Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, London and Paris are the stops on a road trip that explores the roots of urban youth culture across borders and language barriers.
Hip-Hop as a connecting element
The journey with the Porsche Cayenne S Coupé focuses on the four classic disciplines of hip-hop: rap, DJing, graffiti and breakdancing. Away from promotional tours or packed concert halls, Niko Hüls meets with musicians, painters and dancers. He immerses himself in the creative scenes of European metropolises and sheds light on the contribution that culture can make to cohesion across the continent. “Hip-hop is not just a style of dress or a style of music,” says Hüls, who has been working as a journalist for more than 20 years. “Hip-hop has the power to connect people regardless of country or origin and to convey values such as respect, tolerance and passion.”
Artists in Back 2 Tape illustrate the diversity of Europe
Guests of Back 2 Tape are the MCs Kool Savas (Berlin), Lord Esperanza (Paris), Rodney P (London), Falsalarma (Barcelona), Gebuhr (Copenhagen) and Pete Philly (Amsterdam); DJ Josi Miller (Berlin); dancers Michael ‘Mikel’ Rosemann (Berlin) and Sune Pejtersen (Copenhagen); art curator Nicolas Couturieux (Paris); sneaker expert Edson Sabajo (Amsterdam); graffiti legends Lars Pedersen (Copenhagen) and El Xupet Negre (Barcelona); as well as the journalists Miriam Davoudvandi (Berlin) and Apex Zero (London).
“This journey is a project of the heart for me. Cohesion and tolerance across borders are great assets, especially in the current climate,” explains Hüls. Dr. Sebastian Rudolph, Head of Public Relations, Press, Sustainability and Policy at Porsche AG, agrees: “With Back 2 Tape, we are emphasising values that we cultivate at Porsche, too.”
The content is shared digitally across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify while the Porsche Newsroom – the centre of online storytelling for Porsche – carries the full story. The documentary is now available at newsroom.porsche.com/back2tape and is the second part of a series. Part 1 celebrated its premiere in 2018 and has been awarded numerous international awards, including the Digital Communications Award, the German Prize for Online Communication and the ECON Award of the Handelsblatt.
Important note
Niko Hüls and Porsche produced their European road trip before the outbreak of Covid-19. Porsche, Backspin and the artists involved are aware of their social responsibilities and are advising against recreating such a trip until it is safe and travel is permitted.