Hop to it!

FESTIVAL CELEBRATES CITY'S ROLE IN PIONEERING MUSIC SCENE

- ETHAN DAVIES

MANCHESTER'S musical prowess is legendary from post-punk icons to indie legends.

However, there is one music scene which Mancs have pioneered - but have been all too overlooked.

That scene is hip hop, which has gone from humble beginnings in Baguley youth clubs to headlining some of the world's biggest festivals.

This weekend, a new event in the heart of the city seeks to change hip hop's standing within Manchester.

Street Heat 2 is a free event on Saturday and Sunday, to be held at the Old Naval Yard in Ancoats. It's designed to show off the best in hip-hop music, street arts, fashion, sneakers, street food and drink.

That's important, explains Sefton Mottley, a community leader in Moss Side and Hulme.

He's an expert in the early days of Mancunian hip hop, being a teenager when it came to the fore.