An exhibition on Hungarian and Croatian hip-hop culture has opened in Zagreb

On February 25, 2025, the Memory Lane – 40 Years of Hip-Hop – Zagreb – Budapest – New York exhibition opened at the Liszt Institute Zagreb to great public interest. The exhibition showcases the evolution of Hungarian and Croatian hip-hop culture over the past 40 years through the memorabilia of Krisztián Kindler and Filip Ivelja (Phat Phillie). Open until March 21, the exhibition is accompanied by a variety of programs, including concerts, children's activities, songwriting workshops, DJing sessions, graffiti painting, lectures, film screenings, and panel discussions. The opening event received significant media coverage in the Croatian press.

The exhibition was initiated by renowned Croatian rapper Filip Ivelja (Phat Phillie), who curated the showcase in collaboration with the Hip-Hop Archive founded by Krisztián Kindler. DJ GYöReMiX (Tibor Győző Györe) and Krisztián Kindler present the history of Hungarian hip-hop, including its early beginnings, which trace back to the release of Miklós Fenyő's breakdance track Lépjük a lépcsőt. The exhibition illustrates the cultural elements that accompany hip-hop—breakdancing, graffiti, rapping, and DJing—through a diverse collection of posters, promotional T-shirts, photographs, concert tickets, vintage newspaper articles, and old cassette players. Rare footage of 1980s graffiti from Zagreb and Budapest, awards, personal correspondences with global hip-hop legends, never-before-seen videos and rare audio recordings, skateboards, flyers, stickers, autographs from renowned artists, and even vintage sneakers can be seen. As part of the exhibition, attendees can watch BP Underground Hip-Hop, a film by Anna Koltay and Eszter Turán, which won the Highlights of Hungary award. The documentary, presented with English subtitles, delves into the origins of the hip-hop scene and its community-building power through key figures of the subculture. Featuring original archival footage, the film takes viewers on a journey from the most influential tracks and messages to iconic record stores and legendary clubs.

At the exclusive opening event, organizer Phat Phillie and Dr. Anna Mladenovics, director of the institute, welcomed the guests. The evening continued with an English and Hungarian rap performance by 18-year-old Haga Jázmin, also known as "ReQuest." Following this, DJ Györemix! played a 90-minute set featuring Hungarian hip-hop tracks. Outside the institute, Krešimir Golubić, director of the Zagreb Street Art Festival, created a Zagreb-Budapest graffiti piece, while the following day, Hungarian graffiti artist Angel showcased his skills on the other side of the wall. The exhibition remains open at the Liszt Institute in Zagreb until March 21. Based on the guestbook entries and the remarkable media coverage in Croatia, the exhibition has been met with outstanding reception.

On February 26, as part of the exhibition's accompanying events, the winners of the She Raps project—featuring female rappers from Portugal, Belgium, France, Slovenia, Serbia, and Montenegro—arrived in Zagreb to record a collaborative track with renowned hip-hop producer @koolade.koolinout. Following the recording session, the female rappers held a performance at the Liszt Institute, where they invited Hungarian rapper Haga Jázmin (ReQuest), a finalist in the latest season of The Voice. The collaborative music session was a huge success and resulted in a full house.