Atlanta Beltline Art Continues Celebration of City’s Hip Hop Legacy with Return of “ATL Park Jam”

Atlanta Beltline Art, Atlanta Beltline’s arts and culture exhibition and programming, presents ATL Park Jam, a one-day celebration of Atlanta’s deep, rich and unique influence on hip hop, curated by Atlanta-born event production company RAPPORT.

This year marks the second installment of the showcase, which debuted in 2023 around the global celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop. Now officially an annual event of the Atlanta Beltline Art exhibition season, this year’s event will include the return of audience favorites like the open skate session, live sets by legendary Atlanta DJs, and the crowd-favorite freestyle rap session with Soul Food Cypher together with an HBCU-style drumline.

Free fitness programming, sponsored by the Beltline, will be a new addition to the day’s line-up, including Trap Yoga and kid-friendly programming by The Happy Black Parent. Also new is the addition of a 3 on 3 basketball tournament curated by AEBL and Jahi Rawlings and ‘The Battle for Atlanta: ITP vs OTP’ Street Dance Battle curated by King Quic.

Nonprofit concert series ATL Collective will also join the festivities with a medley of tributes to Atlanta classics.

“Through locally curated activations and storytelling, ATL Park Jam showcases, empowers, and honors local artists, legends and community during this free and public event in the beautiful neighborhood of Adair Park,” said RAPPORT event creator and curator Alex Acosta.

"Central to the ethos of hip hop culture is creating joyful and uplifting experiences using dance, music and art for the community. ATL Park Jam proudly continues this tradition and centers the artists and legends who put on for the city.”

Emcee Mike Sick will also return as the host for the family-friendly event. Attendees are encouraged to bring their blankets and chairs and spend the day at the park, enjoying food trucks, a local vendor market and sponsored brand activations alongside the event programming.

More information, including the full schedule of events, can be found at atlparkjam.com.

WHERE: Adair Park II, 820 Murphy Ave SW Atlanta, GA. 30310 (Beltline Southwest Trail)

WHEN:Sunday, October 13, Noon - 7 p.m.

Highlights:

• 12:00 p.m.:ATL Skate Mixtape (Open Skate Session)

• 2:30 p.m.: Skate demo with Sick on Skates Crew

• 3:00 p.m.: 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament presented by AEBL

• 4:30 p.m.: Battle for Atlanta: ITP vs OTP presented by King Quic (Street Dance Battle)

• 5:30 p.m.: ATL Collective: Decades Live (Live renditions of ATL classics)

• 6:30 p.m.: Soul Food Cypher + HBCU-style drumline, 5th Quarter

WHY: Curated in partnership with event producer RAPPORT, Atlanta Beltline Art’s “ATL Park Jam” will highlight the rich legacy of innovation and creativity from the city’s emcees, producers, DJs, dancers and street artists.

For more than 40 years, Atlanta has constantly redefined music, changing hip hop culture and the world in the process. The event will not only elevate Atlanta’s homegrown hip hop talent past, present and future but also showcase the intersections of sustainability, public spaces and culture, which has been paramount to the city’s success as a cultural beacon and the Beltline’s success as a public infrastructure project.

“As an Atlanta native, I am proud of our city’s unique hip hop tradition which stands at the intersection of culture, innovation and influence. Out of this pride, we launched ‘ATL Park Jam’ in 2023 to celebrate Atlanta’s contribution to the culture during the nationwide commemoration of hip hop’s 50th anniversary. This year, we saw the culture reach another global and historic milestone with the inclusion of breaking during the 2024 Olympic Games. Nearly 30 years after Atlanta hosted the centennial games in 1996, the soul and influence of our culture and city is still felt on a global stage. But important questions arise: Are the artist and community truly seen? Are their stories and experiences heard or known? With the continued support from Atlanta Beltline Art, ‘ATL Park Jam’ returns this October to ensure the world knows what the South is saying.” - Alex Acosta, ATL Park Jam Creator

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: More information, including the full schedule of events and vendor and sponsor opportunities, can be found at atlparkjam.com.

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The 2024 Atlanta Beltline Art exhibition is sponsored by Delta Air Lines and Norfolk Southern at the Gold level; Kaiser Permanente, Northside Hospital, and Jamestown - Ponce City Market at the Silver level; and Cox Enterprise at the Bronze level.

This program is supported in part by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Major funding for this organization is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

About Atlanta Beltline, Inc.
Atlanta Beltline, Inc. is the official implementation agency for the Atlanta Beltline. Its vision is to be the catalyst for making Atlanta a global beacon for equitable, inclusive and sustainable city life. As one of the largest, most wide-ranging urban redevelopment programs in the United States, the Atlanta Beltline is building a more socially and economically resilient Atlanta with our partner organizations and host communities through job creation, inclusive transportation systems, affordable housing and public spaces for all. For more information on the Atlanta Beltline, please visit www.beltline.org.

About Atlanta Beltline Art
Atlanta Beltline Art is the largest temporary public art exhibition in the history of Atlanta. It showcases the work of hundreds of visual artists, performers, and musicians along the Atlanta Beltline corridor. This spectacular project places working professionals alongside emerging artists, and draws residents and visitors into some of the most unique public spaces in the City of Atlanta, providing powerful new perspectives on the city and its vibrant neighborhoods. The exhibition showcases how art strengthens and beautifies current and former industrial areas and creates signature spaces exemplifying the transformation of the city through the Atlanta Beltline. Atlanta Beltline Art touches almost 20 intown communities. Stay abreast of Atlanta Beltline Art announcements and events at beltline.org/art, or follow on social media @atlantabeltline and with #beltlineart.

Media Contacts:
Atlanta Beltline, Inc. Office of Communications and Media Relations

100 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 2300, Atlanta, GA 30303

Keona Swindler, Communications & Media Relations Manager       
404.477.3550, kswindler@atlbeltline.org    

Sigele Winbush, PR Consultant
404.862.2081, sigele@sigelewinbush.com