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The event held workshops that highlighted the specific skills needed to understand the elements of hip-hop — which are described by DJ Afrika Bambaataa as DJing, being an emcee, graffiti art and break dancing. The forum was created to bring together people who otherwise might not celebrate hip-hop, Bhalsod said.

“We like the same thing, we have the same interests,” she said. “We may be a little different, but we can come together and create a space for dialogue, create spaces where these artists can meet.”

Participants were introduced to the elements of hip-hop through workshops, such as disk jockeying with DJ’s Steve Swart also known as DJ Ruckus, and Alex Kwiecinski also known as DJ AK.

The workshop taught people how to spin records using traditional methods such as turn tables in combination with new technologies such as laptops and software programs. Participants also learned technical DJ tricks such as cutting, fading and beat juggling two separate songs into one new beat, along with the basic steps of break dancing, the art of graffiti and discussed the differences between mainstream and conscious hip-hop.

Some, such as Aaron Armstrong, music producer and a global and area studies senior, distinguish the difference between conscious and mainstream music through the message that the song might deliver.

“You have Common and you have Lil Wayne,” he said. “Common in a sense has more soul to (his music), he’s willing to talk more about issues with women and it’s social commentary, where as Lil Wayne is talking about (women in a tasteless way).”

James Gardin also known as the emcee P.H.I.L.T.H.Y, thinks hip-hop music can be categorized as neither good or bad but must have a balanced ideology to it’s influence in society, he said.

“I think that’s why a lot of people like (hip-hop music) though,“ he said. “People who like to think will like music that makes them think and continues to challenge their thoughts, and just (by bringing) new ideas to them and (it) allows them to be more enlightened through listening.”

Although hip-hop music might reside on both realms of positive and negative influence, for every song that might be ignorant, there are many more that are conscious and thought provoking, said Swart.

“There are reflections of real social dynamics, like what’s going on in the world,” he said. “Hip-hop originated as storytelling, and it’s stories that aren’t coming out in the mainstream media like about real life — life in places where things were rough and tough. Even amidst of a lot of the dumbest stuff, there is still really good story telling.”