Hip Hop Northern

A traditional Hip Hop style promotions and events company who focuses on throwing the DOPEST Hip Hop jams and producing culturally enriching Hip Hop experiences. We are proudly based out of Barrie, Ontario, Canada and collaborate frequently with the finest Hip Hop talent this country and beyond has to offer. For us, the emphasis on building lasting meaningful relationships within the local scene as well as beyond pays tribute to the original tenants of Hip Hop; peace, love, unity, and safely having fun! Hip Hop is the culture we love, and work persistently to preserve. 

We are all about creating new opportunities and partnering with forward thinking ally’s who share our vision of an ethnically diverse, multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary, creative community. The reason why we chose to name our brand Hip Hop Northern is because even though we are primarily based out of Canada, we do not identify as “Canadian Hip Hop” we are simply Hip Hop, and Hip Hop does not belong to any one nationality specifically, it simply exists. We are Hip Hop that exists in the north. We are Hip Hop Northern. 

 

Tha Undaground

A collaboration between Hip Hop Northern and local Barrie events company LiveBarrie. Tha Undaground is THEE authentic Hip Hop monthly series birthed and based out of Barrie, Ontario. We specialize in providing lovers of Hip Hop a consistent FIX of unadulterated, pure, raw Hip Hop expression in its many forms. All element performances, including: breakin, emceein, graffiti art, deejayin, beatboxin, and more is what you can expect to find at Tha Undaground regularly. Occurring every 2nd Saturday of the month, downtown Barrie at CW Coops. Good food, amazing performances, and an eager, lively crowd, all for a ridiculously low cost is what awaits all attendees of Tha Undaground. We can’t wait to see you at the jam!

 

 

Slick Rick in Toronto

May 2024 saw Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient; iconic, pioneering Hip Hop figure, Slick Rick play Canada for the first time in history. This historic show at the acclaimed Toronto venue, The Phoenix Concert Theatre, was a collaborative production between Hip Hop Northern Promotions and Montreal's legendary Rickey D Events.

 

Our Events:

No upcoming events at this time. Check back soon!

LiftiD

Founder and director of Hip Hop Northern. Dawid “LiftiD” Kumidaj is an emcee and Hip Hop Kultural Specialist who immigrated to Canada from Poland with his family at the young age of 5. Landing fresh into the bustling streets of Toronto, LiftiD soon found himself submerged into a whole new world of foreign sights, sounds, and experiences. His unique upbringing forged his love and respect for people of all cultures, colours and creeds. During his teenage years he was exposed to the elements of Hip Hop and their raw and creative expression. This expression captivated LiftiD and propelled him onto his own journey of self-creation, artistic expression, and community building through living Hip Hop as culture. 

 

Community Work

He has worked extensively in the Polish Canadian community for years with his close friends; Polish Hip Hop collective Wielka Familia, and the Polish Canadian Hip Hop group KonSorcjuM. Together they released numerous group albums, and performed at and organized countless shows with established Polish Hip Hop artists from back home.

 

Temple of Hip Hop

LiftiD is also a committed member of the Temple of Hip Hop; a Hip Hop preservation Ministry, Archive, School and Society founded by its leader, Hip Hop icon and pioneer "The Teacha" KRS-One. As a certified Hip Hop Kultural Specialist LiftiD is devoted to the preservation and expansion of Hip Hop culture. He has participated in and organized many Hip Hop seminars, panels, exhibits, courses, workshops, and collaborative community projects.

 

Recent Tours

In 2024 LiftiD, along with extraordinary beatboxer, and fellow Temple member God One, had the opportunity to tour across Canada and parts of America as the official tour support of legendary Hip Hop icon RA the Rugged Man. Currently, LiftiD is on a 20-country European tour with KRS-One and the Temple of Hip Hop, and is in the midst of releasing new music off of his upcoming debut solo album "A Ripple In The River." LiftiD lives in Barrie Ontario where he continues to teach and share his passion for Hip Hop.

 

Community Work

LiftiD is certified by the the Temple of Hip Hop (www.thetempleofhiphop.org) as both a True Hiphoppa, and a tier 1 Hip Hop Kultural Specialist and studies under the direct tutelage of Hip Hop’s first master teacher “The Teacha” KRS-One. He is studied in all the elements of Hip Hop and is a master in the element of emceein. In 2016 LiftiD got certified and recruited by UNITY Charity (www.unitycharity.com) onto their artist educator roster, where he got trained to host and facilitate Hip Hop based community center programs, youth drop-ins, and school workshops. LiftiD has a passion for sharing his skills and knowledge with the young minds of tomorrow in as a means to motivate them to aspire to their dreams and goals and build their confidence. He has been invited to work as a facilitator with many Hip Hop arts education organizations in the past including Canada’s P.E.A.C.E. (www.dreamsforpeace.com), England’s E.P.I.C. (www.everypersoniscapable.com), and the USA’s Next Level (www.nextlevel-usa.org) .in 2017 the Recreation and Sports department in the City of Mississauga employed LiftiD to work as the the city hall Skatepark Supervisor, where he fostered an encouraging environment, and developed programming and activities for the youth.

Community work and programming is something LiftiD is no stranger to. LiftiD spent most of his highschool years growing up in Barrie, Ontario, Canada and left shortly after graduating to pursue his interests in the Toronto area. Having gained much experience working in the community service sector he decided to bring his expertise back to Barrie where he has been residing since 2021. Since returning to Barrie LiftiD has dedicated himself to applying his know-how of the Hip Hop arts and sciences to the local community. Wasting no time, LiftiD quickly hit the ground running. During his first year in Barrie LiftiD started up Unity Community Clean-Up; inspired by and paying tribute to the original Unity Cleanup started by Shane “LS” Dennis and Unity Market in downtown Barrie. This work awarded LiftiD and Unity Community Clean-Up the Barrie Today Community Builder award. On behalf of the local Hip Hop community LiftiD applied for multiple proclamations from the mayor's office and local MPs celebrating the various holidays of Hip Hop including Hip Hop's 50th birthday (2023) and Hip Hop Appreciation Week (2024); all commemorated with a flag rasing ceremony at Barrie city hall. 

However, LiftiD's proudest accomplishment to date, is the completion and release of the song and music video “CommUNITY”, a highly impactful, socially conscious, musical collaboration created by local Hip Hop powerhouse “School Em Crew” and also featured a collection of some Barrie’s other finest Hip Hop talent. Created as a stern and unified response to an unfortunate and ugly racist incident targeting a prominent local community leader. CommUNITY was selected as a finalist at the 2023 Barrie Arts Awards - “Contribution to Community” category.

 Please feel free to contact LiftiD and the Hip Hop Northern community builder team for any requests including consultation, programming, or further information. We have an extensive network that spreads across Canada and are here to serve the community, your company, or organization. As we say in Hip Hop “each one, teach one, reach many”

 

UNITY Charity

In 2016, LiftiD got certified and recruited by UNITY Charity onto their artist educator roster, where he was trained to host and facilitate Hip Hop-based community center programs, youth drop-ins, and school workshops.

 

Organizational Work

He has worked with many organizations including Canada's P.E.A.C.E., England's E.P.I.C., and the USA's Next Level. In 2017, he was employed by the City of Mississauga's Recreation and Sports department as the city hall Skatepark Supervisor, where he fostered an encouraging environment and developed programming for youth.

 

Unity Community Clean-Up

Since returning to Barrie in 2021, LiftiD launched Unity Community Clean-Up, inspired by Shane "LS" Dennis and Unity Market. The initiative earned him the Barrie Today Community Builder award. He also secured proclamations from the mayor's office and local MPs commemorating Hip Hop Appreciation Week and Hip Hop's 50th birthday.

 

CommUNITY

His proudest achievement is the creation of the song and video "CommUNITY," a response to a racist incident targeting a local leader. It was a finalist at the 2023 Barrie Arts Awards in the "Contribution to Community" category. LiftiD and Hip Hop Northern welcome requests for consultation, programming, or collaboration, living by the principle: "Each one, teach one, reach many."

 

 

Contact Us

Have questions about our events, services, or want to collaborate? Fill out the form below and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Direct Contact

Email: HipHopnorthern@gmail.com

Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada