D2MG stands for DANCE, DJ, MC and GRAFFITI - These are the 4 elements of hiphop. Established in 2002 by a group of passionate UNSW students, and initially led by Michael Liu, our organisation has been staying true to hiphop ever since.
We are an organisation that seeks to be an active gateway between Sydney's hiphop scene and the wider community, by sharing knowledge and advice on the 4 elements, holding events, or simple by facilitating questions and discussion about hiphop culture.
Embodying all elements of hiphop culture, we believe hiphop is an expression of personal identity and a channel of boundless creativity.
What is D2MG?
In 1977, hiphop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa (also known as one of the "Godfathers of Hiphop") started Zulu Nation, a hiphop awareness organisation that aimed to use hiphop to draw angry youth out of gangs. He brought peace to many gangs, and many artists and gang members attribute their salvation to hiphop, often saying that "hiphop has saved a lot of lives".
The 4 following values are the foundation of Zulu Nation and hiphop culture, which we have adopted as our own.
Our Values
Love, or at least simple kindness, always makes daily living easier. Sometimes it may seem awkward, but it’s important to tell those people you care about that you love them. We never know when we may get another chance to do so.
We can do this through many ways. Maybe we can share a lame joke, a helpful story, a choreographed dance piece, a song/rap, or a smile with someone.
It doesn't matter if it's a big action or not - it’ll help brighten someone’s day :)
Hiphop culture was established as a way to attain peace.
As human beings, we should all strive for both inner and outer peace and not complicate our lives, or the lives of others.
Our time here is short - so why complicate it with petty arguments and disputes?
We believe that hiphop (when used correctly) is a healthy outlet for anyone to channel negative energy and foster positive emotions.
Often, we're so focused on becoming better people (whether it be through our careers or our dance skills) and making that impact on the world around us that we forget to have fun.
Being able to enjoy ourselves is one of humanity’s deepest needs.
When it’s done with others in a safe manner, it increases our joy, brings people together, relieves stress and boosts our immune systems.
At D2MG, whilst we're all about pushing our students to become better, we're also about learning how to laugh at yourself and your own mistakes - because having fun makes it easier to persevere and deal with the tough challenges that we face everyday!
Within our families, circles of friends, associates, communities, organizations – an understanding of unity is essential.
When we are united in our words, actions and minds, things get done quicker and in a much more peaceful way.
We all have our individual differences that arise from different life experiences, and rather than forcing our own values onto others, it is better to respect those differences.
At D2MG, we have found that hiphop culture has a magical way of bringing people from different backgrounds and experiences together.
Our mission at D2MG breaks down into 3 things:
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to educate and empower a community of young people with hiphop culture
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to provide resources and a safe environment for young people to express themselves, have fun and form friendships
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to form Australia's most renowned hub of resources to assist in the education and spread of authentic hiphop culture
Our Mission
