Portland may not be known as a hub of hip-hop on par with New York or Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a hotbed for sonic experimentation and incredible talent for decades. 

We had all the elements: historic Black neighborhoods in Northeast Portland, jazz dripping out of clubs, funk bands, block parties, dances, and plenty of good ol’ fashioned youthful angst. So why isn’t Portland hip-hop bigger?

Marlon “Vursatyl” Irving, a long-time Portland rapper and founding member of the Lifesavas hip-hop group, says local nightclubs and venues discriminated against artists, denying artists access to performance spaces

“It was hard for us to get into clubs,” he says. “I think had there been more racial diversity in Portland, and just more understanding about hip-hop culture at the time that the foundation was being laid, we would've got to hear some of the greatest, we would've had recordings from the greatest, we would've seen their careers blossom.” 

On this week’s episode, we hear from pioneers and new wave artists about Portland hip-hop, why it isn’t bigger and what keeps it going. 

A special thank you to J Jackson, who produced the documentary “Beyond the Beats” in collaboration with OPB’s Oregon Experience, KMHD Jazz Radio, and Albina Music Trust. 

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