Back to the City: Africa's biggest hip-hop festival will be lit

Biko. Mandela. Madikizela. Hani. Sobukwe. These - and other freedom fighters - have been immortalised through artworks many times over.

Yet their depictions in the poster advertising the 12th edition of the Back to the City Festival (BTTC) are worth a mention: dressed in every hip-hop culture look imaginable from an oversized basketball vest and Flava Flav-style chunky gold chain, to rocking box cuts and cornrows, sitting on speakers, looking like pre-2010s rap kids.

It's not that historical figures have never before been reimagined as hip (anyone remember the Hipstory illustrations featuring hipster Mandela, Guevara and King?) - it's just that in the South African context we don't do them enough.

The theme for this year's BTTC (which takes place every Freedom Day) is "Freedom of self" and what better spouse for freedom than hip-hop, a movement and culture that at its core is rooted in self-expression and, well, freedom of self?

BTTC has grown immensely in popularity from its first year - in 2007 - when just 3,500 people attended (in 2016 attendance was 25,000). And while it's about more than just rap music and rather about hip-hop culture as a whole (from gear to graffiti), one of its most admirable feats has been the ability to provide a space occupied by old-school hardcore hip-hop heads as well as the younger, 'skrr skrr' rap kids.

As South African rap has become more commercial, it only makes commercial sense to feature what the young ones are bopping to these days.

This year's lineup at BTTC includes Cassper Nyovest, Stogie T, Rouge, Shane Eagle, Reason, K.O. and Yugen Blakrok. The international headline act is legendary New York rapper Pharoahe Monch - that should keep the old-school cats happy.

• Back to the City is taking place in Newtown, Johannesburg on April 27. Tickets are available at Computicket from R200-R450.