By Omar Torres-Kortright
Photos by Herminio Rodríguez
On July 4, as we gathered in Humboldt Park for the Jolgorio Boricua: No Kings, No Colonies celebration produced by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center and The Puerto Rican Agenda, Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center welcomed audiences for Nuestra Lírica: Hip-Hop de Pe-erre y The Chi, an unforgettable afterparty dedicated to the transformative power of words. More than a concert, the program curated by SRBCC Resident Artist Xavier Burgos and Executive Director Omar Torres-Kortright became a celebration of poetry, storytelling, memory, and resistance, bringing together four extraordinary artists whose voices represent different generations and perspectives within Puerto Rican and Chicago hip-hop culture.
Chicago MC Pinqy Ring opened the evening with confidence, charisma, and a commanding stage presence that immediately energized the room. Performing original work that blended sharp lyricism with personal storytelling, she set the tone for a night centered on authenticity, resilience, and creative expression. Her performance demonstrated why she has become one of Barrio Borikén’s most respected voices in hip-hop—connecting with the audience through conviction, vulnerability, and an unmistakable sense of purpose. Taking the stage with remarkable poise, Chicago Poet Laureate Mayda Del Valle captivated the audience through the rhythm, musicality, and emotional depth of her poetry. Her spoken-word performance invited us to imagine a future Puerto Rico finally free—not through slogans or political rhetoric, but through vivid and deeply human imagery. She painted a country where the island’s own pitirres and sapos conchos triumph over invasive boa constrictors, where neighborhoods reclaimed from speculative tourism once again become homes for the people who have always belonged there, and where dignity, language, culture, and community are restored to their rightful place.
Traveling from Puerto Rico for the occasion, hip-hop pioneer Siete Nueve reminded everyone why he remains one of the defining voices of conscious rap. Drawing from both recent work and the songs that helped shape a generation of Puerto Rican hip-hop, his performance celebrated an extraordinary artistic legacy while demonstrating that his voice continues to evolve with the same clarity, conviction, and cultural relevance that has defined his career. The evening also offered an exciting preview of what’s ahead as audiences eagerly anticipate the July 25 release of his new album, El tiempo no se detiene.
The evening concluded with an electrifying set by producer, MC, DJ, beatmaker, and finger drummer El S, who transformed the space into a joyous dance floor through an innovative blend of live beat-making, performance, and DJ culture. His set dissolved the boundaries between stage and audience, bringing everyone together in celebration and ending the night with the same spirit of creativity, joy, and community that resonated throughout the program.
Nuestra Lírica affirmed SRBCC’s ongoing commitment to creating spaces where artists from Puerto Rico and Chicago can learn from one another, celebrate shared histories, and imagine new possibilities through the power of language and rhythm.
