Students grooved, sang, and rapped to inspire community outreach and self expression for the first Hip Hop Showcase held in the Games Room on Thursday.

More than 50 students and people from the campus community came to see various hip-hop talent showcased, while raising money for a good cause.

Illustrious Souls, Acasola, J. Clark, The Tribe, and other performance groups composed of CSUN students showcased their talents for an audience supporting the Boys and Girls Club of San Fernando.

Staff member Dominique Lupison of the business department enjoyed the positive environment and cool vibes of the dimly-light showcase. Lupison said he expected,”Honest performances from a lot of hungry MCs trying to get their names out.”

The performers did not disappoint, as they produced high energy performance to loud and uncensored music.

CSUN Alumni Dora Santana was surprised to see a vast amount of people who sang and rapped from CSUN. “It is good to so many people at CSUN have talent,” Santana said.

She and the rest of the audience danced, rapped, and sang along as performers attempted to engage them in a hip hop experience.

“It seems like a great environment. Everyone is just hanging out and sharing their talents with everyone,” Freshmen Maritsa Villicana, majoring in human development, said about the event. Villicana came to the event because of her interest in the hip hop culture as a form of self-expression.

Monkey see, Monkey do, created the event to give back to the community and  for their group communication class.

“The idea is people see a group of CSUN students doing something good, and they want to do good,” said Henry Mendoza business management senior and member of the group..

They collectively decided on a hip hop event to inspire self expression. .”CSUN has a lot of open mic nights, but not a lot of hip hop shows,” said communications major Ignacio Diaz, member of Monkey see, Monkey do..

The group provided refreshments, a raffle, and set up the entire event. All of the proceeds went to the local Boys and Girls Club of San Fernando.

The Boys and Girls Club has a special place in the heart of the group. Two of the members worked for the Boys and Girls Club, while all of the group participated in unrelated volunteering before the event.

Mendoza said he learned first hand the importance of the Boys and Girls Club, because they taught him how to be get out and be social.

One of the performers from Acasola, Krystal Allen, sophomore majoring in deaf studies, said it felt good helping people in the event. “It’s nice to help give people resources to do good things rather than bad things,” she said about the event’s cause.

Diaz said a successful event would provide the Boys and Girls Club with supplies while engaging the audience.

“They do a lot of activities for kids, and offer a creative outlet,” Monkey See memberTennya Smith, junior communications major said. “We need more creativity with the kids,”  she said about the importance of supporting the Boys and Girls Club.