The University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Multicultural Arts Initiatives will present the eighth annual Pass the Mic Hip-Hop Arts Series in memory of recently deceased UW-Madison student John “Vietnam” Nguyen.
Nguyen was pronounced dead Aug. 30 after divers found his body in Lake Mendota following a swim with friends. The series will run from Nov. 8 until Nov. 10 and is run in conjunction with the Wisconsin Book Festival.
The event will begin Thursday with First Wave, a group Nguyen was a member of, hosting the Midwest All-Stars Hip-Hop Showcase, which will feature youth artists from around the Midwest.
A tribute to Nguyen will be held Saturday, which will include music, poetry and special performances by First Wave members and additional local musicians.
Other events include performances by professional hip-hop artists Saturday. All events are free and open to the public.
