By Michelle Snider

In the spacious outdoor area of the Oakland Museum of California, “Park Jam” had its first premiere. Headliner Daveed Diggs, who performed with his hip-hop group, “clipping.”, graced the stage after an afternoon of dancer performances and turntable demonstrations. Taking place on July 21, Park Jam brought Oakland’s hip-hop culture to the forefront.

Event tickets included access to the “RESPECT: Hip-Hip Style & Wisdom” exhibit, giving participants a chance to experience hip-hop history alongside current hip-hop culture.

Oakland native Ryan Nicole hosted Park Jam and reminisced about going to the Oakland Museum as a child. Nicole expressed how vital it was to see Oakland natives like herself represented at the museum stage. “I never thought I would see hip-hop being played here,” she said.

A 25-minute dance-off with six dancers brought many styles of urban dance, from turf to old-school b-boy. Meanwhile, local vendors sold Black Panther Party jackets, graffiti artwork, beer and wine.

Singer Queens D. Light performed one of her newest EP’s, “Flavor of Green.” The song’s chorus, “He says he wants the best of me, what would he do with the rest of me?” was a nod to relationships and respect.

Diggs has recently gained national attention and box office success with the recent release of “Blindspotting,” a movie he co-wrote and starred in with fellow Oakland native Rafael Casal. But on this day, Diggs was focused on performing as a member of clipping.

Taking in the ease of the fresh air and sun, clipping performed some of their older songs, like “Work Work,” as well as a few newer ones, like “Face.” Some attendees crowded close to the stage and danced while others relaxed in the grass sipping beverages.

For the first Park Jam in OMCA history, the museum represented hip-hop in a multitude of ways this summer, and Park Jam was one that expressed the current mood of Oakland hip-hop culture.