Date of Award
Spring 5-1-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
Film and Media Studies
First Advisor
Kelly Anderson
Second Advisor
André Daughtry
Academic Program Adviser
Andrew Lund
Abstract
Catalyst is a short documentary that explores why Hip Hop happened much later in Chicago than in other cities. It focuses on the story of Duro Wicks, a young Black music lover who overcame the city’s segregation to launch the first weekly Hip Hop open mic night. At the weekly $3 Sunday Hip Hop Show held at the Lower Links, young people came together from across the divided city to create a community. Though more successful than anyone could have imagined, Wicks’ dream proved unsustainable. However, it forever transformed the lives of the people it touched and launched a sustainable Hip Hop scene in Chicago.
Recommended Citation
Steck, David, "Catalyst" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/1558
