Osmic Menoe

BIO

Osmic Menoe is a South African hip-hop entrepreneur and cultural curator whose work has helped shape the country’s hip-hop and street culture landscape. As the founder of Back to the City Festival and the South African Hip Hop Awards, he has developed platforms that bring together artists, producers, dancers, graffiti artists and other participants in the culture.

Menoe’s involvement in hip-hop dates back to his school years in the late 1990s, when he developed an interest in graffiti, beatboxing and street culture. He later expanded his involvement through creative and business ventures, including Ritual Stores and related media projects. In 2007, he founded Back to the City Festival in Johannesburg, turning his commitment to hip-hop into a platform for artists and other cultural practitioners.

Back to the City Festival has grown into a major gathering on South Africa’s music calendar. Its programme encompasses live performances and other elements of hip-hop culture, including dance, graffiti, DJing and skateboarding. The festival marked its 20th anniversary in 2026, reflecting two decades of activity in Johannesburg’s creative sector.

Menoe also founded the South African Hip Hop Awards, which recognise achievements across the country’s hip-hop industry. Through these initiatives, he has worked to increase the visibility of local artists and create opportunities for different participants in the culture to connect with audiences and industry stakeholders.

His work extends beyond festivals and awards. Through Ritual Media Group, Menoe has pursued projects that connect entertainment, entrepreneurship and youth development. He has also been developing the South African Hip Hop Museum in Newtown, Johannesburg, with the aim of preserving the culture’s history, documenting its contributors and educating younger generations about its development.

Menoe’s work reflects an approach to hip-hop that extends beyond music to include artistic expression, business, education and community building. His initiatives recognise the contributions of people working across the culture, including those whose work takes place outside mainstream recording and performance.

As Back to the City enters its third decade, Menoe’s career highlights the role that independent cultural organisers can play in building institutions around music. Through festivals, awards and heritage initiatives, he continues to contribute to the documentation, recognition and development of South African hip-hop.