Back to the City 2025: Hennessy’s Glow and Hip-Hop’s Heartbeat

Hip-hop heads gathered at Mary Fitzgerald Square last Saturday for the ever-immersive experience that is Back to the City, now in its 19th year and still the continent’s biggest celebration of hip-hop and street culture. The theme this year was Power In Numbers, which manifested in the 18 000 in attendance.

From the Hennessy VIP deck, you could take everything in: the pulsing crowd, the main stage, graffiti artists working the bridge pillars, and the band stages. Hennessy’s presence felt intentional and even more deliberate this year, with two distinct spaces framing the experience.

The Hennessy Public Viewing Area (PVA), open to all attendees, became one of the liveliest corners of the festival, a place where fans could connect with both the brand and the culture. Festival-goers sipped on signature Hennessy cocktails, tested their skills at interactive games, and soaked up an atmosphere that captured the lifestyle and spirit of hip-hop in true Hennessy style.

Alongside the PVA, Hennessy hosted an exclusive VIP area for Friends of the House and cultural tastemakers. It carried a calm but electric energy, Maison-level hospitality, flowing drinks, and an unspoken sense of community among artists, creatives, and media figures. For much of the night, it felt like a living hub of connection, creativity, and conversation.

With over 100 artists on stage, 40 graffiti legends leaving their colourful mark, 8 producers showcasing beats, 120 clothing stalls, 20 food vendors, and 15 interactive brand activations, the scale of the festival was retained this year.

At the centre of it all, Hennessy reaffirmed its role as both a cultural leader and a champion of African artistry, a through-line that has been consistent in its partnership with the festival.

“Our partnership with Back to the City is a reflection of Hennessy’s authentic place within hip-hop culture,” says Lungile Mpharu, Hennessy Brand Manager, South Africa.

“Back to the City is a platform where music, art and community coexist, and we’re proud to create experiences that bring people together, celebrate talent, and keep the culture thriving.”

The festival itself felt leaner but more focused. Some elements such as basketball and skating took a backseat, putting more emphasis on live acts and competition staples like the 10K Challenge, where emcees battled for bragging rights and a cash prize.

The main stage opened with fiery sets from Ziggy 4x, Babydaiz, Kane Keid, The Qwellers, and ZuluMecca, before making room for carefully curated performances like Maglera Doe Boy’s. Backed by a live band and dancers, he built his set into what has now become a festival highlight, The Hennessy Moment. He brought legendary Kwaito group TKZee on stage before teasing a cover of their classic Izinja Zam featuring Sir Trill.

Across the grounds, the PTA Moment turned the stage into a conveyor belt of Pretoria’s sharpest voices including Buzzi Lee, N’Veigh, Blaklez, and Loatinover Pounds, each delivering crisp, commanding sets that showcased the capacity of Cap City.

By the time Lupe Fiasco stepped on stage, entering to TKZee Family’s “Fiasco” in a perfect inside joke, the crowd was ready. The Chicago rapper sliced through two decades of material, from Freedom Ain’t Free (Around My Way) to Kick Push, Hip-Hop Saved My Life, and the sprawling Mural. It was a set that reminded everyone why he is still one of rap’s purest craftsmen.

South African heavyweights like Kwesta, Cassper Nyovest, and Blxckie also tore through their catalogues of hits, while bands like The Sun Xa Experiment and Iphupho L’ka Biko held it down on the band stage. Iphupho’s PROKid medley hit especially hard, part of a day-long thread of tributes to fallen legends like AKA, Riky Rick, and HHP, woven through DJ sets.

Back to the City 2025 may have scaled down a few of its moving parts, but it still delivered one of the most holistic hip-hop experiences on the cultural calendar, a reminder that the heartbeat of South African hip-hop is still loud, still proud, and still evolving in full view.