The twenty-first edition of The Body Rock, held on September 12th, 13th and 14th 2025, marked a pivotal moment in the history of TCK Movement: for the first time, the entire festival found its home inside the Bordiga Multi-Purpose Center in Ponticelli, Naples. This choice not only confirmed the deep bond between the movement and its territory, but also transformed the Bordiga into the natural and permanent headquarters of a cultural project that has been working for over twenty years to support and grow the hip hop scene in Campania and across Italy.
Attendance this year exceeded all expectations, with nearly 3000 people moving through the space among visitors, participants, artists and local residents. The Body Rock has become a key reference point not only for Italian crews and enthusiasts, but also for an increasing number of international artists who choose Naples for the unique energy of this event. The atmosphere of this edition truly felt like a full-scale festival: compact, vibrant, and alive, with every corner of the Bordiga animated by DJ sets, exhibitions, artistic activities and cultural exchange. Friday’s opening featured a Talk and the screening of a documentary in collaboration with Hip Hop Cinefest from Rome, a partner that shares the same cultural and social vision as our movement. At the same time, a photography exhibition was inaugurated and warmly welcomed by the audience, which flowed through the Bordiga already immersed in the sounds of the first DJs setting the tone for the three days ahead.
Saturday hosted the first major competitions, with the All Style battle judged by Dypa, Taje and Ibra and the Rap battle overseen by Ivanó, Profondo and Mumei. Both drew a large and diverse audience. Alongside the competitions, a beatmaking workshop involved young producers and enthusiasts, enriching the educational dimension of the event. Meanwhile, the graffiti area remained active throughout the entire day, becoming one of the most visited spaces by both the public and local residents. Sunday represented the climax of the festival with the historic 2vs2 Breaking battle, one of the most crowded in the history of The Body Rock, with 61 registered crews. An impressive number, especially considering that The Body Rock has never offered cash prizes: the philosophy of the festival continues to be rooted in community, mutual respect and healthy competition, where symbolic prizes carry a deeper meaning than any monetary reward. As always, the winners received the iconic Body Rock ring and the exclusive white T-shirt with red print (available only to those who win), for the breaking category this year also a special voucher offered by Bottega Prama. The judges’ panel included three major figures from the international scene: Lilou, Paulina and JetLeg, whose presence elevated the prestige of the event even further.
Closing the festival on Sunday evening was the rap cypher: a powerful and deeply identity-shaping moment, with 17 MCs taking turns in a session of pure lyrical expression and authentic connection. Among the artists in the lineup were Shaone, Ekspo, Callister, PeppOh and many others from both the Neapolitan and national scene.
Across all three days, writing held a central role, as it always has, remaining one of the pillars of The Body Rock and a fundamental component of our cultural identity. This year, the graffiti area was placed even closer to the heart of the festival, fostering constant interaction between the audience and the artists throughout the weekend. The mural was created by some of the most respected writers in the scene: Kid Kash, Roice, Cayo, Slider, Elfy, Pheo, Pencil, Tres and many more, all contributing to a collective artwork of strong visual impact. The chromatic richness and final quality of the pieces were made possible thanks to the use of Montana Cans sprays, which once again proved to be essential tools for achieving precision, intensity and durability in projects of this scale.
Images by Hard2Buff
The Body Rock 2025 represented, more than any recent edition, the perfect synthesis of art, music, community and social commitment. TCK Movement continues to grow as a deeply rooted and active cultural entity and being able to rely on partners like Montana Cans strengthens a shared vision that places creativity, territory and the value of urban artistic expression at its core.”