Straight dope

In his English classroom at Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences, he’s Mr. Hahn. But when the bell rings and the sun goes down, put a mic in his hand and Dan Hahn becomes Algebra, prolific MC and a founding member of the hip-hop collective Oilhouse. Many local musicians (including Verse) credit Hahn as the driving force behind the rise of Tulsa’s hip-hop scene over the past couple of years.

“I’m not sure if I started it,” he said. “But through a lot of hard work and community with all the great local talent—and people like Mike [Wozniak] and Josh [Gifford] at Soundpony, Brian [Fontaine] at Fassler Hall, and older venues like The Monolith and the Eclipse—it has blossomed into a very respectful and rich hip-hop culture within the local downtown music scene.”

Verse and the rise of Tulsa's hip-hop underground

Hahn’s latest contribution to the scene is Oklahoma Dope, a monthly showcase at Fassler Hall featuring performances by a revolving selection of local MCs, DJs and spoken-word artists. Held the last Saturday of every month, the event debuted in December and continues to find its shape. 

“Each event ideally will be tailored so the makeup of the performance roster interacts smoothly and positively with the crowd and the venue,” he said.

But Hahn said he’s less interested in a consistent format than with fostering the sense of community that’s been building in Tulsa’s hip-hop scene, and simply making sure everyone—the audience as well as the performers—have a good time and take away something positive from the experience.

“I want the shows—and ultimately hip-hop in Tulsa at large—to be an institution of change in the world,” he said. “It is my personal philosophy that every performance or event should change the attendees positively forever.”

Oklahoma Dope // Last Saturday of each month // Fassler Hall, 304 S. Elgin // Facebook.com/oilhouse