“Being named Artist-in-Residence at Worcester State University is an honor. I grew up just a short walk from campus, and now I have the opportunity to bring my years of experience as an artist, musician, and filmmaker to the students. The chance to present Worcester’s Hip-Hop history to academics from diverse backgrounds, both local and abroad, in my hometown carries deep significance, and it’s a privilege to bring these stories, sounds, and visuals to life for both the students and the community.” –Kaz Supernova
Independent filmmaker, musician, and producer Kaz Supernova is a veteran of Worcester, Massachusetts’ music scene and one of the pioneering forces behind the region’s earliest Hip-Hop culture. Kaz spent eight years creating the feature-length documentary Wortown Rising, personally curating, restoring, filming, and editing the project, while also composing much of its original score.
Kaz’s mission with Wortown Rising is to preserve and elevate Worcester’s rich yet overlooked Hip-Hop history, ensuring it can be accessed globally through streaming platforms. Since its completion, Wortown Rising has been screened at universities, film festivals, and cultural institutions, where it has received recognition and awards. Kaz’s work as a director extends to music videos as well, which have received festival recognition and critical acclaim. His work reflects a deep commitment to cultural preservation, storytelling, and amplifying voices that helped shape a pioneering and largely undiscovered chapter of Hip-Hop’s evolution.
Center for Community Media students sit down with Kaz Supernova to discuss his residency, film, and the local roots of Worcester’s hip hop scene.
Doors open at 6pm | Light refreshments will be served
“Wortown Rising” is a documentary by first-time independent filmmaker, musician, and producer Kaz Supernova. It chronicles the first Hip-Hop movement in Worcester, MA, which began around 1979, flourished in the ’80s, and eventually became known as “Wortown.” The story traces the scene’s deep local roots as well as its direct influences from South Bronx Hip-Hop legends DJ Charlie Chase (Cold Crush Brothers) and T La Rock. Featuring never-before-seen video footage, articles, music, photographs, and interviews with over 80 artists whose paths are connected through Hip-Hop.
Join a dynamic dialogue bringing together local youth and university students to explore the roots and impact of hip hop culture through film and lived experience. Together, participants will reflect on storytelling as a tool for preserving history, amplifying voice, and shaping community narratives.
Hosted by: Prof. Brittany Severance’s Intro to Video Class.
Stay tuned for additional programming. This is just the beginning.
Forty years ago this Spring Semester, Worcester State College’s Student Center hosted a historic jam session organized by the Third World Alliance, the multicultural student group now known as the Intercultural Student Alliance (ISA). What began as a vibrant celebration of music, culture, and community during Black History Month has now been preserved as part of Wortown Rising, capturing a moment that continues to inspire creativity, intergenerational dialogue, and civic connection on our campus today.
