Hip-Hop, Home, and the Heartbeat of ATL
Soul Food Cypher at CreateATL is a monthly freestyle hip-hop gathering that has become a cultural home in Adair Park, blending lyrical expression, community connection, and performance. More than an event, it’s a space where artists and neighbors engage, celebrate creativity, and build community through rhythm, words, and shared experience.
Every fourth Sunday at CreateATL, a vibrant pulse of creativity emanates across the space. It’s not a concert, not a workshop, not a gathering—but something deeply rooted in all three. It’s a cypher. And for over four years now, Soul Food Cypher (SFC), led by founding executive director Alex Acosta, has been building a home for the culture in Adair Park at CreateATL. More than just an event, Soul Food Cypher is a community where language, rhythm, and connection thrive. It is hip-hop in its most intentional and communal form, and it’s grown into one of the most consistent, culture-defining programs in Atlanta.
About Soul Food Cypher
Soul Food Cypher has been on a mission for over a decade to use the power of freestyle rap and lyrical expression to transform communities. With 13 years of experience under its belt, the group has hosted cyphers all over Atlanta, but CreateATL has served as its most consistent home as of late.
“You all have given us shelter,” said Acosta. “You’ve given us harbor.” Soul Food Cypher effectively started their journey at Create when it was effectively an abandoned warehouse in Adair Park during the early days, SFC’s partnership with CreateATL speaks to a larger truth: community spaces matter. And when those spaces are authentic, accessible, intentional and elevate existing groups—real cultural work can happen.
I feel like when people first came it was sketchy. They were like “Are we supposed to be here?” Sometimes those are the best cyphers. That’s hip-hop. It’s like you got graffiti all over the place. You got the trains going by.
The cypher itself is more than a showcase of talent; it’s a mirror of the moment. Whether celebratory or solemn, joyful or urgent, the space adapts. “If we suffered a loss, the cypher is mournful. If we’re celebrating, it’s celebratory,” Acosta explains. “It is what it needs to be when it needs to be.”
Why Spaces Like This Matter
While much of hip-hop today is encountered through the lens of media, radio, and streaming, Soul Food Cypher offers something that feels increasingly rare: real-time, real-life engagement.
“The cypher is a home for Atlanta’s hip-hop lyricist community.” says Acosta. “When people step into it, they’re not just witnessing culture—they’re part of it.”
Over the past few years, some incredible moments have happened inside CreateATL: surprise appearances like Hannibal Buress, who stayed the entire night watching the lyrical innovation. The 10-year anniversary celebration. ATL Park Jam hosted right across the street in Adair Park. All of it culminating in a feeling of belonging, purpose, and cultural celebration.
But it goes deeper than entertainment. Soul Food Cypher is cultivating the next generation of MCs, educators, and activists. Their team trains artists to bring their verbal dexterity into schools—creating space for youth to engage with literacy, confidence, and creativity. With Atlanta’s stark disparities in education outcomes—only 22% of Black teens in APS read at grade level—this work is vital. This year for financial literacy month they’ll partner with Delta Community Credit Union to bring a townhall to the cypher including a finance-themed Word Play session where emcees approach their rhymes in a gamified way weaving each new word into their bars as presented on a screen to them.
“We’ve built 13 years of family in this cypher. That energy is real. That energy is Atlanta.”
The Role of Third Spaces in a Changing South
As federal arts funding is slashed and traditional venues disappear, the need for third spaces becomes increasingly urgent. These are spaces outside of home and work where community, conversation, and creativity flourish.
“So many spaces that hosted us before no longer exist,” Acosta shared. “But as long as the cypher continues, the culture survives.”
In Georgia—a state that ranks 49th in arts funding—supporting these cultural ecosystems isn’t optional. It’s essential. Third spaces like CreateATL aren’t just providing a roof and four walls; they are providing possibility. They’re offering shelter in a cultural storm, a platform in a time of silencing.
Soul Food Cypher’s presence at CreateATL is a model of what is possible when grassroots culture meets intentional infrastructure. The partnership is more than logistical—it’s spiritual. And it underscores the importance of preserving Atlanta’s rich, diverse, and groundbreaking creative communities.
How You Can Support Soul Food Cypher
Supporting Soul Food Cypher is as easy as showing up. Attend a cypher. Bring a friend. Feel the energy. Their events are held monthly on every fourth Sunday at CreateATL except in December.
You can also support by becoming a patron at Patreon.com/SoulFoodCypher, where different tiers offer access to footage, secret events, and more. Direct donations can be made at soulfoodcypher.com. Every dollar helps sustain the mission.
And finally, help amplify their voice. Share their work. Collaborate. Sponsor events like ATL Park Jam. Because culture doesn’t grow in isolation. It thrives in community.
Soul Food Cypher is hip-hop church—a safe, nurturing space filled with spirit, family, and the power of words.