Uber sponsors Berlin Hip-Hop Ball: Image building at the expense of the taxi industry!

On November 15, 2025, the Red Town Hall in Berlin will for the first time become the venue for a hip‑hop‑ball – a cultural bridge between the urban scene and classical elegance. But once again, the American platform operator is a sponsor of a major event in the federal capital, while the LABO fights against Uber & Co.

Hip-Hop Ball, sponsored by Uber. Unfortunately, once again an example of how Berlin gladly takes the money of the American platform operator.| Photo: Hiphopball
Hip-Hop Ball, sponsored by Uber. Unfortunately, once again an example of how Berlin gladly takes the money of the American platform operator.| Photo: Hiphopball

The dance event, initially initiated in Vienna by Sajeh Tavassoli, promises a diverse program: Over 150 national and international artists perform in disciplines such as rap, breakdance, graffiti, and beatboxing. Three halls, a festive-respectful atmosphere, and a freshly interpreted waltz dance, accompanied by the Deutsche Sinfonietta Berlin and the Flying Steps, provide the setting for this unusual dialogue.

 

Highlights will include the awarding of the "Chain of Glory" for outstanding women in the hip-hop scene and a multimedia graffiti exhibition on Berlin's city history. Tickets are strictly limited: Only 600 guests will have access – with prices ranging from 150 euros for regular stroll tickets to 420 euros for a pre-ball dinner with a gourmet experience.

Uber sponsors

But a shadow hangs over the dance step: Uber acts as the main partner. This mixes artistic cultural promotion with the image cosmetic of a controversial mobility company! Uber actively uses events, newsrooms, and arenas to expand its brand presence ("Uber Arena", "Uber Eats Music Hall") and buys itself cultural recognition.

Uber invests a lot of money in targeted sponsorship. The LABO (State Office for Citizen and Regulatory Affairs) is working hard to get a grip on the “Uberization” in Berlin, as politicians fight for the introduction of minimum prices for rental cars. At the same time, Uber appears as a sponsor at almost every major event in the federal capital, and the money from the American platform operator is gladly accepted. The often-demanded social standards that a sponsor should meet seem to be merely lip service in Berlin...

The Berlin Hip-Hop Ball may represent a cultural enrichment for the federal capital, but the renewed sponsorship by Uber highlights that the inexhaustible financial resources of the platform operator continue to trump any politically correct stance.

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