Spring Break
"History of the B-boy" gives fresh look at hip-hop
Abigael Thienel
Issue date: 2/13/09 Section: Focus
The film "The Freshest Kids: A History of the B-boy" was shown on Thursday in the Konover Auditorium of the Dodd Center to commemorate the individuality of break-dancing and the impression the dance form has had on hip-hop culture. Throughout the film, students of the Bronx hip-hop scene interview major contributing figures in the history of the B-Boy movement. With appearances by DJ Kool Herc, otherwise known as the father of the genre, as well as renowned rapper KRS-One, "The Freshest Kids" effectively transported the viewer back through the heyday of hip-hop.
The movement began in the ghettos of New York, as underprivileged youths tried to glean something positive from their largely negative surroundings. They were not necessarily gang members or thugs; they were average kids with above-average creative spirit. According to rapper and actor Mos Def, these kids came from the bottom rung of society, a place and situation where break-dancing provided an unprecedented healthy outlet for their energy. In the words of KRS-One, "hip-hop is the name of our creative intelligence."
B-Boys, of course, stands for "break" boys. More specifically, these were the dancers who, when DJs stopped the music and let the beat roll for a few seconds, used that "break" to showcase their unique dance moves. These dancers emphasized the values of peace, unity and love through their dancing. Melissa Hamilton, a 4th-semester political science major, said she was disappointed by the disparate portrayal of B-Boys and B-Girls in the film, however. "You mostly only saw B-Boys. I wanted to hear about the girls and their journey, whether or not they were respected," she said.
While that aspect of unity may not have been adequately explored, "The Freshest Kids" did portray many different groups coming together to form something like a team of B-Boys. One such united front from the Bronx, the first of their kind to introduce break-dancing to the public, was called the Rock Steady Crew. The name was chosen to imply that they intended to keep breaking without interruption or distraction from their environment or rivals.
The movement began in the ghettos of New York, as underprivileged youths tried to glean something positive from their largely negative surroundings. They were not necessarily gang members or thugs; they were average kids with above-average creative spirit. According to rapper and actor Mos Def, these kids came from the bottom rung of society, a place and situation where break-dancing provided an unprecedented healthy outlet for their energy. In the words of KRS-One, "hip-hop is the name of our creative intelligence."
B-Boys, of course, stands for "break" boys. More specifically, these were the dancers who, when DJs stopped the music and let the beat roll for a few seconds, used that "break" to showcase their unique dance moves. These dancers emphasized the values of peace, unity and love through their dancing. Melissa Hamilton, a 4th-semester political science major, said she was disappointed by the disparate portrayal of B-Boys and B-Girls in the film, however. "You mostly only saw B-Boys. I wanted to hear about the girls and their journey, whether or not they were respected," she said.
While that aspect of unity may not have been adequately explored, "The Freshest Kids" did portray many different groups coming together to form something like a team of B-Boys. One such united front from the Bronx, the first of their kind to introduce break-dancing to the public, was called the Rock Steady Crew. The name was chosen to imply that they intended to keep breaking without interruption or distraction from their environment or rivals.
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