Bonafide Puerto Rican pioneers of breaking say original b-boys were "black" or African American
Af Amr
1,256 views
1:43 Batch of TBB
2:15 Batch inspired by African American friend TT Rock in 1975
4:03 More on TT Rock
4:29 TT Rock moves from South Bronx to TBB's neighborhood of West Bronx in 75 (ZuluKings are from South Bronx...?)
7:29 Footwork inspired by TT Rock
10:54 Aby, brother of Batch
11:39 Big Boom of original TBB
11:54 Big Boom also witnessed TT Rock's move
12:52 No rocking or breaking. TBB was just graffiti until...
13:18 more TT Rock
15:37 Dancing Doug reviews the 1974 footage
16:15 Jimmy D, the African American co-founder of Rock Steady Crew
16:54 Bom 5, original TBB member
18:27 African American influence for TBB as a b-boy crew
19:00 Bom 5 meets the N-Twins (Legendary Twins) circa 1974-75
20:50 Bom 5 saw all African American b-boys at first
21:18 Bom remembers Phase 2 at the beginning of hip-hop (graffiti writer, b-boy, and DJ/MC)
26:51 Bom remembers DJ Mario playing the breaks and Kool Herc extending the breaks
28:54, From a first hand perspective, Bom felt that hip-hop was always there, and not later years as some believe. There was a certain swag, lingo and delivery the blacks had.
29:35 As Bom traversed Bronx as a Puerto Rican youth (circa 1974-75) he attended the African American block parties (gang tensions were becoming less territorial after 1971 truce). He started Rock Dancing, and then met Eldorodo Mike, who started breaking, and The Legendary Twins, who started uprocking. It was definitely different from what he was doing as a Rock Dancer
30:29 JoJo, creator of the backspin
32:32 JoJo remember seeing breaking for the first time circa 73-74 with African Americans... particularly his friend Mark. He seen footwork
33:25 Jo says the first time he seen breaking, there was footwork (1973-74)
33:55 Jo creates the backspin after taking his cue from African American friend Mark
36:52 Jo alludes to, or indicates that blacks evolved the dance with them, and not just Puerto Rican b-boys alone. They all took it to the next level.
42:07 Jo knew TBB, Rockwell Association and TDK back then (he still maintains most b-boys were black at the time)
44:58 Jo joins the newly formed CC Crew in 1976. He says they were African American and Puerto Rican at first
46:37 Jo explains how the dance became more Puerto Rican and less black by the latter 70s into the 1980s
47:37 African Americans hip-hop pioneers can vouch for Jo. He was at all the jams
47:54 Mr Wiggles. Rock Steady Crew was a hybrid of black and Puerto Rican style.
48:47 Mr Wiggles alludes to only seening black b-boys and that he's been all over Bronx NY
49:46 Wiggles shows variations African American rocking and Puerto Rican rocking of 1976/77
51:37 Mr Wiggles opinion that ZuluKings were the best in NYC by 1977, and only seen black b-boys at that point.
52:50 Trac2 says his friend Robbie Rob (African American) created chair freezing in 73/74
57:00 Willie Will and creation of Rockwell Association (1976/77)
1:00:57 Flip Rock of New York City Breakers seen mostly blacks as a 10 year old (probably mid 70s) then breaking stopped, and a resurgence for him at 15 upon witnessing the windmills, 1990s backspin etc.
1:02:08 Mr Freeze says he got the umbrella scene in Flashdance from moves inspired by his African American friend Lockatron John.
1:04:25 Lockatron John himself
1:06:02 Frosty Freeze first time seeing breaking was with ZuluKings 1976/77
1:07:32 clips from Freshest Kids documentary 2002. All 70s pioneers from California to New York City
1:11:59 a few pioneers from the "burning era" of breaking (1970-73/74).
1:15:37 PeeWee Dance from the Burning era of breaking (1970-73)
1:17:02 Looks like this African American teen is uprocking in a 1974 movie (coincidentally about a African American gang in NYC)
1:17:57 even more so in the parade scene of the 1974 movie
1:18:22 in 2016, Old school 1st generation "b-boys" performing in a very modest way, original breaking style
3 Comments
Yes, he is correct.. and guess what, Uprock, Outlawrock, Downrock, Freestylerock, Burning, was a movement created by the Puerto Rican community in New York City starting in the late 1960s. The terms 'rock' 'uprock' and 'toprock' in their various forms and connection with Rock Dancing came long before the term Breakdancing was coined by the media for the first time in the American press, during the early 1980s, when the term “Breakdance” was born, and came from the Media. Before the media changed the name from what what it was originally called, which was 'Rock' 'Rocking', 'Uprock" the name was replaced by the media to Breakdancing and BBoying..
As Rocking/Uprocking developed, body movements called "Burns" resembled a conflict where hand gestures would be used to emulate a fight against an opposing dancer. Being skillful in this new dance form, 🇵🇷Apache (a Brooklyn dancer) would get the better of his opponents by skillfully using burns. Dancers throughout New York City in all Boroughs continued to invent new movements and gestures to create a street dance. Many gang members began to perform this dance. Rocking/Uprocking became a competitive dance that caught on very quickly.
Uprock began around the year 1968 by the late 🇵🇷Rubber Band man and 🇵🇷Apache.
🇵🇷Rubber band
Jaime
1968
a Pioneer of UpDownRocking
Was very famous around New York He his considered the first rocker to rock to the floor in Rockdance Culture,
🇵🇷Bushwick Joe
Joe Sepulveda
1969
He Coined the Phrase name of the Uprock style "Burn or Get Burned, Burning" ... Bushwick also a pioneer of the Uprock dance style,
🇵🇷Willie Estrada
1972
Ia promoter, Writer, Producer, 1st Generation Dancer, and Original Pioneer of the Latin Hustle and first generation of The Rockdance
In Bushwick Brooklyn, you had Rock
Dancers like
🇵🇷Lil Dave
early 1970s
Bushwick
🇵🇷Chuck
1969-70
Bushwick
🇵🇷Apache
1968
Bushwick
a Pioneer of Up/TopRock
🇵🇷Vinny
eary 70s
Bushwick
🇵🇷Noel
1969-70
Bushwick
🇵🇷Sammy
🇵🇷Papo774
Puerto Rican Born and raised in Bushwick Brooklyn NY. Original Rocker Dancing since 1973
🇵🇷Angel
In Park Slope and South Brooklyn you had dancers such as
🇵🇷Richard Domenech
69-70
He is First Generation Rock Dancer from Brooklyn NYC.
🇵🇷Spice One,
🇵🇷Lil Star
Brother George,
🇵🇷Jose and 🇵🇷Ron of J&R Dancers
🇵🇷Paydro,
🇵🇷Eve Rock,
🇵🇷Nako Avatar,
🇵🇷Burn One,
🇵🇷Viejo,
🇵🇷Slinky,
🇵🇷Batman,
🇵🇷the Twins IND's
🇵🇷Eddie Santana.
In Manhattan and the Bronx there were dancers such as
🇵🇷Dee Dee
1972
🇵🇷Rubberband
1968
a Pioneer of UpTopRocking
Was very famous around New York He his considered the first rocker to rock to the floor
🇵🇷Mexico
1971
🇵🇷Salsa,
🇵🇷Mike Dominquez
1971
🇵🇷Danny Rodriguez,
🇵🇷Markie D,
🇵🇷Ito
🇵🇷Kid Terrific
Darby Torres
1975
a Rocker and Pioneer of The Style of Boogie
🇵🇷Choco
🇵🇷Shaky
🇵🇷Willie Marineboy
🇵🇷Willie (Whip) Rivera
🇵🇷Frank Rojas
1972
Frank Papo Rojas is a Puerto Rican actor, director, producer, writer, content creator and rock dance extraordinare. Papo known as a Triple OG in the Hip-Hop world of dance is considered to be a first wave, first generation rock dancer and an intricate part of the urban phenomenon that cultured the rock dance scene
🇵🇷Enoch Torres
Early 71-72s
Enoch Torres Freestyle Rocking danacer, danced professionally with the Latin Symbolic Dance Team in the 70s
The Latin Symbolics were the first Professional Urban Dance Company in New York City History. They recruited the best dancers throughout New York City, most of which came from the South Bronx.
🇵🇷Robert (Lucky) Feliciano,
🇵🇷Hector Barrios,
🇵🇷Pete Martinez.
and many many more..
Bonafide Puerto Rican pioneers of breaking say original b-boys were "black" or African American
Af Amr
1,256 views
1:43 Batch of TBB
2:15 Batch inspired by African American friend TT Rock in 1975
4:03 More on TT Rock
4:29 TT Rock moves from South Bronx to TBB's neighborhood of West Bronx in 75 (ZuluKings are from South Bronx...?)
7:29 Footwork inspired by TT Rock
10:54 Aby, brother of Batch
11:39 Big Boom of original TBB
11:54 Big Boom also witnessed TT Rock's move
12:52 No rocking or breaking. TBB was just graffiti until...
13:18 more TT Rock
15:37 Dancing Doug reviews the 1974 footage
16:15 Jimmy D, the African American co-founder of Rock Steady Crew
16:54 Bom 5, original TBB member
18:27 African American influence for TBB as a b-boy crew
19:00 Bom 5 meets the N-Twins (Legendary Twins) circa 1974-75
20:50 Bom 5 saw all African American b-boys at first
21:18 Bom remembers Phase 2 at the beginning of hip-hop (graffiti writer, b-boy, and DJ/MC)
26:51 Bom remembers DJ Mario playing the breaks and Kool Herc extending the breaks
28:54, From a first hand perspective, Bom felt that hip-hop was always there, and not later years as some believe. There was a certain swag, lingo and delivery the blacks had.
29:35 As Bom traversed Bronx as a Puerto Rican youth (circa 1974-75) he attended the African American block parties (gang tensions were becoming less territorial after 1971 truce). He started Rock Dancing, and then met Eldorodo Mike, who started breaking, and The Legendary Twins, who started uprocking. It was definitely different from what he was doing as a Rock Dancer
30:29 JoJo, creator of the backspin
32:32 JoJo remember seeing breaking for the first time circa 73-74 with African Americans... particularly his friend Mark. He seen footwork
33:25 Jo says the first time he seen breaking, there was footwork (1973-74)
33:55 Jo creates the backspin after taking his cue from African American friend Mark
36:52 Jo alludes to, or indicates that blacks evolved the dance with them, and not just Puerto Rican b-boys alone. They all took it to the next level.
42:07 Jo knew TBB, Rockwell Association and TDK back then (he still maintains most b-boys were black at the time)
44:58 Jo joins the newly formed CC Crew in 1976. He says they were African American and Puerto Rican at first
46:37 Jo explains how the dance became more Puerto Rican and less black by the latter 70s into the 1980s
47:37 African Americans hip-hop pioneers can vouch for Jo. He was at all the jams
47:54 Mr Wiggles. Rock Steady Crew was a hybrid of black and Puerto Rican style.
48:47 Mr Wiggles alludes to only seening black b-boys and that he's been all over Bronx NY
49:46 Wiggles shows variations African American rocking and Puerto Rican rocking of 1976/77
51:37 Mr Wiggles opinion that ZuluKings were the best in NYC by 1977, and only seen black b-boys at that point.
52:50 Trac2 says his friend Robbie Rob (African American) created chair freezing in 73/74
57:00 Willie Will and creation of Rockwell Association (1976/77)
1:00:57 Flip Rock of New York City Breakers seen mostly blacks as a 10 year old (probably mid 70s) then breaking stopped, and a resurgence for him at 15 upon witnessing the windmills, 1990s backspin etc.
1:02:08 Mr Freeze says he got the umbrella scene in Flashdance from moves inspired by his African American friend Lockatron John.
1:04:25 Lockatron John himself
1:06:02 Frosty Freeze first time seeing breaking was with ZuluKings 1976/77
1:07:32 clips from Freshest Kids documentary 2002. All 70s pioneers from California to New York City
1:11:59 a few pioneers from the "burning era" of breaking (1970-73/74).
1:15:37 PeeWee Dance from the Burning era of breaking (1970-73)
1:17:02 Looks like this African American teen is uprocking in a 1974 movie (coincidentally about a African American gang in NYC)
1:17:57 even more so in the parade scene of the 1974 movie
1:18:22 in 2016, Old school 1st generation "b-boys" performing in a very modest way, original breaking style