Hip Hop Dance

161 Pages·2012·1.772 MB·English

by  Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar

Hip Hop Dance
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Hip Hop Dance
Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar
The American Dance Floor
Copyright2012byMohanalakshmiRajakumar
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedina
retrievalsystem,ortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,
mechanical,photocopying,recording,orotherwise,exceptfortheinclusionof
briefquotationsinareview,withoutpriorpermissioninwritingfromthe
publisher.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Rajakumar,Mohanalakshmi.
Hiphopdance/MohanalakshmiRajakumar.
p.cm.—(TheAmericandancefloor)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978–0–313–37845–4(hardback)—ISBN978–0–313–37846–1(ebook)
1.Hip-hopdance—UnitedStates.2.Hip-hopdance—Socialaspects.I.Title.
GV1796.H57R35 2012
0
793.31973—dc23 2011043293
ISBN:978–0–313–37845–4
EISBN:978–0–313–37846–1
16 15 14 13 12 1 2 3 4 5
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Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper
ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
Contents
SeriesForeword vii
Acknowledgments ix
Timeline xi
Introduction:TheBirthoftheHipHopNation xiii
DeclineoftheBronx,RiseofHipHop xx
Chapter1: The“Breaks”inBreakDancing 1
TheRootsoftheMoves 14
EthnicInfluences 18
AB-boy’sRoutine 19
BattlingamongCrews 23
B-GirlsintheTwenty-FirstCentury 25
Chapter2: FromUrbantoSuburban 33
BreakingonTelevisionandinFilm 35
HipHopFindsaCommercialGroove 47
Chapter3: HipHopScandals—Sex,Video,andViolence 63
RappersasGangstas 67
RaceandRap 71
EastCoastversusWestCoastFeuds 73
RappersandVideoHoes 74
Chapter4: MakeRoomfortheLadies 79
v
vi Contents
Conclusion 95
Glossary 105
Discography 107
Bibliography 109
Index 115
Series Foreword
FromtheLindyhoptohiphop,dancehashelpeddefineAmericanlife
and culture. In good times and bad, people have turned to dance to
escapetheirtroubles,getout,andhaveagoodtime.Fromhighschool
proms to weddings and other occasions, dance creates some of our
most memorable personal moments. It is also big business, with
schools, competitions, and dance halls bringing in people and their
dollars each year. And as America has changed, so, too, has dance.
ThestoryofdanceisverymuchthestoryofAmerica.Danceroutines
are featuredin movies,television,and videos;dance styles and tech-
niques reflectshifting values and attitudes toward relationships;and
danceperformersandtheircostumesrevealchangingthoughtsabout
race, class,gender,andother topics.Writtenforstudentsandgeneral
readers,The AmericanDanceFloor series covers the history ofsocial
dancinginAmerica.
Eachvolumeintheserieslooksataparticulartypeofdancesuchas
swing, disco, Latin, folk dancing, hip hop, ballroom, and country &
western. Written in an engaging manner, each book tells the story of
a particular dance form and places it in its historical, social, and
cultural context.Thuseach title helpsthe readerlearnnotonlyabout
a particular dance form, but also about social change. The volumes
are fully documented, and each contains a bibliography of print and
electronicresourcesforfurtherreading.
vii

Acknowledgments
Every book is the culmination of knowledge both on the part of the
writerandresearcheras wellas allthe otherswhowereinterested in
findingoutmoreaboutasimilartopic.Hip hop isacomplexcultural
phenomenonthatcritics,scholars,andparticipantshavebeenwriting
about for over 30 years. I am indebted to the large body of work,
includingbooks,films,andmusic,whichhasinformedthisbook.
A special thanks to George Butler forhis patience in working with
ever-extending deadlines. Many thanks to Geoff Harkness for access
tohisIAmHipHopresearcharchives.
I’mgratefultotheGeorgetownUniversity-Qatarlibrary,thepremier
research library in the country. Without its support and services I
could nothave had accessto thematerialsneeded towrite thisbook.
I also thank Fatima Mussa for leads on interviews and Jennifer
Martensforherresearchassistance.
Lastlytotheb-boys,b-girls,DJs,MCs,andgraffitiartistswhowere
therewhenitallbegan,thankyouforsharingwithusyourcreativity,
energy, and drive which have created one the most vivid cultures of
thetwentiethcentury—hiphop.
Andtothosewhoarestillatit,evennow,allovertheworld:andya’
don’tstop,ya’ll.
ix