B-BOY PARAPHERNALIA

by Paul Davidson

Ahhh... video! Since we can’t be everywhere and see
everything video has come in very handy for b-boys/b-girls and fans
of b-boyin'. Even if you were "there" if you possess a video you can
rewind, freeze, slow mo and study & appreciate incredible moves by
some of the world’s greatest street dancers. Of course moviewise
there is Beatstreet with the famous battle scene at the Roxy as well
as Wildstyle and the documentary Style Wars that all feature some
b-boyin but if you want tons of uprocking, downrocking, power moves
and more check out the following undergound videos....

Probably the most famous b-boy crew of all time The
Rocksteady Crew are featured on four different video tapes.
Rocksteady Crew #1 features footage from the Zulu Nation 1994
Anniversary as well as footage of the Rocksteady practice from the
day before. Highlights from the Zulu jam include Kool Herc in the
b-boy circle. He’s too big to dance but man does it bring a smile to
your face to see him there. Rocksteady Crew #2 features scenes from
four different jams; The Apollo, The Grind, a Rocksteady New Years
Eve party, and the Bring Back the Beat jam. Rocksteady #3 features
footage from various Rocksteady Anniversaries including breaking in
the rain on cement and b-boys from Japan. Old School Rocksteady
features two documentaries that were made on the Rocksteady Crew;
the 1981 documentary Breakin' and the 1982 documentary Rocksteady.
Not only does Wiggles from the Rocksteady Crew have his own video
called the Mr. Wiggles Boogie Boy Video that features solos, battles
and interviews but Ken Swift and Flowmaster from the RSC have solo
videos out too. Also check out the collaboration video 7 Gems that
features Ken Swift, Wiggles, Orco, Flowmaster and Honey Rockwell in
Brazil, Israel, Hawaii and New York. 7 Gems part #2 is another video
featuring the 7 Gems crew at diffrent locations.

If you just can’t get enough of the old school flavor check
out New York City Breaks #1 & Volume #3. The volumes feature footage
of the NYC Breakers from 1981 to 1985. There’s also great footage of
a RSC vs. Dynamic Rockers battle from 1981.

Wreck Sessions is a fat video that features b-boyin' in
Switzerland and the It`s All Good B-Boy Battle from Canada (east
coast). The battle from Canada features three seperate crew battles
that are each 10 minutes long featuring the following crews from
Toronto and Montreal; Bag-O-Tricks, Intrikit, Raccoons, and Floor
Rock. The annual european b-boy competition Battle of the Year 96
official video is now available. Features great footage including
the battle between Toys In The Attic vs. Enemy Squad. Battle of the
Year 95 features both group routines as well as Out of
Control(Denmark) vs. Flying Steps(Germany) and Enamy Squad(Hungary)
vs. The Family(France/Italy). A must have for all b-boy fans. The
magazine Graphotism also has a version which might be good to pick
up since some of the group routines were edited on the official
video due to time constraints. This version also features a Judges
showcase. The Battle of the Year 96 that took place in September
should be available on video by the time you read this.

Radiotron #2 from Southern Cali (USA) features eighty
minutes of b-boyin' and popping & locking including a battle between
Freestyle and Renegades. I heard that at one of the Radiotrons
(April 13th, 1996) they had Michael Jackson’s film crew record the
event... hmmm, now we know where he got those new popping moves he
used at the 96 World Music Awards. Word has it that the next
Radiotron video will feature footage from the last three events
since they occur every month or two. Earlier this year The West
Coast Rocksteady Crew held B-Boy Summit #4 in San Diego, California.
There were circles inside and outside the venue as well as great
performances by Jurrasic 5 and Kurtis Blow/Whipper Whip/Donald D.
There is also a video of B-Boy Summit #2 that features the
Rocksteady Crew battling the Imperials from Japan. Another video
worth checking out is The Art of B-Boyin' featuring interviews and
routines by crews from the Florida area. I`ve just heard that there
is also a b-boyin' documentary in the works called The World of
B-Boyin'. The 1996 U.K. B-Boy Battle features group routines by
Second 2 None, Floor Freaks, Born to Rock, Freestyle Fanatics and The
Scarecrows. The video also features two battles as well as a 'clockwise'
exhibition featuring the two best members from each crew.

That about wraps it up for videos but before I jet I'd like
to tell you about some cassette tapes that feature music that is
perfect to b-boy to, great for practice sessions. Mr. Wiggles has
three different tapes available; Rocksteady #1, Rocksteady #2, and
Shaolin Beats. DJ B-Mello has Old School B-Boy and DJ Phantom has
Music To Break To. DJ Double D`s Old School Electro is also good and
Q-Berts Pre School Break Mix and DJ Rip One`s True Skool are also
excellent tapes to dance to.


B-BOY VIDEO LISTING
last updated 1/1/98

01 Bootleg Betty Presents ROCKSTEADY CREW #1
02 Bootleg Betty Presents ROCKSTEADY CREW #2
03 ROCKSTEADY CREW #3
04 Bootleg Betty Presents OLD SCHOOL RSC 1981
05 ROCKSTEADY CREW 20TH ANNIVERSARY (1997)
06 JAPAN RSC
07 Mr. Wiggles BOOGIE BOY VIDEO
08 WIGGLES II
09 KEN SWIFT
10 FLOWMASTER
11 POP MASTER FABLE
12 THE NEXT ONE (Mauritzio)
13 Honey Rockwell's B-GIRL VIDEO
14 7 GEMS
15 7 GEMS PART 2
16 B-BOY SUMMIT II (1995)
17 B-BOY SUMMIT III (1996)
18 B-BOY SUMMIT IV (1997)
19 RADIOTRON #2
20 RADIOTRON #6/7 - PART 1
21 STYLE ELEMENTS
22 ART OF B-BOYIN
23 B-BOY MASTERS/PRO-AM 97 - Volume 1
24 B-BOY MASTERS/PRO-AM 97 - Volume 2
25 NEW YORK CITY BREAKERS VOLUME #1
26 NEW YORK CITY BREAKERS VOLUME #2
27 WRECK SESSIONS
28 BATTLE OF THE YEAR 1995
29 BATTLE OF THE YEAR 95 (the other tape)
30 BATTLE OF THE YEAR 96
31 BATTLE OF THE YEAR 97
32 HANNOVER B-BOY BATTLE 97
33 SKILLS
34 MOVES '96
35 SWIFT ROCK
36 STORM
37 1996 U.K. B-BOY BATTLE