Breaking
Names are an essential aspect of hip-hop culture, establishing the identity of the wearers and delivering insights that might not be obvious – find out more here.
Artist stage names have been there since the very beginnings of hip-hop. They're used with pride, like a badge or a knight's coat of arms.
In the imagination of most people, an artist's name is something given to them by a mentor or teacher. While this happens in some cases, the majority of stage names are chosen by the wearer themselves. This ability to freely decide is rooted deeply in hip-hop culture – there's no need to have someone's permission to define who you are.
One of the most important functions of creating an artist name is to show your affiliation to the hip-hop culture. It tells people you're part of this movement. It's a declaration of your decision to revel in a lifestyle of creativity and respect, no matter if it's your profession or your passion.
Read on for some strategies to help you create a unique breaker name that sticks.
Emphasise a special trait or skill of the artist
Names like RoxRite, who's "rocking it right", Storm or Crazy conjure up images about how these B-Boys dance. When the name and the featured skill align, the identity of the artist gets a major level up.
Pay tribute to a mentor or inspirational character
Leaving the dance world for a second, the most famous example might be rapper 50 Cent, who chose his name after a New York based stick-up kid who he felt he shared his mentality of "surviving by any means." At the other end of spectrum, B-Boy Poe One modelled his name after the legendary author and poet, Edgar Allan Poe.
Show affiliation or membership to a crew
There are crews out there that 'brand' their members by leaving a mark in their names. A prime example is the Paris-based crew, Wanted, who'smembers usually end their names with son. If you meet Yugson, Dedson, Mamson, Babyson and others guys with similar names, you know Wanted is in the house.
Phil Wizard, the runner-up of the Red Bull BC One World Final 2021, wears his name as a member of the Wizards crew.
Another example is the Houses of Voguing, who add a second name that tells you about the dancers crew membership, while the members of legendary House of Ninja go by names like Willi Ninja, Benni Ninja, Javier Ninja and so on.
Find a pun or sound-alike of your real name
Back to the rap world, where Eminem was created when Marshall Mathers made a minor change to his initials before becoming rap's biggest star.
Tell people what you do.
Especially in the funk styles of locking and popping, there are several examples of names that already point to the artists' dance style. The names of Suga Pop, Popin' Pete and P-Lock are very clear about their wearer's favourite moves.
These are some recipes for creating names that stick and make sense. However, there's no written rule that says you have to follow any of these ideas. A stage name is something that's totally individual, and must resonate with the taste of the wearer so if you come up with something that just sounds or feels right, don't overthink and go with your gut feeling.
Check out how some of the Red Bull BC One World Finalists got their dancers names.
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