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6 breaking anthems to groove to, picked by DJ Cosmic
Mumbai-based DJ and B-Boy Cosmic shares a playlist of his go-to tracks that are certain to make breakers want to get down in a cypher or battle.
DJ Cosmic was spinning tracks at the Red Bull BC One Cypher India 2021 with judges B-Boy Junior, B-Girl Sarah Bee and B-Boy Wing. To know more about the competition and to watch the stream, visit redbull.in/bcone
Breaking has its roots in the origin of hip-hop in the 1970s.
And many of the beats that B-Boys and B-Girls like to boogie to also tend to be classic funk jams with breaks where they can throw down.
We asked DJ Cosmic (Pranay Bakshi) to list some of his favourite tracks to spin when he brings breakers out to dance at cyphers in Mumbai and across India.
DJ and B-Boy Cosmic
© Focus Sports
Being a B-Boy as well, he has some choice picks that he knows he would like to break to and would be sure to put feet on the dancefloor.
Here are his six go-to tracks for a breaking cypher.
The Jimmy Castor Bunch – ‘It’s Just Begun’
The Jimmy Castor Bunch is known for being a revolutionary soul-funk band that set the tone for hip-hop for years to come. ‘It’s Just Begun’ was a ground-breaking song, and it was featured in the acclaimed 2007 documentary Planet B-Boy. Cosmic mentions that this happens to be the first breaking song that he ever came across, which makes it a special one for him. “However, it’s only now that I understand the historical importance of this song,” he adds. A funk record that is crucial to the evolution of breaking, this song was one that some of the earliest B-Boys and B-Girls used to get down to. This song has been sampled multiple times over and was a chart-topping hit for most of the ‘70s.
James Brown – ‘Give It Up And Turn It Loose’
No break dance playlist is complete without a James Brown song. A single released in 1969, this was a chart-topping song and over the years it became a hip-hop and breaking anthem. Cosmic believes that this song is culturally important since James Brown is an important artist in the evolution of funk as a genre. “He was a source of inspiration for a lot of breakers as well. The drum breaks and the bass in the song are extremely groovy for breaking,” Cosmic says.
A Tribe Called Quest – ‘Scenario’
One of Cosmic’s personal favourites, this track is different from the usual breaking anthems as it’s a rap song. Yet it happens to be groovy and raw with heavy drum samples and rhythm that can get anyone going. “The band is a legendary hip-hop group and whenever this song plays today, years later, people truly enjoy grooving to it. It plays in battles multiple times over and yet, people never get tired of it,” says Cosmic.
The Bamboos – ‘The Witch’
One of the more recent songs on Cosmic’s playlist, ‘The Witch’ adds a layer of excitement to any breaking battle, making it a beat-killing competition. Released in 2007, this song is a dependable track for DJs like Cosmic because it has very prominent breaks. Cosmic says The Bamboos are very influential and important in the evolution of breaking; the Melbourne-based funk and soul band have a plethora of tracks that are loved by most B-Boys and B-Girls.
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity – ‘Flesh Failures (Let The Sunshine In)’
While this isn’t a song that can be traditionally considered apt for breaking as such, it has been played in battles a couple of times. Another personal favourite of Cosmic, it is an obscure track which is mellow, soulful and pretty much unlike the usual heavy-hitting break beats. Cosmic loves it because a breaker can take their time to rock to it and slowly get in the groove to break beat to this track.
Fred Karlin – ‘You’re Hip Miss Pastorfield’
A popular track amongst B-Boys and B-Girls, this song is fast paced and has those moments where “one can kill the beat”. It starts with two drum hits, then you have a funky instrumental and then it loops around two snare hits. Comsic especially loves to play this track during battles. “This is an exciting song to play during tie-breakers as you know that people will be willing to go the extra mile with the music,” he says.
