Breaking
Breaking
How do B-Boys Sunni and Kid Colombia see breaking for their generation?
We met with BC One World Final contenders Sunni and Kid Colombia to talk about the differences in the mindset of their generations of breakers.
When breaking was created, city kids got into it to escape the circumstances of poverty, drugs and violence that they were born into. But now the dance is a worldwide art form in which hundreds of breakers compete at international competitions.
Today B-Boys and B-Girls get into breaking for many different reasons than the pioneers who created the dance, and like any new generation in an art form, they want to represent what the dance means to them.
We spoke to two time UK B-Boy Championship winner, Sunni, from the Soul Mavericks crew, and former Holland Red Bull BC One cypher winner, Kid Colombia, from the Hustle Kidz crew about the differences that they see between their generation of breakers, and the generations before them.
How do you see your breaking generation compared to older ones?
Sunni: I feel that our generation is expressing our individual way, and reflecting the current times. Breaking was current before, reflecting what was going on at the time it was created, but now it feels like it's more reflecting old school America. I think that my generation doesn't feel confined by what people might say is the 'real' B-Boy image. Before, a lot of people thought that to be good at breaking you had to look and talk a certain way, and listen to certain music, but our generation is more about our skills doing the talking. You can dress however you want, it won't change the fact that I can still smoke you in a battle.
Kid Colombia: I feel that my generation wants to explore new things, and new songs at events. The older generation seem to mostly stay in the same vibe that they started with, loving only that one thing, but our generation is changing all the time, and loves everything. For us the main thing is the battles and showing your crazy skills. For me the most important thing, right now, is showing people something that they've never seen before in their lives.
Kid Colombia at the BC One World Final 2018
© Romina Amato/Red Bull Content Pool
Do you listen to the same music as the older generation of breakers?
Sunni: I listened to hip-hop music, but just not America hip-hop. I listen to music more from the UK scene, and there's a lot of strong UK hip-hop artists that I like, like Coops, Benny Banks, and many others. To be a B-Boy you're supposed to listen to the classic breaking music, which I know was new and fresh music for the older generation. But the older generation weren't listening to their parents' music when they were young, and now their music is my parent's music. I don't really feel it, and can't relate to it.
Kid Colombia: I don't listen to typical breaking music. I listen to UK garage, house, drum & base, a lot of trap music, and that kind of stuff. When I started breaking, you heard old school hip-hop music a lot. I think it's dope, and give it respect but after the first three years it got kind of boring for me, and I didn't get energy from it. For me, the crazier the song and beat, the more crazy I go in my dance, so I'm always searching for music with that crazy sound.
Does the selection of traditional breaking music affect your performance in battles?
Sunni: Yes, for sure. So many times they play the same hip-hop tracks at every jam and everyone goes crazy, including my opponent, but I'm standing on stage and all I can think is 'this is my dad's music, but okay I'll try and get into it'. I know that to be a B-Boy you have to accept and embrace that music, and I don't think that it's bad music, but I know that if we were breaking to the music the guys I know in my generation are into, it'd be a whole different story and feeling for us on that stage.
Kid Colombia: Yes. If it was possible, I'd prefer more trap music at breaking battles. Sometimes I get a song and I really don't know what to do with it, because I don't feel any energy with traditional breaks, and it's hard when you have to dance to them.
How do you feel about traditional breaking fashion?
Sunni: I don't dress like a typical B-Boy. I dress representing where I come from, not where hip-hop comes from, because even though I've been to the Bronx, I'm not from the Bronx. For me, it doesn't make sense to dress like someone from there.
Kid Colombia: I'm not the guy you'll see wearing a lot of traditional hip'hop clothes, I'm just causal and wear what I like.
What would you say to young breakers still finding their place in the culture?
Sunni: If you're into the more traditional breaking image and hip-hop music, then enjoy it, but don't feel confined by it. We all have a couple of years in the beginning when we really get into the traditional stuff. Even I used to dress like a traditional B-Boy, and listen to the traditional music. We've all been there and done it, but don't think you're stuck there, and have to always be that. Don't feel like you have to be what the breakers in the '80s were if that's not who you are. Express who you want to be.
