“Uncle” Ralph McDaniels is an un-sung hero of hip-hop. Pre-MTV he started Video Music Box, a NY cable TV show that was incredibly popular.
They recently celebrated the 25th anniversary and the show is still going. Uncle Ralph is a DJ, a music video director with a hell of a resume, and a guy that never was a bboy but was on ground level during the explosion in the early 80s.
The photos behind him in the interview are from “Born in the Bronx,” and our good friend CL provided the break room at Digiwaxx (in Harlem) to us. The photos were already scotch taped up behind the couch like they were waiting for us.
Learn More on Wikipedia
Posted by Matt on April 2nd, 2009 | Permalink | No Comments »
Grandmaster Caz a.k.a. Casanova Fly was our first interview in NYC. We met him at Soundview Projects in the Bronx where a lot of history is stamped on the courtyard.
The folks in the hallways didn’t mess with us as soon as we were identified as Caz’s guests. During our time with Caz he played us the Steinski collab “Bboy’s Make Some Noise,” which he created - it became the end credits song.
We also shot the breeze regarding the hot topic of 2008 in hip-hop, Joe Conzo’s “Born in the Bronx” book. Rizzoli Publishing was selling out of them all over the country at the time of the interview.
Visit His Website
Posted by Matt on March 22nd, 2009 | Permalink | No Comments »
We didn’t want to just feature titans of bboying in this film. Without conflicting perspectives the film would be boring. So there is Michael Holman, a guy that is not a bboy but played a big part in the media sensation breakin’ became.
He created Graffiti Rock, he took Malcolm McLaren (the architect of UK Punk) to the Bronx to see a jam, He founded NYC Breakers the popular All-Star Crew that performed on Letterman and for Ronald Regan.
He managed Crazy Legs at one point, played in a band with Jean-Michel Basquiat and made the first hip-hop film “Catch A Beat” (1981) on Super-8 film.
Holman’s apartment was a museum of memorabilia which colored his stories. Buddy Esquire cut+paste flyers, signed Warhol posters and the canvas featured behind Mr. Holman during the entire interview is actually a piece he created.
He is a studio artist, in addition to all the other hats he wears. If you look closely you will see a young Holman starring back at Director Chad Ross from a press photo for his band “Gray.”
Visit His Website
Many bboys questioned our decision to involve Michael Holman. He is not a bboy, and bboys often frown upon anyone who isn’t actively a bboy talking about their art. But Mr. Holman is a resource, extremely relevant and a great guy to interview. We took a risk, and it worked out. Mr. Holman attended the Tribeca Screening and it was all love.
Posted by Matt on March 3rd, 2009 | Permalink | No Comments »
Our friends at Off-Soho Suites must be shouted out.
We were loud, keeping late hours and they didn’t sweat us once. Likely because Jeromeskee looks like a movie star and we had a lot of equipment on us.
Between shooting locations we snapped a few potential press shots, which didn’t make the cut, but you still may enjoy them.
Jeromeskee’s hair was noticeably unaffected by the weather. His Massive Monkee crewmates call him “the Asian Brad Pitt.” Do you see the resemblance?
Posted by Matt on February 20th, 2009 | Permalink | No Comments »
Jeromeskee filmed most of his tutorials in this film while rehabbing a torn MCL in his knee. He pushed it on hard concrete, before the doctors told him he should be breakin.
He did Freestyle Session in Los Angeles directly after the shooting dates in NYC, and still wasn’t supposed to be off crutches. The knee originally exploded during a casting for MTV’s Americas Best Dance Crew, at the very end of the shooting date in a total freak accident while getting additional b-roll.
Massive Monkees was invited on the show but turned down the producers because of a contract dispute.
Crew, Family and Friends helped teach Jerome’s classes when he was on the shelf. FeverOne moved back to Seattle and partnered on Jeromeskee’s wildly popular local classes. Sugar Pop came and did a guest workshop. Fabel did too.
While Fabel (VP of Rock Steady Crew) was in town he and Jeromeskee stopped by Bruce Lee’s gravesite. So much of this film is homage to his teaching style and outlook. This is because Jeromeskee uses many techniques adapted from Mr. Lee in his teaching. Many have drawn the connection between Bruce Lee’s films and hip-hop: the timing of his stardom coinciding with the formative years of hip-hop makes it somewhat obvious. However Jeromeskee studied Jeet Kune Do, and is highly decorated in Mr. Lee’s martial art hybrid. The 1972 film Way of the Dragon inspired the title: “Way of the Bboy.”
Posted by Matt on February 2nd, 2009 | Permalink | No Comments »
The first New York shooting dates were in February 2008. The temperature was 19-degrees Fahrenheit. We did a three-hour session in Poe Park with Lil Lep, RIP7 and Fabel.
The tapes did not properly capture the footage because of the cold. The cameras screwed us… in a major way. A few production stills were taken and they are the only record of this day.
That summer Poe Park would be used as a location in the lesson plans. The historic significance of the Edgar A. Poe Park on the Grand Course and 192nd in the Bronx was explained. All was not lost.
Posted by Matt on January 11th, 2009 | Permalink | No Comments »
Although the Way of the Bboy is not affiliated with any shoe brand, it seemed that Adidas were the prevailing choice amongst the film’s participants.
And while the shoes the bboys wore during tutorials were not the focus, Sneaker Freaker (the most respected publication on the cultural significance of sneakers) took a second to feature the film following the Tribeca Screening. Check out their site and see what they said.
CLICK HERE
Read The Review
Posted by Matt on December 28th, 2008 | Permalink | No Comments »
Here is a pull quote from the XXL magazine article from Nino “Dubs” DeLuca after the NYC screening at Tribeca Cinemas:
“The award-winning production company behind “Just for Kicks,” a visual history on sneakers, have shifted their focus from shoes to some of the most important people in history to wear them: B-boys.”
We couldn’t have written it better with William Shakespeare’s pen.
Read the Article
CLICK HERE
Posted by Matt on December 16th, 2008 | Permalink | No Comments »
Three hundred of Massive Monkees and DVS Crew’s closest friends packed Seattle venue Nectar December 7, 2008.
They stood and watched the same 42-minute cut that was screened at Tribeca. Loud outbursts were frequent. FeverOne and his promotion company UltraMega put on the event.
It was a thank you from the actors and producers to all those people in Seattle that helped the Way of the Bboy before there was a budget and sponsor. FeverOne & SoulUno (his DVS crewmate who is also featured in the film) hit the decks and a cipher formed. The thriving scene that made Seattle a focal point for the film was on full display as the informal breakin’ exhibition lasted an hour with no scripting or choreography.
Posted by Matt on December 14th, 2008 | Permalink | No Comments »
Our definition for success with this screening was putting all the original New York bboy pioneers - featured in the film - together. Then seeing what happens.
The Q&A after the 42-minute screening (cut short due to shortened attention spans and New York’s quick-step pace) was lively. Grandmaster Caz had some words about bboy fashion that didn’t jive with another guest’s definition.
A few guests tested Jeromeskee and director Chad Ross’ decision to use licensed music that wasn’t the authentic breaks the NYC pioneers got down to.
Mr. Ross’ rebuttal was Jimmy Castor Bunch is pretty expensive, and using it without permission was not an option considering “Jimmy Castor loves suin’ people.”
Joe Conzo snapped flicks. Every guest got a Coosh gift-pack from BIC USA, and while it wasn’t the film festival, having that venue to the exclusive company of bboy royalty – for one evening - was special in its own right.
Check the OkayPlayer Review (90 of 100)
Special Thanks to Santos Party House, and the Monday night crowd that watched three generations of bboy masters put in work. They drink as hard as they break too. Lil Lep put the Bronx-rock on full display. Crazy Legs came by to show love and no cup was empty as long as Grandmaster Caz was near by with his bottle of cognac.
Posted by Matt on December 13th, 2008 | Permalink | No Comments »
