As a witness to the growth of Hip-Hop culture in New York since 1975, I
can recall glimpses of locking, popping and robot on the TV programs such
as Soul Train, The Big Show and What's Happening! In the late '70s very
few dancers practiced these forms in New York except for servral dancers
who visited or moved to New York from Southern states and the West Coast.
In late 1980, two African-American individuals named Loc-A-Tron john
(originally from North Carolina) and Loose Bruce (from San Diego,
California) were great influences on Mr. Wiggles and myself, as well as on
many others. When we first met John he showed us styles that we had never
seen before, such as side glides, animation and the shoulder drop styles
of popping. A few months prior to this, Wiggles had been inspired by
brothers in his 'hood- the South Bronx-who knew a little bit of poppng.
As graffiti partners since 1979, Wiggles and I often hung together,
sharing common interestss, especially Hip-Hop culture. It only took a few
weeks before I was trying to pop. John's crew, the Loc-A-Trons, were
based in Brooklyn, while Lose Bruce and his crew the Pop-O-Matics
(featured in the film Wild Style) were known more in the Bronx and Harlem.
their styles were different. John's was more robotic, while Bruce used
more character and was looser with faster struts and quick, sharp, snappy
angles. At this point we had enough resources and started developing our
own styles, eventually getting props as two of the first Puerto Rican
boogiers in New York.
The music we danced to at the time was different from the West Coast's.
This helped produce a different flavor in the movement, following a
slightly quicker pace with songs like "Plant Rock" "Pac Jam" and some of
the beats we used for B-boying. the influence of Hip-Hop fashions also
shed a new light on how popping was represented in the early 1980s in New
York, and eventually throughout the world. The Electric Kompany Dancers
was the first group Wiggles and I helped form around 1981, before joining
the Rock Steady Crew and Magnificent Force. We were the first electric
Boogiers to wear Lee denium jackets and jeans, bombed with graffiti
burners and characters. the exaggerated one-inch laces worm on sneakers
were introduced by us as well.
In short, we didn't know much of the history behind West Coast popping
until late 1982, when we met Wet coast popper/locker Sugar Pop in NYC. He
showed us the original popping flavor, like how to pop our muscles and not
our shoulders and how to better pace ourselves. He offered a clearer
understanding of popping and locking in general. The proper history and
terminology for what we knew as electric boogie was taught to us as well,
and we made sure to pass on the information in order to perserve it. At
Lionel Richie's show in New York, Sugar Pop introduced us to Pop 'n' taco,
Shabadoo and Boogaloo Shrimp. Just as they were schooling us on their
thing, we schooled them on Hip-Hop culture, exchanging dance forms:
popping and locking for breaking and uprocking. We watched videotapes of
Boogaloo Sam and Popping Pete doing earlier boogaloo forms and realized
that the style Bruce had inspired us with was very similar.
Unfortunately, many of New York's best poppers didn't get much exposure in
films, but the wack ones who did gave us a bad name on the West
Coast.
Many of us in New York have always given the West Coast mad props for
having developed some of the dopest dance forms in world. We have the
utmost respect for these dancers and all those who kept it real
thereafter. I thank Allah (God) for blessing us with culture, allowing
us to share it and making us part of the chain that links one generation
to the next in these dance forms. Shout-outs to all New York electric
boogie and locker pioneers: Kool Keith (known as Activity back in his
boogie days), Supreme, the shak Crew, Muhammed, Snap Shot, Fortune, Fame,
check, Lil' Sput, Short Circuit, Kippy Dee and many more!
Peace.