Rock Steady Crew is a breakdancing crew and hip hop group that was established in the Bronx borough of New York City in 1977. The New York Times calls the Rock Steady Crew 'the foremost breakdancing group in the world today'. History The original founders were Jimmy D and Jojo, two early popularizers of breakdancing. The Rock Steady Crew is the first group of B boys to become performers.” The flyer for the event, dubbed “the Battle of Boroughs,” was written in a stylized, graffiti hand style by DOZE — further providing impressionable youth at the time the idea that the various elements of Hip-Hop culture were intertwined.
- Undoubtedly the most highly recognized name in the b-boy world, the Rock Steady Crew was first formed in 1977 in the Bronx, New York. The two man team of Jo Jo and Jimmy D were the original founders. It was an important time for the dance movement. Disco was killing the artform and many b-boys had given up and gone on to other things.
- City Parks Foundation SummerStage - Rock Steady Crew 38th Anniversary Concert Featuring: Rock Steady Crew Member Where: New York City, New York, United States When: 26 Jul 2015 Rock Steady Crew: l to r: Crazy Legs and Pop Master Fabel 4th annual.
Rock Steady Crew is an American breaking and hip hop group which has become a franchise name for multiple groups in other locations. The group's 1983 international hit song '(Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew' (from the group's first studio album Ready For Battle) peaked at No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart,[1] and reached the Top 10 in many European countries. Members of Rock Steady Crew featured in the films Flashdance and Beat Street, which ignited international interest in the b-boy subculture.[2]
History[edit]
The group was initially formed in The Bronx, New York City in 1977 by b-boys Jimmy Dee and Jimmy Lee. The Manhattan branch was created by Crazy Legs and B-Boy Fresh. The New York Times called the Rock Steady Crew 'the foremost breakdancing group in the world today.'[3][failed verification]
Notable members[edit]
Former members[edit]
- Daisy Castro (aka Baby Love (B-girl) - Lead Vocals '(Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew'
Discography[edit]
Albums[edit]
- 1984 - Ready For Battle
- 2007 - 30 Years to the Day
Singles[edit]
- 1983 - '(Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew'
- 1983 - 'Ready For Battle'
- 1984 - 'Up Rock'
- 1984 - 'She's Fresh'
- 2000 - 'Used To Wish I Could Break With Rock Steady'
Appearances in feature films[edit]
- Wild Style (1982)
- Style Wars (1983)
- Flashdance (1983)
- Beat Street (1984)
- Moonwalker (1988)
- Streets Is Watching (1998)
References[edit]
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- ^'The Official Charts Company - Rocksteady Crew - (Hey You) The Rocksteady Crew'. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
- ^George, Cassidy (26 November 2018). 'Exploring the birth of the b-boy in 70s New York'. i-D. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ^Rock, Doc. 'The Dead Rock Stars Club'. Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
Sources[edit]
- The Freshest Kids: A History of the B-Boy (DVD), Image Entertainment, 2002.
- Hip-Hop (Korean Comic) (Manhwa), IQ Jump Comics, 1998-2004.
Rock Steady Crew Beat Street
External links[edit]
The New York City Breakers were founded by Michael Holman in 1981 when he recruited dancers from various B-boy teams to join the crew.Hoping to manage the Rock Steady Crew, Holman needed to find another dance group for them to compete against for a Hip Hop night. Rock Steady Crew member Crazy Legs suggested inviting the Floor Masters.Much to everyone’s surprise, the Floor Masters outshined the Rock Steady Crew during the battle, and Holman was extremely impressed. It was then he decided to form his own dance crew that would specialize in power and speed. He recruited the best dancers in New York to join the squad and eventually became the manager and agent for the New York City Breakers.
Rock Steady Crew Members Beat Street
The original leader Chino “Action” Lopez cut members of the Floor Masters who didn’t have enough skill and also searched for new talent.The new members included Noel “Kid Nice” Mangual (known for his unique head glides), Matthew “Glide Master” Caban (fist glide extraordinaire), Tony “Powerful Pexster” Lopez (known for his power moves), Ray “Lil Lep” Ramos (head spin expert), Bobby “Flip Rock” Potts (known for flips and footwork), Tony “Mr. Wave” Draughon (body contortionist) and Corey “Icey Ice” Montalvo (known for his trademark air moves).
Within days of forming the NYCB, Michael Holman booked the group on the nationally aired Merv Griffin Show and more opportunities quickly arose for the crew. They also made appearances on Soul Train, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Good Morning America, NBC’s Salute to the Olympics and battled the Rock Steady Crew in the movie Beat Street. The group went on to appear in Gladys Knight and the Pips’ music video for “Save the Overtime for Me” in 1983, and Michael Holman’s TV show dedicated to Hip Hop music entitled Graffiti Rock.
The New York City Breakers reached the height of their popularity when they were invited by Frank Sinatra to perform at Ronald Reagan’s Inaugural Gala in 1984. 10-year-old “Lil’ Alex” who was taught to B-Boy by Matthew “Glide Master” Caban also performed at the presidential event and wowed TV audiences with his phenomenal dance skills. This event marked the first time a Hip Hop group or artist performed for a sitting president and is also considered a landmark for the acceptance of Hip Hop culture in America.
Rock Steady Crew Kuriaki
That same year, the New York City Breakers also became the first B-boys to release an instructional video and album (Break-Master) which went gold and broke down steps on how to hold a competition. They also had the opportunity to help spread Hip Hop internationally by performing for England’s Prince Andrew and the King and Queen of Norway and performed with artists like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, the Cold Crush Brothers, Dr. Dre, KRS-One, Doug E. Fresh and MC Shan.Unfortunately,the group received devastating news that Matthew Caban (Glide Master) died in a motorcycle accident during the height of their career.