Anna+Kenyon's+Script

Anna’s Script 5/22/11

Violence, poverty, and drugs characterized life in the Bronx in the 1970s. The Break dancing movement that busted out in the 80s came as a possible solution to these social problems. Minorities facing poverty, more specifically African Americans and Hispanics, largely populated the Bronx. The Bronx was one of the most densely populated poor African American communities in America, and this is one of the major reasons the movement broke out here. In fact, the White population of the Bronx dropped from 1,080,859 in the 1970s to 554,046 in the 1980s. Meanwhile, the non-white population rose from 390,842 in the 70s to 614,926 in the 80s. This sharp decline in the white population and solid increase in the non-white population is quite representative of the socio-economic situation in the Bronx. The White community was abandoning the ever decreasing conditions in the Bronx while the non-white community was being forced to settle for the area because of the low housing costs due to poor conditions. (**http://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?action=interpret&contentSet=IAC-Documents&docType=IAC&infoPage=infoMarkPage&type=retrieve&searchType=BasicSearchForm&tabID=T003&docId=A194195361&prodId=IPS&source=gale&version=1.0&userGroupName=mlin_s_thayacad&finalAuth=true**) Because the people of the Bronx did not have much to be proud of at home, they carried their status with them. Whether their pride came from gang membership or wearing their “bling,” the way that people carried themselves on the streets was the way that wanted to be perceived by the community. This lifestyle provided the perfect starting point for the break dancing movement. When leaders of the movement like Afrika Bambaataa switched from representing themselves through gang violence to new status symbols like the size of their boom box, a culture began to emerge. (**Mr. Donnelly)** Was it possible that this movement would get the black youth off the streets and into the recording studio? For a period of time, that goal looked promising. "As early as 1969, [Bambaataa] saw the possibilities for acrobatic dancing to provide healthy competition among street gangs. He called for a 'break' in the usual street warfare and suggested the gangs fight with steps rather than with weapons." **(Black Dance in America****pg. 188)** This thinking was truly representative of the hip hop movement itself. The movement—of which break dancing, rap, DJing, and graffiti are all facets—was refined and impacted by a few founding fathers, most notably DJs Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Kool Herc, DJ Kool Dee, and DJ Flash. Bambaataa seemed to define the movement most. Ian Pye named him “a cornerstone of black street culture” in his **1983 book,** **//Melody Maker//**. //"//Bam” as Bambaataa was often referred to, also started Zulu Nation. Zulu Nation was a movement which called for the completion Bambaataa’s goals and was inspired by Bam’s large knowledge and study of African American culture. Bam, having come from one of the most powerful gangs in NYC—the Black Spades—and later ended up a founding father of the very movement that sought to end gang warfare, was not only inspiring but it empowered the youth and others to feel confident enough to join his cause. Rather than fighting via violence, the hip hop movement battled in other forms. **(** [|**http://www.zulunation.com/afrika.html**] **)** DJs set up stands on opposite sides of a park, blaring their beats in the hopes of attracting the biggest crowd; break dancers battled through their moves, ending in a position that showed their disdain for the opposing group; rappers battled with the mic, free styling and coming up with on-the-spot insults aimed at their opponent; and finally, graffiti artists battled by their art, using tags to claim their work and represent themselves. Bambaataa’s voice constantly reminded the critics of the movement that it’s goal was to take vulnerable inner-city youths away from violence and gang membership. **( [|**http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Afrika_Bambaataa.aspx**] )** Gary Jardim wrote in **//Village Voice//** in 1984, that Bambaataa was a “peacemaker, guidance counselor, spiritual advisor, and purveyor of the music in an adolescent, violenceridden, and educationally-deprived context,” he claimed that “Bam is hiphop’s great facilitator.” And indeed he was. Without Bambaataa’s positive influence on the Bronx, the movement would never have erupted with such popularity and success the way it did. But Bambaataa was not the only major contributor. Like all mass movements, hip hop, and break dancing in particular rose out of the influence of many important contributors.