Hip Hop is built off of 4 dynamic subcultures that each serve as a platform to express, represent, and compete artistically among communities all around the world. One of them being Bboying, arguably one of the purest forms, where dancing is the focus. Ever since Bboying began, it has evolved into a diverse platform where an individual dancer can learn the moves and mold it into their own by adding their personal touch to it.
One of the most dedicated, profound Bboy crews in Portland is New Birth. I met these guys in high school and noticed right away that they had something amazing to offer to the community. And sure enough, a few years later, I see all over Facebook and social media that they not only perform, but host annual competitions and members also give back to lower income communities by teaching the art of bboying. One of the main forces of this crew is the one and only Kevin Le AKA Bboy Merk. I remember seeing him dance for the first time along with his crewmates Tombo Tran, and was held speechless. Each one of their members display incredible talent, hard work and dedication, and have inspired me a great deal to keep dancing. And although I could go on and write a novel on how much they’ve moved me in the past few years, I thought it would be better to go on ahead and interview the man himself. So here is a quick interview I had with him online this past week
"Tell me about the come up, how did you start Bboying and what made you want to pursue it to such an extent?"
“I started breaking because I saw my older brother Michael do it. At the time, he was in middle school and he had a crew. It seemed like such an awesome thing as a child, I fell in love with it as soon as I heard someone cheer me on. I knew this is what I wanted to do when I realized I could live with constant progression and inspiration.”
"I am aware you are teaching classes to youth, but can you summarize what exactly you are doing with the community in Portland with your dancing?"
“I want to teach authentic Bboying to the PDX community, especially in the less fortunate neighborhoods. Why? I was one of them. I want them to feel the liberation of the culture that is made perfectly for them. Its been difficult for me to teach in contemporary studios because Its a counter-contemporary style, so I've been doing my own thing at Morpheus Youth Project. it's a dream of mine not only to make the Portland scene bigger, but also to have it continue for generations to come.”
"What would you say is the most rewarding thing about being a Bboy?
“Many things about Bboying are rewarding to me. Dance is the love for music, so music is the light that leads our movement. Creating is also another aspect of it that I hold dearly; taking from the material you've learned and shaping it into your own. Respect from your peers is something that helps you strive. When I go to different scenes, they appreciate your style because it's different. Last but not least, the responsibility a Bboy has.. To me a Bboy has to be open to teach and spread knowledge to the youth. The Bboy is a Hip Hop scholar that is supposed to uphold the values of the community and other people. We must become representatives of the art in a respectable manner.”
"There are many negative connotations with hip hop (drugs, sexism, violence). Can you highlight the positive things that come out of hip hop that you’ve seen personally?"
"Hip Hop is very real. And like anything else, there are negative sides and positive sides. Breaking is indeed very hyper masculine. But when you think of its origins in the streets of Bronx, NY, you will understand that this dance came from the streets. What a lot of people don't understand is that hip hop was the escape from the streets. Now, it gets very deep. There might be MC's rapping about sex, violence, drugs, etc., but our reality involves sex, violence, drugs. They are the news reporters of our culture. Being vocal about hardships in the world, or even negative things is a positive expression. The stigmatization of Hip Hop in White America is very prevalent. I've experienced profiling throughout my life because I walk a certain way, dress a certain way and look a certain way. The government can't control Hip Hop, which is why it frightens them. If we take a look at Asian and European countries, they love Hip Hop. Their government endorses events as well as workshops, so the community can learn. Why don't we have that here? Simply put, hip hop including DJing, MCing, Bboying and Graffiti was a reaction of our government not supporting our people. Poor, disenfranchised, people of color aren't the priority in American culture, but everyone is a priority in our world of Hip Hop. I just want more people to understand the positive ramifications it has and will have on the world."
I will admit, I am one of Merk's biggest fans out there along with many others in our community. He's got a big heart and big moves. Here is the Facebook page and video of the Morpheus Project that he touched on. Please check him out!
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