B-Boys Film Analysis

Afrika Bambaataa, Fab 5 Freddy, Frosty Freeze, Kool Herc, and numerous other relevant hip-hop connoisseurs explore the culture of hip-hop, specifically by breaking down how B-Boys and B-Girls pioneered and shaped the hip-hop culture known today. While this documentary, interview-styled film had limited information to share about other aspects of hip-hop, it gave a wide variety of facts and details of B-Boying, or ‘break-dancing’, which is considered to be one of the key elements. Overall, this film did not incorporate an encompassing description of the four main elements that created ‘hip-hop’ (DJ-ing, MC-ing, graffiti, and B-Boying), but it did create a solid foundation of understanding for one of the four as well as provide relevant insight
Because this movie focused mostly on b-boying, it had a lot of strengths relevant to this element. It thoroughly discussed the difference between b-boying not being just a trend as some people considered it, but as a legitimate art form. True b-boys took it as more than a hobby or ‘just dancing’; it took charisma, finesse, and a habitual lifestyle. The film said, these dancers “eat, piss, shit, drink, and think B-Boy”; it was a creative intelligence form within hip-hop that sparked an international phenomenon and multi-billion dollar
Specifically, ‘characters’ or people of importance were mentioned throughout the documentary and within other assigned materials. For instance, groups such as The Cold Crush Brothers, Fab 5 Freddy, Melle Mel, Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Herc, and several others were either interviewed or mentioned as a significant founding father in the growing culture of hip-hop. Fab 5 Freddy helped to direct the movie Wild Style, which was a previously assigned film to watch. During The Freshest Kids, Fab 5 Freddy discussed the relevance of b-boying to Wild Style, and the other elements of hip-hop (and how Wild Style is such an excellent portrayal). Our readings gave depth of history on Afrika, The Cold Crush Brothers, and several other groups. However, several other groups or individuals were mentioned that were not previously learned about (i.e. Crazy Commanders, Spy, Crazy Legs, Lil Crazy Legs, Rock Steady, Frosty Freeze, The Unique Dominoes, and MC Serch). I think these artists could have been more widely recognized within our assigned reading material, and that The Freshest Kids could have expanded on every important figure that they