A documentary made by a British crew in 1983 on Break Dancing and Hip Hop featuring the Rock Steady Crew in New York City. Directed by Anthony Slayter-Ralph.
Hi. I just wanted to say that “Normski” Norman is a friend of mine. It’s a shame he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves as far as influencing today’s hip hop dances.
If you ever see him tell him a student of his in history class from 2011 from California my name is refugio quiroz said what's up and wish him the best
Stormin Norman was the iLLest! He had a lot opportunities as a dancer on different shows. Cats don’t talk about him much because he danced with different crews sometimes as a solo artist. Norm is still a Legend and a pioneer in Hip Hop Dance, and he’s doing well even today. Last I heard he was working in the Public School system. He always was a solid dude. Salute 🫡 to Normski ! BX REPPIN 🙅🏽♂️ 🇵🇷
13 year old me is so excited about this. 50 year old me is smiling in appreciation. I so loved breakin' back then and the Rock Steady Crew was a massive inspiration.
Can you believe this shit was 40 years ago? Unbelievable, I remember it all like it was yesterday. Breakdancing got elements of dance from many world cultures over the last 100 years. But this was where it all came together and hit Main Street and mainstream like the A-bomb 🔥
I was born in 1966 so I remember that era very well,I was a part of the UK Breaking scene from the very early 1980's,those days were the best,I miss those days 🙏🏽☯️🙏🏽
Ole Norman was Super Nice.Him Brotha Frosty and Ken Swift was probably 1 of My many Favorite B-Boy Crews around.I Rocks with Take-1 also.Really The Whole Damn Crew.It's a Beautiful sight to all those Guy's together.
R.I.P. Frosty. Always remembered passing Rock Steady Park on 100 street and Amsterdam and the bad ass burner “ Skys The Limit “. Norm and his brother James lived at Garddard Riverside and only 2 blocks from me. Also went to school with them. 2 of the nicest dudes and transparent. Didn’t matter who you were, they were cool with everyone. Thanks to Norm and The Rock Steady Crew for bringing us the street experience.
In my opinion..Puerto Ricans were the best at breakin and graffiti, im from Ct they used to come up there all the time, the black dudes ran the djin and rappin. This is what brought us together
Hip Hop and hip hop dance was created by the Zulus…and the Zulu’s were nearly 1/2 PR…iykyk. As person of Puerto Rican descent, it’s funny when people diverge PR from “Black”… PR is not a race, it is a culture. ✊🏾🇵🇷
Puerto Ricans didn’t have a damn thing to do with the creation of Breakdancing . Breakdancing started in the early 70s . Puerto Ricans didn’t start breaking until the early 80s a decade later
8:36 Wow that's a super dope rap right there! Bruh was killin it! Who is that?? ....Aw man! I just Shazammed it. That's your boy Spoonie Gee! And the Treacherous Three! How I missed that back then! Well I'm adding it to my old school hip hop playlist now!
Come on. You know he was a victim. What's a 12 year old light skinned kid with curly hair hanging with the grown ass booty bandit Bambaataa? Bam was grooming them kids.
Idk if it's just me but I have a crazy connection to the 80's. I mean I was born in 85 but sometimes when I watch a movie or see something that shows how life was back in the 80's down to the music ,drugs, women, ect.. ect.. I feel like I would have done good for myself in the dope game or something lol but for reals I feel like I might have a past life that lived in the 80's.
What's that kids name with the white hat and black and white stripe shirt, he is phenomenal! I remembered him from flash dance when he did the puppet.. Kid can move and flow like the best of them!
@Obama Bin Laden I used Google maps to view my old hangouts. Most of them are gone and have gates around them now. Riverside park is totally different than 30 years ago.
I guess the great Sammy Davis Jr must have had a Puerto Rican dance coach back in the 50s. This like what he was doing. Have you guysever created anything that’s unmistakably yours. Your whole Puerto Rican culture, anything.
No Sammy David Jr was half PuertoRican and to refer to the comment underneath you with dude sayin Sammy Davis Jr mom is cuban incorrect thats wrong info Sammy Davis mom was a Afro Boricua born in San Juan PuertoRico she was parte and danced for the school of ballet University of Puerto Rico she was not Cuban at all go look at Sammy Davis Junior videos I don't know where you get that one from definitely is misinformation Sammy Davis Junior's mother was straight Puerto Rican and she wasn't even a Puerto Rican born from the United States she was right straight from Puerto Rico
The music is UFO by ESG. I don't know who the rapper is. It was common for rappers to freestyle over instrumental songs and for the B Boys to break to them. Sadly these tapes weren't shared much. They're lost to the ages now.
this rapping stands out from all the rest... against the background of ESG it turned out to be unique. As far as I know Fantastic 5 mc,s are rapping here, but it will probably never be discovered... too bad
Blacks had the rapping and DJing, latinoes had the breaking, both had graffiti, all that sh** made up HipHop!! F*** the separation nonsense going for one man to line his pockets!!
Blacks made hip-hop period. It's all documented for you to look up. The Mills Brothers had the break/ boy moves since the 40s. Nigerians were doing this as well in the 50s. Any other cultures added on to it.
@@KevinLebronDelgado-ij1gh First off, nobody is hating on Puerto Ricans. People were speaking facts on who is responsible for the creation of Hip Hop and the culture. To touch on a stereotype, PRs have never mastered the English language and it shows by many of you guy's not comprehending the historical facts of what's been said. There is a huge difference between creating and innovating. You guys picked up on Breaking because the Blacks were moving on to create other dances and trends. Things have a short shelf life in street culture. Matter of fact, even Breakdancing got played out in 85/86, PRs started Freestyle dancing. After that...? The only reason PRs became the face of Hip Hop dancing is because Whites in the media saw White-looking kids doing something thay knew Blacks did less and less. They felt more comfortable propping you up as opposed to constantly giving coverage to yet another Black face. And just like tehm reporting that Kool Herc started Hip Hop, it's a false narrative that they spin, looking to romanticize something to make the mainstream feel comfortable. Otherwise, if they told the truth about the Black Spades kicking White asses in order to have the freedom necessary to throw a park jam or use the community center, well...it'd make Whites look and feel a certain way, wouldn't it? So, after 80s Breaking for PRs, what else did you have?! Hip Hop went on after 80s breakdance, it wasn't an "element" and neither was graffiti. The only thing other than the music that mattered is just the dancing, period. Hip Hop is dependent on young people's attitudes and self-expression towards the DJ's selection of music/break beats, didn't even need Rappers but MC'ing eventually became the draw that enhanced the experience at the jams, not acrobatic off-beat Breakdancers and neither did the original school of Breakdancers. I'm not saying this to appear crude in any way, believe me...just being factual.
@@thacosmoswahnted3320 Nobody saw any of that footage. There was no cable or internet. Hip Hop comes from New York. 99.99% of Blacks had nothing to do with it.
 if you wasn’t born and raised in the Bronx in the 70s and 80s, then you’re not real hip-hop !!! Puerto Ricans help create hip-hop there’s no way around it! stop hatin!! Rikans🇵🇷 The first Breakers
NUYOKRIKANS 🇵🇷Boricuas been in Newyork just a lil over 100yrs and over 5 Generations and just in NYC 3.2 million not counting other states so anyone else came in the yesterday's they crumb snacthers eating leftover
I’m Jamaican, came to NY the 70s, lived in South Bronx before moving to other parts of the Bronx. Best friend lived in South Bronx. Puerto Ricans were there with Black folks breaking from the early days and most of the parties I went to were Black + Puerto Rican. Not sure what ethnicity Jimmy Dee/Jimmy Lee are - they preceded the Manhattan chapter of the Rock steady crew. My guess is the 2 Jimmys were older by the time Breaking went Global in the early 80s and Rock Steady crew became stars.
@judithlondongal1817 yes that's correct they dont want to give that recognition and acknowledgement to the jamaican Brothers who was the founders of this hip hop game
@@Loco-melaza that and also folks want to erase Puerto Rican contributions to hip hop culture. Those days Black and Puerto Rican were there together from day 1.
Every pr bboy from the 70s are in interviews saying "Blacks" were the first bboys. Kool herc is on video saying hip hop began before his party in 1973 he says it started in 1970. Every element of hip hop comes from Black American culture with no influence from jamaican nor rican culture. Jamaican music pioneers are on video admitting to copying Black American music, singing and rapping. Hip hop is a Black American cultural creation.
@@uptownbladebrown Watch "Interview with Spy (a.k.a. Lein Figueroa)" to find out who the first "b boy" was. Blacks are not responsible for Graffiti/Subway Art or 'Brooklyn Rocking'. The Rap records that were released from 1979-1981 were nothing until white producers started producing music that would make Hip Hop music what it is today. All the clothing that is worn in Hip Hop is Western (puma, nike, adidas, kangol, british walkers, ...) 99.99% of Black Americans had nothing to do with Hip Hop. It comes from New York.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Norman is the best bboy ever
1:54 Norman looking like a graffiti character that came to life!!!! Jumped out of a graffiti throw up!!!!💪💪💪🙏🙏🙏
The same thing came to my mind when i saw it
Word up.
Hi. I just wanted to say that “Normski” Norman is a friend of mine. It’s a shame he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves as far as influencing today’s hip hop dances.
Hi I'm a past student of his at edwards reynolds hs ..anyway that he has social media or somewhere to keep up with Norman
If you ever see him tell him a student of his in history class from 2011 from California my name is refugio quiroz said what's up and wish him the best
@@SOLOBuddah94 I definitely will. Peace
@@jeremyharper4306 thank you brother
Norman is good. Always low-key.
Stormin Norman was the iLLest! He had a lot opportunities as a dancer on different shows. Cats don’t talk about him much because he danced with different crews sometimes as a solo artist. Norm is still a Legend and a pioneer in Hip Hop Dance, and he’s doing well even today. Last I heard he was working in the Public School system. He always was a solid dude. Salute 🫡 to Normski ! BX REPPIN 🙅🏽♂️ 🇵🇷
Born 1968 the 80s was the best era
This is the history that should be taught in schools
Proud to be Boricua 🇵🇷 ❤
13 year old me is so excited about this. 50 year old me is smiling in appreciation. I so loved breakin' back then and the Rock Steady Crew was a massive inspiration.
These were the days.
I fell in love with breaking once I was born in 1985
Can you believe this shit was 40 years ago? Unbelievable, I remember it all like it was yesterday. Breakdancing got elements of dance from many world cultures over the last 100 years. But this was where it all came together and hit Main Street and mainstream like the A-bomb 🔥
Norman is incredible always was still is to date...
Where is he now?
I was born in 1966 so I remember that era very well,I was a part of the UK Breaking scene from the very early 1980's,those days were the best,I miss those days 🙏🏽☯️🙏🏽
Ole Norman was Super Nice.Him Brotha Frosty and Ken Swift was probably 1 of My many Favorite B-Boy Crews around.I Rocks with Take-1 also.Really The Whole Damn Crew.It's a Beautiful sight to all those Guy's together.
Normski is in a class by himself.
Is that Fab Five Freddie @22:24 ?
Also having Normski at the end is just perfect.
R.I.P. Frosty. Always remembered passing Rock Steady Park on 100 street and Amsterdam and the bad ass burner “ Skys The Limit “. Norm and his brother James lived at Garddard Riverside and only 2 blocks from me. Also went to school with them. 2 of the nicest dudes and transparent. Didn’t matter who you were, they were cool with everyone. Thanks to Norm and The Rock Steady Crew for bringing us the street experience.
I'm an old bag now and rediscover the music of my youth...
Normski was a Rock Steady Crew nomand.
"SINER"💖"BLISS. ..Dope ROCK STEADY CREW alway's worth looking back too...2023
the gold old days
They are just INCREDIBLY Talented!!!!!!!!
This music was dope.
the dancing is cool but the fashion damn still look current, flannel ski cap leather coat pumas n adidas
I'm glad to know the history of this dance 😎
This is not the history. This is a decade later . No Ricans at the origins
@@myronsmith2114 It was started by Spy. Watch "Interview with Spy (a.k.a. Lein Figueroa).
Great memories shout out to Break life foundation Bx, Bklyn Nako, Lil Star 🌟 Ken Swift, Glyde, Romeo, Kid Glyde, Gizmo. Alpha Omega Infinity 7Gems.
Good old days
In my opinion..Puerto Ricans were the best at breakin and graffiti, im from Ct they used to come up there all the time, the black dudes ran the djin and rappin. This is what brought us together
Not only they were the best but, they also kept the very traditional way of breaking, meanwhile everyone else went off the rails..
Hip Hop and hip hop dance was created by the Zulus…and the Zulu’s were nearly 1/2 PR…iykyk.
As person of Puerto Rican descent, it’s funny when people diverge PR from “Black”…
PR is not a race, it is a culture.
✊🏾🇵🇷
Puerto Ricans didn’t have a damn thing to do with the creation of Breakdancing . Breakdancing started in the early 70s . Puerto Ricans didn’t start breaking until the early 80s a decade later
@@myronsmith2114yeah but you can’t take away that they were the best breakers at that time
@ No they wasn’t they just got more air time and had the right complexion for Hollywood.Even today they can’t touch the brothers
Impressive stuff word up fresh.... Zulu keep on dancing....hip hopping.
I love these crusty films.
Big RESPECT and ADMIRATION🕺💪👌
4:08 Fantastic 5 mc,s rapping over ESG - UFO
Salute to Dot-A-Rock !
I was wondering who that was. Thank you.
Never saw this one before, NICE!
Normski 🐐
Only 213 views and some thumbs down?? Why? What the fk?
💯 excellent video 🇵🇷🤘🏼🤩
8:36 Wow that's a super dope rap right there! Bruh was killin it! Who is that??
....Aw man! I just Shazammed it. That's your boy Spoonie Gee! And the Treacherous Three! How I missed that back then! Well I'm adding it to my old school hip hop playlist now!
10:46 Bumbaataa looking really predatory at a young Normski….I hope Norm kept his wits about him and dodged Bums slimy mits.
I see what you mean.
@@welfaredad Like he was some Spare ribs with a side of the best mac and cheese ! WTH??
Come on. You know he was a victim. What's a 12 year old light skinned kid with curly hair hanging with the grown ass booty bandit Bambaataa? Bam was grooming them kids.
BEYOND & MORE! LUV DIS!
TH-cam cutting sound out of a historical document is fucking nuts...
Rock steady legends 💯
Idk if it's just me but I have a crazy connection to the 80's. I mean I was born in 85 but sometimes when I watch a movie or see something that shows how life was back in the 80's down to the music ,drugs, women, ect.. ect.. I feel like I would have done good for myself in the dope game or something lol but for reals I feel like I might have a past life that lived in the 80's.
Awesome
Hi Fanta. What are you doing here?😁
What's that kids name with the white hat and black and white stripe shirt, he is phenomenal! I remembered him from flash dance when he did the puppet.. Kid can move and flow like the best of them!
Mr Freeze Rock Steady Crew
I hope bam wasn't playing tricks on normski!!!
That’s what I was thinking 😢
i'll probably post some beegees should be dancing next, but that's history - notin more notin less - just HISTORY X ))
During the documentary, there was a photographer taking pictures in a studio. Where are those photographs now? Would like to see them
4:10 … where he goes IN!
I'm looking for the bully aka the huge beast who wanted problems with Norman tell to pick on someone his own size
Love this comment ..im witchu
@@aarongoni17 let's get it 💪
Is this the best quality copy of this documentary?
YES!!!!
Its a shame they painted over that Sky's The Limit mural. My favorite thing to see in Manhattan.
@Obama Bin Laden When did they do that?
@Obama Bin Laden I used Google maps to view my old hangouts. Most of them are gone and have gates around them now. Riverside park is totally different than 30 years ago.
Did Normski have parents?? Out in the hood at that age wtf!
Was that Bam with Normski
What is the name of that break that Norm is popping too?
👍🏾
I guess the great Sammy Davis Jr must have had a Puerto Rican dance coach back in the 50s. This like what he was doing. Have you guysever created anything that’s unmistakably yours. Your whole Puerto Rican culture, anything.
he actually said his mother was Puerto Rican but it turns out she was Cuban....and she was a dancer as well....as was his African American father.
No Sammy David Jr was half PuertoRican and to refer to the comment underneath you with dude sayin Sammy Davis Jr mom is cuban incorrect thats wrong info Sammy Davis mom was a Afro Boricua born in San Juan PuertoRico she was parte and danced for the school of ballet University of Puerto Rico she was not Cuban at all go look at Sammy Davis Junior videos I don't know where you get that one from definitely is misinformation Sammy Davis Junior's mother was straight Puerto Rican and she wasn't even a Puerto Rican born from the United States she was right straight from Puerto Rico
@@Loco-melaza no disrespect but Wikipedia says otherwise about his mother. If you are right I stand corrected.
Rodneyholland!! What’s your problem with us Puertoricans???
Sammy was a grown adult in the 50s. I have seen video footage(maybe on Video Music Box) of Sammy doing his thing since childhood.
Where can i find this track 4:08
The music is UFO by ESG. I don't know who the rapper is. It was common for rappers to freestyle over instrumental songs and for the B Boys to break to them. Sadly these tapes weren't shared much. They're lost to the ages now.
this rapping stands out from all the rest... against the background of ESG it turned out to be unique. As far as I know Fantastic 5 mc,s are rapping here, but it will probably never be discovered... too bad
Does anyone know the track at 18 :08 please?....Thanks in advance..
It's funky sensation by Gwen McCrae
@@gdupkwin9676 You need to learn your history and stop guessing coz it ain't that...
Ive seen michael jackson do some of normski's moves
The moon walk is not new and popping came from the West Coast not New York
I'd like to know if you got permission to do this documentary?
2J43
Compared to what 10 year old kids breaking can do today the Rock Steady Crew look on parr with the Australian female breakdancer in the Olympics.
Blacks had the rapping and DJing, latinoes had the breaking, both had graffiti, all that sh** made up HipHop!! F*** the separation nonsense going for one man to line his pockets!!
Blacks made hip-hop period. It's all documented for you to look up. The Mills Brothers had the break/ boy moves since the 40s. Nigerians were doing this as well in the 50s. Any other cultures added on to it.
It’s becoming a trend for people to hate on Puertoricans just because we kwon how to take things to a different level.
@@KevinLebronDelgado-ij1gh
First off, nobody is hating on Puerto Ricans.
People were speaking facts on who is responsible for the creation of Hip Hop and the culture.
To touch on a stereotype, PRs have never mastered the English language and it shows by many of you guy's not comprehending the historical facts of what's been said.
There is a huge difference between creating and innovating. You guys picked up on Breaking because the Blacks were moving on to create other dances and trends. Things have a short shelf life in street culture.
Matter of fact, even Breakdancing got played out in 85/86, PRs started Freestyle dancing. After that...?
The only reason PRs became the face of Hip Hop dancing is because Whites in the media saw White-looking kids doing something thay knew Blacks did less and less. They felt more comfortable propping you up as opposed to constantly giving coverage to yet another Black face. And just like tehm reporting that Kool Herc started Hip Hop, it's a false narrative that they spin, looking to romanticize something to make the mainstream feel comfortable. Otherwise, if they told the truth about the Black Spades kicking White asses in order to have the freedom necessary to throw a park jam or use the community center, well...it'd make Whites look and feel a certain way, wouldn't it?
So, after 80s Breaking for PRs, what else did you have?! Hip Hop went on after 80s breakdance, it wasn't an "element" and neither was graffiti. The only thing other than the music that mattered is just the dancing, period. Hip Hop is dependent on young people's attitudes and self-expression towards the DJ's selection of music/break beats, didn't even need Rappers but MC'ing eventually became the draw that enhanced the experience at the jams, not acrobatic off-beat Breakdancers and neither did the original school of Breakdancers.
I'm not saying this to appear crude in any way, believe me...just being factual.
@@thacosmoswahnted3320 Nobody saw any of that footage. There was no cable or internet. Hip Hop comes from New York. 99.99% of Blacks had nothing to do with it.
The Nicholas brothers 1943! Wannabes 👎🏿
Nobody knew who they were. Why the hate?
Does anybody know what the tune is at 4 minutes in please?
UFO by ESG, it is being played at 45 rpm.
 if you wasn’t born and raised in the Bronx in the 70s and 80s, then you’re not
real hip-hop !!!
Puerto Ricans help create hip-hop there’s no way around it!
stop hatin!! Rikans🇵🇷
The first Breakers
NUYOKRIKANS 🇵🇷Boricuas been in Newyork just a lil over 100yrs and over 5 Generations and just in NYC 3.2 million not counting other states so anyone else came in the yesterday's they crumb snacthers eating leftover
I’m Jamaican, came to NY the 70s, lived in South Bronx before moving to other parts of the Bronx. Best friend lived in South Bronx.
Puerto Ricans were there with Black folks breaking from the early days and most of the parties I went to were Black + Puerto Rican. Not sure what ethnicity Jimmy Dee/Jimmy Lee are - they preceded the Manhattan chapter of the Rock steady crew. My guess is the 2 Jimmys were older by the time Breaking went Global in the early 80s and Rock Steady crew became stars.
@judithlondongal1817 yes that's correct they dont want to give that recognition and acknowledgement to the jamaican Brothers who was the founders of this hip hop game
@@Loco-melaza that and also folks want to erase Puerto Rican contributions to hip hop culture. Those days Black and Puerto Rican were there together from day 1.
Every pr bboy from the 70s are in interviews saying "Blacks" were the first bboys. Kool herc is on video saying hip hop began before his party in 1973 he says it started in 1970. Every element of hip hop comes from Black American culture with no influence from jamaican nor rican culture. Jamaican music pioneers are on video admitting to copying Black American music, singing and rapping. Hip hop is a Black American cultural creation.
@@uptownbladebrown Watch "Interview with Spy (a.k.a. Lein Figueroa)" to find out who the first "b boy" was. Blacks are not responsible for Graffiti/Subway Art or 'Brooklyn Rocking'. The Rap records that were released from 1979-1981 were nothing until white producers started producing music that would make Hip Hop music what it is today. All the clothing that is worn in Hip Hop is Western (puma, nike, adidas, kangol, british walkers, ...) 99.99% of Black Americans had nothing to do with Hip Hop. It comes from New York.