Gangsta Walking: Difference between revisions
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==Positives of Gangsta Walking== |
==Positives of Gangsta Walking== |
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Along with being a popular street dance, the Gangsta Walk is often viewed as a form of self expression & relief from the hardships of living within the inner city. Some have even considered Gangsta Walking as being a less extreme kin of [[Krumping]] due to it steering the youth away from street violence & exacting their energy into something positive & constructive. The dance can commonly be found in urban areas of Memphis like [[North Memphis]], [[South Memphis]], [[Orange Mound]], etc. |
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==Types of Gangsta Walk== |
==Types of Gangsta Walk== |
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Revision as of 05:17, 23 May 2007
- For the 2006 single by rapper Coolio, see Gangsta Walk.
Gangsta Walking (often referred to as Buckin, Jookin, or Choppin) is a street dance that originated in Memphis, Tennessee along side "Buck" music during the 1980s, some have speculated that the dance was originally created during the late 1970s. The Gangsta Walk is commonly performed to crunk music due to the particular 'bounce' in the beat & the movement the dancers make to keep with it. Though Gangsta Walking has been around for many years, much of the dance is still exclusive to the city & surrounding areas.
Origin
The origin of the Walk, itself, is a mystery. Most likely, the Gangsta Walk was derived during the days of slavery from traditional African dances that was constantly being altered from generation to generation. During the dawn of Hip hop is when the Walk became popular to the youth. Some state that during the early 1980s, a member of the Memphis based dance & rap group, G-Style (composed of Romeo, Wolf, & Hurricane) went to New York City & saw dance the most practiced dances (e.g. breakdancing, popping, gliding, locking, etc.) & incorporated these styles into the traditional Walk. This, in turn, creating a simular yet distinctly different dance that matched the new wave of rap music emerging out of Memphis during the mid 1980s, down to the bass, snare, & hi-hat. Gangsta Walking has constantly evolved over the years into a much smoother & original verion it is today.
Positives of Gangsta Walking
Along with being a popular street dance, the Gangsta Walk is often viewed as a form of self expression & relief from the hardships of living within the inner city. Some have even considered Gangsta Walking as being a less extreme kin of Krumping due to it steering the youth away from street violence & exacting their energy into something positive & constructive. The dance can commonly be found in urban areas of Memphis like North Memphis, South Memphis, Orange Mound, etc.
Types of Gangsta Walk
There is a variation of styles for the Gangsta Walk:
- One particular style requires the dancer to take (in a jerking motion) quick steps, stomp, twists, & throwing their arms around all while moving to a beat, the best example being Crunchy Black's style, referred to as G-Walking [1]. The style is considered the bases of all Gangsta Walking done in Memphis since the 80s.
- Another style requires 3 or more people hopping around in a circle in a rhythmatic motion, while throwing their hands into the air & yelling "Get Buck" or the lyrics to a Buck song. This style of the Gangsta Walk is more commonly referred to as the G-Train. It is said that this style was banded from the clubs shortly after being created due to the wildness it invoked in performers & as well as onlookers. Reminders of its existence are still left behind in older clubs or closed down night spots around the city.
- The most known style of Gangsta Walking is within the standard crunk atmosphere, involving a crowd of people slamming and pushing off one another on the dance floor.
- The most famous & practiced style of Gangsta Walking around the city takes bits & pieces from other street dance styles like liquid dancing (the wave, tutting, tracing, contours, & hand flowing), the robot, locking, popping, gliding & even breakdancing all merged together with the traditional dance. The most recognizable moves in the dance is the dancer does moves similar to the two-step between making another motion & spinning or walking on the tips of their toes. This style of the Gangsta Walk is mostly done by the younger generation & the generation behind them who grew up shortly after the invention of Buck music, thus titling it Buckin.
Spin-offs
Turfing, an Oakland, California based street dance, has its roots in Gangsta Walking. In the late 80s, native rapper, MC Hammer, toured in Memphis & saw the dance in the crowd while performing. He began performing the Walk & the dance caught on in his come city to create a more rugged, less smoother version of it. Many Turf dancers consider the Gangsta Walk as a recreation or a "knock off" of their own style.
Music videos featuring the Gangsta Walk
- Al Kapone - Buckin' and Jookin' [2]
- G-Style - Gangsta [3]
- Three 6 Mafia feat.Chamillionaire - Dope Boy Fresh[4]
- Three 6 Mafia feat. Bow Wow & Project Pat - Side 2 Side (remix) [5]
- Three 6 Mafia feat. Lil' Flip - Ridin' Spinners [6]
- Da Crunkstaz feat.Al Kapone & La Chat - Reppin' Da M [7]
- Project Pat - Raised in the Projects [8]
- Kingpin Skinny Pimp - Dey Gotta Pay Me [9]
- Kingpin Skinny Pimp feat.Yo Gotti, Kinfolk Kia $hine, & 8-Ball - TV's (24's And Wang) [10]
- Da Volunteers feat.MJG - Favorite Color [11]
- Infintry - It's Official [12]
- Misc. - Memphis Walk [13]