Of course, the Michael Jackson in this video has been gone for a long time, but it's still pretty sad. I didn't realise I'd be effected really, but he was so hugely famous that it feels like an important part of human civilisation has disappeared, as if the Statue of Liberty had fallen down or something. Even though it's remote, and I've never been a huge fan (although I've always liked his earlier music, I guess his image and "Earth Song" both kinda put me off him), I can't help but feel pretty weird about it.
Anyway, today I found an absolutely awesome album. Here's a picture, although the cover of the one I bought is different to this, you get the idea:
I don't know if you can quite read the little yellow strip in the top left corner, but it includes an amazing 80s-tastic poster on how to breakdance (which will be going up on the wall shortly), and an instructional "rap" on how to breakdance, which I haven't yet listened to. It also has a little glossary on the back of breakdance slang, which I will transcribe in full, because Heather is away at the moment and I'm sad and bored and have little else to do:
BITE - verb; to copy, duplicate or reproduce without consent; to steal from others.
Ex: "We were doing those steps way before them. They must have bit our moves.
CHILL - verb; to chill, chillout, chilin', the act of calming down, keeping under control, staying cool.
Ex: "Yo, chill out!" "I'm just chillin'!"
CRITICAL - adjective; describes an action poorly done, a state of poor condition.
Ex: "His graffiti piece was all critical, looked like a chimpanzee did it. He breaks all critical."
DIS - verb; to disrespect another person, to show no respect or regard for another person's feelings or property.
Ex: "When you talked about my girl, you really dissed me man."
DOG - verb; to overuse, abuse, spoil through excess.
Ex: "He dogged his sneakers. They were all critical looking."
FRESH - adjective; the hippest, the newest, the most together and unique. On time, well conceived and executed. Beautiful, aesthetically pleasing.
Ex: "The new Mercedes compact is fresh!" "I want that record with the fresh beats!"
FRONT, FRONTING - verb; to be irresponsible, to not show up, to break a promise.
Ex: "I was supposed to meet her here at 8.00, but it looks like she's fronting on me."
HOMEBOY, HOMEGIRL - pronoun, noun; comrade, companion, guys and girls from the neighbourhood.
Ex: "Yo man, let him in. He's one of my homeboys."
JERK - verb; to cheat, or to fool someone.
Ex: "He told me 50% but I only got 10; I got jerked."
MAX OUT - verb; a friendly term for parting with ease or saying goodbye.
Ex: "OK, I'll see you tomorrow. Yo, max out."
RUN - verb; to repeat in excess, to be redundant, to use over and over.
Ex: "That song was alright until they started running it."
SQUIGGLEY - adjective; nerdy, unhip or unattractive.
Ex: "I don't want to go out with that girl, she's too squiggley."
TRACK - noun; freeze move in which break ends in a bridge with stomach up, supported by hands and feet.
UPROCK - noun; duelling distance between 2 breakdancers, where the dancers mimic fighting an score points by getting non-contact blows or hits in first.
WACK - adjective; describes something poorly done or in bad tate, awkward, clumsy, off beat.
Ex: "That break move was wack!" "He's the wackest D.J. I know"
WORD - noun; an affirmation, a term to acknowledge or support a statement.
Ex: "That girl is fine. Word." "Do you want to be the best? Word, you know it!"
So there you go. I think my favourite might be Homeboy, the example for which sounds like alternative lyrics to "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", and I like the cruelty of the Squiggley example.
It's weird, it also mentions MJ on the back of the album, in a little section on the history of breakdancing:
"At the moment Michael Jackson stepped on stage - dancing his "MOONWALK" on the 25th Anniversary Mowtown Special last year - Breakdancing took a giant step forward in the space of about a year, rock and pop videos, have brought breakdancing to international fame."
Obviously grammar isn't their strong point, but never mind.
Peace out homeboys.
No comments:
Post a Comment