Legendary b-boy, legendary artist, inspiring people all around the world man It's amazing to have you here after knowing you all these years and finally getting to interview you in this way It's pretty exciting for me. Peace yo, my name is Hyun Yoo AKA b-boy born, call me BoneWarner b-born and I'm originally from Seoul, Korea Okay but i'm living in the georgia city right now okay uh and i'm here in the dc uh and yeah man i'm exciting too you know yes so you um you were you're from korea right and uh you know i know we always we talk a lot about breaking we talk a lot about hip-hop but how did you get your b-boy name uh my oh i got the my my name uh actually from uh bang rock from rivers crew shout out to bang rock When I got down to rivers in 2004, actually my first b-boy name was Natural Born Killer. Oh, what?
No, actually, my bad, Natural Born Dancer. Okay. Because from the movie that Natural Born Killer. Oh, okay. I used to watch it with my friend and he gave me the name.
Maybe you should have b-boy name Natural Born Dancer, but it was pretty long. So when I got... down to rivers and the bank rock gave me like maybe you should just have a the new name newborn oh newborn that sounds cool so and then i just call myself born after so it's like evolution okay so how old were you when when you started uh like getting into dancing and when you got that name oh my first i didn't have a like b-boy name at the beginning uh I started breaking in the 99 so I only people call me just a real name that time you know and um starting graffiti first start graffiti in 97 okay yeah just abiding the style that I was really look looking to it like because I saw the album cover back in 97 some Korea um the group for the like you know k-pop Start back then. It's called the H.O.T. They had an album cover, like, with the graffiti. Okay.
First time I saw graffiti, actually. And then I just started buying that same style. You know, just doodling, you know, myself. And then starting tagging by spray cans and bombing my neighborhood, bombing my house.
And then I started listening to hip-hop, like, rap music around that time. One of my friends hooked me up and I got into breaking two years later. So, and then I got, like I said before, I got the name, the Natural Born Dancer is like around 2000, 2001. And how old were you then? Eight, 17, 17 years old, starting Enter Jam, you know. So when did you, how old were you when you started actually dancing?
I used to just love, you know, listen to music, just dance, you know, like watching TV and then just do, try to do the same as the people that I like it, you know, like singers, you know, in Korea back then. So I used to just love just dancing with the friends, you know, when I was in elementary school. But breaking is actually, there was a 99 and I saw the, you know, people breaking on the street that time, like doing a windmill on the concrete, you know, that's kind of like changed my life. So when you saw that, you were like, well, what are they doing?
And it really just inspired you to keep going. Yeah. So let's, let's go back with you, like being a kid. So obviously me doing these podcasts and these segments is to learn about other people's experience in life, like you growing up, you finding a passion, and then you pursuing that passion to the point where it starts to become a job where you actually can earn a living doing it.
And when I think about you, for example, knowing you for as long as I have, I met you because of breaking. And then after that, I saw you. I saw you sort of branch out into other things.
So now you DJ, now you do graffiti, you do, you know, you're a tattoo artist, and you're really just, and you make beats and all kinds of things. So you really like expanded your skills from just being a B-boy to now doing other things as well, which I think is inspiring because it's hard enough to do one thing, but to learn multiple things. multiple art forms and be creative and all and be able to express yourself at not an amateur level because when i watch you paint for example it's not amateur you're good you know so to be able to have multiple skills is this something that comes natural for you as an artist where you um like what do you when you think about art what goes on through your mind how does how does born look at djing and at art and breaking what is that How do you look at art as a whole?
I guess it's all a learning process, you know. You need to practice it, for sure. That's for sure, you know. I respect the people that already have natural talent, something like when you were born or something, but I think you need to practice it, for sure.
That's how you get really understanding and better. So I just practicing you know all the time and this is my learning process. It never stop you know. But yeah art to me is what is art is like I think art is everything what you see you know and you know what I mean like anything that can be the art you know. It's not just about that's the art this is not art you know you can separating i guess so when you have the eye you know and then you can you can definitely do uh whatever you want with the art for sure and and it's all love too so yeah so so in other words you sort of look at it uh as like use your mind and then you just have to apply yourself and work hard and in each in each art form to be able to get pretty good at it right because there's um so you know obviously when we're talking about art when we're talking about creative arts which is you know music djing dancing anything like that it's um yeah you're right sometimes people do have a natural talent for it but also it takes a lot of work if you want to compete with with people at that level you're going to have to work hard right so there's a lot of talented people all around the world i mean So we're nothing special, right?
Because there's people with talents all over, but it's about how much you practice your talent and how you apply yourself, right? You almost in many ways, let me ask you this, because to me, as doing what I do, I almost have to make it my lifestyle. Like I can't go outside of my lifestyle. So for me, you know, the dancing, the fitness, the business stuff, I look at that as a lifestyle. Do you approach what you do as a lifestyle?
Definitely lifestyle for sure. Like it's like when you eat, you know. That's a lifestyle, right? It's the same thing as to me.
Like you're doing something, make your beats, you know. It's kind of like I make, I try to eat, you know. Or try to just, you know, walk on the street, you know.
That's my lifestyle, right? It's the same thing, it's not too different. you know between you know so so it's like you know yeah wake up you know and then you know or do something what i love you know like very natural to me yeah right that's what i mean so it's it's natural for you and that's what you're after yeah and then um money comes money follow you i mean money comes to you like naturally if you really uh good at it or If you feel like you're a professional for what you love, it comes to you naturally, you know? So I don't, I never really follow to the money, but you need the money for sure because that's what we're living in this world, you know?
But I never really follow the money, but what I want to say is that if you really focus and pay attention and patient to what you love, and then everything... it's going to come to you naturally for sure. Right. If you pursue your passion and you pursue your lifestyle. the money will come that's like the last thing that you're thinking about you don't want to get into something with the idea that i want to make a lot of money because what ends up happening is that there could be another person out there who's the lifestyle and they're going to put more effort in than you are if you're just thinking about money you're gonna lose the love right because there's never enough money it is it's and you know like i guess like money is not not yours anyway right i mean yeah when you when you die you know yeah you don't have any you know you're not going to take it yeah you're not going to take anything you know so that's why you know um that's why i'm trying to like you know um telling the people especially like a younger generation that you don't have to worry about job for what you love and i mean it's good to prepare that for the future for sure but um just do like really like serious what you love you know i mean study what you love you know and and i and that's why i'm trying to find out myself also you know it's it's you know it's like like i say it's all learning process so yeah take your time and Just keep doing what you love.
And, you know, I think that's the key for sure. Yeah, that's the key. So for the people who are listening, again, you know, before I met you in person, I already knew who you were.
And you were famous all around the world. I mean, from all the battles that were online at the time, because that era was like a YouTube era. And you started seeing breaking battles online that were more than like 30 seconds. You got to see like... 15-20 minute battles and you could actually watch them so I remember watching a lot of a lot of you and and it seems like you were traveling all around the place to battle tell us a little bit about born the you know when you were battling man because now is the lifestyle right but back then I'm sure you were like I want to I want to beat everybody so it was a different mentality right so tell us about the experience of of born the battler you know traveling all around the world you And how was that like for you?
Yeah, I mean, I still want to, you know, I still want to battle for sure. I think that's the B-boy, you know. But yeah, you're right, though. It's kind of different because, you know, it's like because I do different stuff and I study the other stuff more than breaking now, actually.
But yeah, for sure. Like, like 2000 from maybe like from 2005, it was like. really blow up in the Korea about the breaking scene so many battles with a lot of sponsors and and and start people travel go to Europe yeah and different Asia's and even states you know South America you know I think that's really blessed in my life uh that you can travel to go to different country and different city and then meet up with the local people and they bring like really like amazing spot not like uh tourist tourist area you know what i mean yeah i think that's awesome and and yeah man it's like and also yeah battling uh each other for the checking uh each different styles you know that's why i used to really battling wanted to battle because of the styles you know And yeah, I want, you know, like I still want to battle, you know, for sure. And then, and but like, it was actually also more like represent your crew and your country, you know. You know what I mean?
So, yeah, man, definitely early 2000, start from the early 2000 through 2010, 11. I think that was the golden era. for breaking into korea oh what i guess i guess whole world too though yeah yeah it was right it was pretty big so so how did you uh develop your style because again i'm watching videos and i'm seeing people doing power there was like a big power around the 2000s everybody wanted to like get their power up right but one thing i noticed about you is that you were always throwing footwork and you were always very musical so you're surrounded by people who are doing power you You're surrounded by people that want to do all these tricks, but yet... You do a different form, which is more traditional style. How did you, what inspired you to build up your style in that way while other people were, you know, could influence you? You still decided to do it your own way.
Word up, you know. I mean, it's not only me. Back then, starting like a foundation styles, you know, like original b-boying style.
in Korea back in early 2000. It's not just about me. Actually, my first crew is called NJP crew. That was my first crew.
I'm still representing NJP for sure. Some of them still still dancing and some of them DJ, you know, so we kind of like low-key but still represent. So, um, our crew we we're really we have I mean we also have a power that time too because like you say everyone doing a power that time really like seriously so we had to do the power also for sure but also we are really trying to uh put in energy for like style wise too like you know how to dress uh like new york city b-boys you know because we've we're watching like b-boy summit 95, 96. That time, you know, he was big inspiration.
And our crew leader name is B-Boy Go-Guma. Shout out to B-Boy Go-Guma. And he actually really awesome with the footwork, top rocking, making beats, doing graffiti. He already did like late 90s, early 2000s. So he's older than me though, like five years, you know, so he was like a leader.
So he was like a mentor for the crew? Mentor for the whole crew. So he teaching me, he teaching Redfoot, he teaching Soul Soy from Gamblers because we used the same crew. And other homies for sure. Like he teaching us like foundation footwork, top rocking, passing tapes, watching B-Boy Summit and stuff like that.
Radio Tron for sure, but more like a New York. So we really... looking at like try to study about like a new york style of breaking and then um i really falling into love breaking more than before after i learned foundation because i'm starting listening the music because i start i start with the power move too but it was pretty hard actually i love power still for sure that's that's true art form of breaking but um i'm falling more love breaking because of the foundation of breaking because of the music.
The music. Yeah, I can express like, you know, myself. Yeah, and you can, it also, you can do smaller, smaller hits. Right.
Whereas powers is momentum, it's big. Right, right. Now you can break it up into little pieces and be able to express to the music in real time.
So, you know, you're in Korea, you were born there, your whole family's there, and you are... you know get into hip-hop how was that like for your family is anybody else in your family an artist or a dancer like your parents or anybody like that is into into like arts oh yeah yeah my mother's side was like most most of family of my mother's side is all artists what yeah when i was young i was just watching what they doing you know like piano my sister like cousin she's amazing pianist So she always play crazy freestyle, you know, not like, you know, like a very like, I mean, she was really like almost a jazz pianist for me. Like really awesome.
She's happiest people, you know, and I watch her all the time. My mother's sister, she's a painter. She used to teach me when I was young because she does like group lessons back in the day for kids.
So I learned from her. And also my My grandma, she was another, she also painters too. She did like show back in the day. And also my mother, she's drawing really a lot now.
Back then she wasn't really get into it, but she always loved. So she bring me like gallery show all the time about like a painting and art because of my mother's sister, you know, they close, you know, so. But now I, she, my mother, she also really painting. a lot so she sent me a photo we share the photo and stuff like that you know And also my brother, older brother, he's a painter too.
He's really an inspiration, like big inspiration for me. Not just about art, you know, just about life in general. So yeah, yo, it's like... So you come from a background of artist. Yeah, I got lucky though.
Yeah, I just sing. I just grow up and sing. It must be nice to have that relationship with your mom where you guys can share art with each other.
Like, hey, look at my art. Look at my art. Do you also share your art with her as well? Does she see you? What does she think about what you do, your mom?
As far as like, I mean, you're doing all kinds of things. So what does she think you following is something that she also loves, which is art? Like, you know, she always support me.
I got blessed for that. My father also, my daddy also always support me what I'm doing. what I'm doing and um it's I think that's really blessed bro um and um I've you know uh I'm trying to send her like even like a feed photo that I you know like rocking and some bombing or stuff like that you know I send her a photo and she actually she liked it you know um because you know you it's all recognizing you know what I'm saying it's all art you know what I mean and she loved breaks and funk music you you know wow that's cool yeah she came um some gems before and um she was like she told me she loved music yeah i mean she loves music she loves art her son does all those things and and you know you make music you dance i mean so she must look at you and say in many ways like be really proud of the fact that you're you took your your passions and and you're pursuing them all the way yeah We try to push each other, you know, because, you know, I'm living in here in the States.
She lives in Korea. It's different times and it's far away, actually. That's why I still try to have, you know, energy, share the energy with her, with what I love, you know. Yeah, from a distance. You know what I'm saying?
Yeah, so, and she understands, you know, and, you know, sometimes it's pretty hard, you know. But that's why I love, that's why I appreciate this lifestyle and art form because of even you can share the energy with your family with a positive mind, you know? Yeah, positive message.
Yeah. So one of the cool things is when I think about people in just the world as a whole, right? There's, you know, we have so many things, so many people and yet it's hard to...
for people to turn their their passion into like a career it's like the i think the hardest thing is to turn something that you love into a career right because it's there's it's just especially when you have your own style it's a unique style so to make a living doing a unique style people have to like it right so given that you know you're in your world is all about making sure that you know you like it of course but also to the people like what you're doing because that's how you're they're going to you know hire you out that's how they're going to you know maybe buy some of your art so how do you find the you know the ground in between where yes i'm doing what i love and i'm drawing how i how i draw making beats how i how i draw how do you create your your art knowing that you have to also make sure people like it while also liking it yourself how do you find that middle ground yeah that's that's hard for me still bro i'm i'm I'm really figured out what you're saying now, like between something that what people love, something that what I love, and try to make the balance, you know, I think that's a really professional thing. So for example, like for the tattooing, I love traditional old school, for sure. You know me, like old school traditional, that's my life, you know, I study, you know, and I love for that.
That's why I've fallen into this culture, you know? But some people don't really like old school and traditional, but I understand. So I have to, like, listen to what they're saying, and then I try to put my idea together. Yeah, together.
And then make something, another unique style, you know what I'm saying? So I think that's really professional mind that what you love, you know? But honestly, breaking wise, I'm trying to do just what I love actually.
I don't really care about what people think, but I'm trying to be like, like you say, like trying to be more unique that you've never seen. Or even if it's just little details though, you know. So maybe that's, I think you're different than other people.
Just that little detail, small things, you know. Right. That's what, that's the creative edge. Because. The way you dance is not going to be the way I dance.
Everybody has their own take on it. And as a matter of fact, in breaking and hip-hop, you're rewarded for being original. So you don't want to look like other people when you're dancing.
You want to create your own style. We're not into the same things. And one thing about breaking and being that, like we understand it, is that the more you express yourself through the dance, the more you can learn about yourself and your limits and what you want to do so in many ways it's rewarded like people reward that and appreciate someone who steps out in front of people and can express themselves how they want even if the other people might not like it it doesn't really matter because this is how I feel this is how I show you my art and breaking in many ways when you are dancing you're creating a painting for the people there and you're doing it on the spot to the music on the spot there is no let me go back and edit it it's live it's is right there in your face and you're basically doing the most honest form of expression dancing and expressing and true yep yeah definitely you know like yeah exactly like it's all true art form and and i don't really care what the other people think but I'm trying to share my energy with other people, you know?
So it's kind of like, you know? It's kind of hard to explain. But like, for example, like cyphers, I don't just do just myself, you know? I'm trying to do bringing my energy into the cypher. And then some other people can take the next.
And the other guy can take another energy. So it keeps going and going. So... Yeah, but it's not about like, oh, what are you guys thinking that what I'm doing, you know? I'm not, I never really think that way, you know?
I'm trying to do my thing, but take that energy. Yeah. Or I'm taking energy from other dudes that have really nice dope rounds or style. And then you jump in right after.
Yeah, jump in, yeah. It's like a talking. Yeah, it's amazing, right? It's like a secret language of, and people, it's hard to even explain.
Yeah. There's so much energy in the cypher. And especially if you have a group of people who are really cypher, like, you know, battle cypher people, you can feel it, man. Yep. That's why I love this culture, yo.
The breaking is Rengiji, you know what I mean? That's why I'm trying to, you know, when I'm teaching people, I'm trying to tell the people that, like, share energy, you know? because that's what I learned you know so uh so I want two people more to share the more like a soul's uh spirit wise you know uh because you know it's almost like a like a meditation thing right yeah for sure yeah when you especially when you're practicing you you know it's like it's not like like not for fame I mean for me now you know not for anything It's for my soul and, you know, it's my, you know, for my mind, body, soul. So it makes you happy. It's what keeps you.
It's just I know what you mean. It's and it's hard to find that those things, you know, so some you're lucky to have just found it. Right.
Some people don't have that. Like, you know, it's in many ways. It's it's not only is it hard to find, but it's also hard to keep.
Because so much stuff happens in life, man. People grow up. You got to pay the bills. You know, you got to work.
You got to do other things. And so it's hard to keep doing your art. True.
If you're not earning and if you're not making a living from it, it's very hard to keep up. True. Because you got to do other things, right?
Yeah. So for you right now, I mean, every time I talk to you, it seems like you're doing something new. And when I see you, I mean, you're traveling. You're doing something new. You're living the life that a lot of people would love to live, man, to be in many ways free to express yourself in multiple ways.
I mean, you're down here right now. you're going to teach a workshop in like an hour and then you're going to dj but at the same time you started out as a b-boy so you see that how diverse you know how much you you've grown over the years through hip-hop culture and you're a perfect example of what the you know the benefits of being in the culture because it allows you to open your mind so that you can do a lot of different things and believe in yourself to go out there and pursue your dreams so What other things are you doing now? So obviously you break, you DJ.
What else do you do? What's a day-to-day for Born? When you wake up, what is your day like?
Yeah, wake up, drinking coffee, and try to cook as much as I can. Especially nowadays, I get better with a little bit of cooking and stuff like that. I love food. try to make something born the chef man that's next you never know bro no that's what i'm saying so so you do that and then uh go ahead keep going yeah and then you know like uh try to uh organizing my vinyl i don't really have but i'm trying to like digging really i've been digging um like i think in 10 years and now uh starting travel with the b-boy i can also go to different record store trying to go Japan record shop or, you know, USA, Michigan or Detroit, you know, that's kind of like lucky too.
I can check the different record shop, you know. So I'm trying to, you know, organizing my records and, you know, like try to listen, just a nice vinyl, put it on the turntable, you know, drinking coffee or whatever. And then...
So that's what you do in the morning. You drink some coffee. and check out your vinyl.
Yeah, not too crazy, but just to put in music and boom, play button, you know. And then doodling all the time. That's my practicing for like a drawing and stuff, you know.
Just a drawing. And then doing classes sometimes, like a Zoom class, whatever. Because nowadays, like, I'm still teaching like online and stuff. Yeah.
Because of the other guys from other country, you know, Europe and Asia. It's time different though. I usually do it on noon, 1pm, you know, stuff like that.
And then dog walking. I got the dog, you know, and then a little chilling outside quick, you know, and then go to painting sometime, you know, because I have, I'm living in Jersey City. There's so many good spots. Low-key or, you know, whatever. legal wise whatever like it's awesome place there so painting sometime and i go to the work sometime to um doing a tattoo that's my really like business right now nowadays and um yeah back to her home you know having dinner with my wife you know and um kicking it watching tv sometime or do some editing my videos and stuff like that you know yeah so computer work so it's a lot i mean if you think about it from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep you're just living you just live your lifestyle man so you're doing so many different things to fill in that time but little by little though not like too crazy you know yeah just you know have a balance each other's you know because yeah like you say i'm like i got like so many different things i do actually but it's actually you I'm trying to put it all together as one.
But that's kind of hard. That's kind of like my goal now. But I'm a B-boy. Once a B-boy, always a B-boy. So I'm trying to put my B-boy mind to anything that I do.
So for somebody like yourself who started dancing in Korea and you got into hip-hop a long time ago, and now you're in the States. To go from being in Korea to being in New York, how was that experience of you coming here? Because obviously, when you were there, you mentioned you were watching New York breakers and you're seeing the culture from New York City.
And then to actually be there, what was that feeling like for you to say, man, I'm in New York City right now? What did that do for you? How did you feel? Yeah, it was awesome, for sure. first time in New York City.
I came for the showcase for UN. Okay. And you know, which is amazing for me, you know, like It's like for peace, you know, for every different country, you know. So, and then at the same time, it's New York City, you know. It's like I've never been in New York City that time.
And it was super hype, you know, exciting with the crew, rivers, you know. And yeah, it was just amazing, you know. Still, I got that feeling when I go to New York City because I live in Jersey City now. But it's close, you know, 10 minutes away. Jersey to New York City, but still like amazing when I get into New York City is like wow a lot of people You know buildings and flows, you know, and and I remember I went to on 7 James studio 2008 there was my first time New York City trip and Phenomenon by me and then Kenny was there.
Um, I think some other guys was there. I don't really remember but You know, actually I go with there like with the Dooza and Toxic. Okay. We travel together. They came from VA, Virginia, and then meet up at the New York City and then we go together.
Even Monica too. Oh, wow. Yeah, we just go to the 7 Jam studio, just chilling, just watching what they're doing. So now you're there with Ken Swift. So that must have been a cool experience because you know who Ken Swift is.
And the people listening, if you don't know who Ken Swift is, you might want to go on Google and look him up. Yeah, Kenny was like, you know, like still, you know, nowadays, like he's a big, big inspiration for me and also for worldwide, you know, for sure. And still he get down really with the dope style, you know. But, you know, anyway, yeah, it's amazing.
I'm living in the States. I can meet the people that I was look up to when I was young. Yeah.
As a friend, level wise, you know, it's really awesome. I never really thought that way. Yeah, because you look up them and you're like, well, this is cancer.
Idols, you know. But to get to know them on a more personal level. Yeah, that's why, you know, and I can learn something different way also.
Yeah. So, you know, shout out to all the originals and OGs. in the United States. Not just OG, but especially, you know what I mean? Right.
Yeah. And shout out to, you know, the teachers as well, you know what I mean? Like, I want to say everybody's name, but it's too many.
so, and it's a lot, you know? So, now that, you know, we're, it's 2021, we're still in a pandemic, right? It's been tough for people, especially like in our world, because we sort of depend on group.
everything we do is group social like we're going to an event right now and it's group so it was tough for everybody to sort of find their way how did you manage to keep going during the pandemic when we couldn't go out when we were sort of you know tied in yeah there was a hard time bro honestly like last year right like um no jams you know like uh no parties you know no classes nothing you know so now but it's getting better yeah so i can see yeah slowly better i think from early this year you know but east coast wise i think this is time that especially new york city is getting really better now you know you can go to yeah it was really bad for a long time there yeah you can open restaurant and shops and tattoo shop you can open and and um Small jam start little by little I just throw some event months ago in the Bronx. That was awesome It was outside jam, you know And not a lot of people coming but still people show what is support, you know, right? That was really like appreciate for people who can throw in the show love and respect and and I saw the West Coast and Midwest Midwest and they starting to get back up get back up and stuff you know but i think still in korea right now it's still bad you know still you can't really meet up people i think um still like closed down a lot of you know a lot of place yeah you know so but right now usa is getting better so i think better yeah follow the you know i hope so i mean it's it's been a long time now right and it's hard because like we had to adjust I mean, we were doing those online battles and we were trying to just do anything we could to keep going and to have something to do, right?
Because you're at home. I mean, there's only so much you can do before you... you know you just gotta add things and get creative actually i got better djing djing skill because of the online thing from the pandemic honestly oh okay yeah i mean we did oh yeah that was awesome man like every like thursday was friday friday yeah friday you know yeah we kept up we kept up for a minute and you know still now i i feel like i'll end up doing it again but for me too that was a really good experience because it i mean it got me to do this what we're doing right now i got inspired by interviewing people to the point where i was like why don't i just start my own podcast where i can do this do that all the time like why don't i don't need to throw an event to interview people true i remember it's not about just the battle actually you try to having people like can talk each other yeah that was really cool for keys also you know for everybody yeah and i want to learn right so like asking some of the judges that would come on asking them questions about their life yeah like questions that most people won't ask so yes i know we all are part of a community and we're part of a culture and we all are artists and we do what we do but i also think there's the human side i want to learn more about like what do you do you know on your day when you're not in hip-hop for a minute because i'm sure they're you know obviously in during the day you are also doing just normal things it's not always art true Yeah, right? Yeah, but I mean, yeah, it's not about like just the culture, right? But yeah, man, like, yeah, just being a human wise, you know, you know, trying to be, you know, like a good human much as I can also, you know, try to learn different stuff too, you know?
Yeah, I think that's really important, you know, then. dope artist you know what i mean like being a good human first but i think that's not an easy tool you need to practicing for that also you gotta practice yeah i mean i mean not practicing but like really like maintaining for yeah you know being a good person i mean as you as you grow up you sort of learn a thing or two so you know like for example for me i realized that there's certain foods that i just can't eat but i didn't know that back in the days it's now i know that there's certain foods i can't eat there's certain things i can't do that are just not good for my body so you learn as you go life is going to teach you and it's kind of um it is hard you do have to practice right and you got to work at it yeah gotta know who you are you know that's why i think we living in this world i guess and um it's not just i guess it's not Maybe there is no answer also, but either way, you just got to keep asking yourself. I think talking to yourself, I think that's important, you know, and share the good energy to the other. Yeah, so like self-knowledge, really. Like Bruce Lee always talked about that, like self, you know, learning who you are, right?
Because it's hard to express yourself if you don't know who you are. Yeah, right. Right?
Yeah, true. Like, I think that's, you know. that's the key for happiness, I guess. Finding yourself and then, like you say, express yourself and then other people see that and then bring that inspiration to other people and then another inspiration. Keep it going.
Yeah, it's like a chain reaction. So you want to inspire people. Like you inspired me. For example, when you came down, I think it was like maybe five years ago. or six years ago, something like that.
And that was when you were first just starting to paint. Oh, yeah. Like you got really into it. Yeah. And I remember that you came down and I saw you painting.
And what ended up happening was that you left some of the paint, some leftovers, and then I had them on my house. And then one day I just kept staring at them. And I'm like, you know what, I'm going to grab one. So I started grabbing the cans and I started just.
playing around with them next thing you know i mean i was painting like every single day so i got inspired by you so you're right you know that energy i remember you yeah and then it's crazy because your energy traveled so you got it you gave it to me and then now i'm doing summer camp and there's like 20 kids and i'm painting for them and i'm showing i'm teaching them like hey this is the camp because obviously i didn't know what i was doing but you learn a thing or two the more you do it And I was able to, your energy traveled all the way there. Now there's a group of kids who wouldn't have even thought of it if it wasn't for you painting when me seeing it. Man, I mean, it's funny how things are. Yeah, that's awesome.
Like, you know, but like, I think also like, you know, it's like if you don't like it and how you how you do it, you know? Yeah, I think that's first thing you need to understand. You know what I'm saying?
Like, I think you pick up the cans because you love it. You know, you like that. Yeah, I like, yeah, so the way they look, the way they sound, and then the way they feel in your hand, and, you know, it's just, it felt good.
It felt right. It felt right. Plus, they're expensive, man.
You got to use them up. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, soft flies and, you know.
Yeah. So that's why one thing I love, I mean, thanks to the, thanks for this culture, like, breaking, you don't need to have money for style. I mean, start. Yeah. You know, maybe you need to get a, like, a, you know, radio or for the music and stuff, but you can just get down, you know what I mean?
If you find some good spot, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. But graffiti, like, you need a can, caps, wall, and painting, another paint, you know, like, rollers, and even DJ, you need, like, equipment. Yeah, you need equipment. Right.
And MC, like, you need a microphone, and actually, like, maybe, like, you know, like. pen and papers or whatever and studio and that's expensive you know but anyway yeah like breaking is like you need to use the whole your body also like yeah it's not equipment you know it's all you gotta take care of it yeah so yeah that's why it's kind of different yeah you're right other thing too but yeah you don't need you don't need any equipment yeah it definitely is was really fun for me because one of the things i realized that when you're when you're painting you sort of forget about everything else you get into it and then you just forget what's going on you just kind of get lost for a little bit it's kind of nice to separate yourself and be in a different world for a little bit yeah i mean yeah it's it's it's all one like whole the one culture you know what i'm saying like you know i think that's another human being too like doing something on the walls yeah Putting your mark, you know, your names, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, it's a part of human thing, I guess.
Like, very natural stuff, you know what I mean? So, yeah, yo, like, yeah, even dancing, you know. So, what do you, nowadays, you know, obviously, like, breaking is all around the world. I mean, everywhere you, if you go anywhere around the world, there's going to be B-girls and B-boys. I mean, I doubt there's ever, there's a country or a place where there isn't.
it's impossible almost you know it's it's gone all around the world and so and then we're also now going into the olympics and it's becoming like this huge this huge thing it's going from the culture which will always be there but now there's also in a way another layer to it which is like the sports culture what how do you feel about the you know the the raw break life to now having an athletic and sports and entertainment side to it on that level where where it's considered a sport how do how do you feel about that yeah i think that's awesome yo you know but i don't actually i don't really know exactly what's going on you know what i mean like i because i do different yeah i gotta leave you know what i'm saying i gotta pay a land so sometime i'm kind of like not super into breaking scene right now be honestly but uh what i'm seeing now is definitely like changing season or something like or already changed i don't know but but we didn't i mean like olympic like you said like olympics and um you know like uh tv shows like um you know what i mean like uh but i'm sure maybe it is already back then too you know yeah like olympics stuff like you know i think 80 around time yeah i mean people people talked about it and and for a long time right but now it's actually happening so it sort of changes the whole thing i mean yeah so you're you're right it is changing um but i'm sure it's coming coming you know it's gonna be spinning you know yeah and you know things that's the way it goes right like you were saying in korea at one point you guys were like celebrities over there yeah on tv shows and everything yep So you've already kind of seen that happen over there. Yeah. Is it still like that now in Korea? I'm not sure right now because I haven't been in Korea like for nine years now. So I'm not exactly knowing.
But you keep in contact with your crew? Of course. Yeah, every day.
I'm sure they're doing a lot of stuff over there. Yeah, but not like 2005, 10, you know, not like that anymore, I guess. Yeah. Because, you know.
I think a lot of sponsors kind of step back, though. But, you know, still there's a lot of dancers. They can live with what they love, like, as a dancer, as a b-boy.
They can do it over there. Yeah, like, keep living with it, you know what I mean? But, yeah, I think there's more jobs, too, I guess. Different thing with the breaking or dance, you know?
And I'm sure the sponsors, they'll come back. Oh, yeah, true. Once the Olympics happen, they're going to come back.
Yeah, more schools, I guess, like. you know more dance school or more school in public school i guess yeah and and um tv shows you know still going on and i think the street dancing culture is super popping now in korea oh okay yeah like freestyle dance because of the tv show it's like yeah it's like a competition style oh why you know okay like like we had it here i think was uh like america's best dance something like that yeah true So it's very popular now. So it gets, I think, help with the other styles too, I guess.
So I think which is awesome, you know. Yeah. I think that's what's... So here in the United States, right, we've had shows. We've had, you know, big battles.
We've had a lot of things. And this is like the Hollywood, you know, Hollywood is here and everything. But yet we have yet to see a... break breaking battles on tv that's what's going to happen next i think i think in the next few years you're going to start to see breaking on tv like battles and it might not be the way we want it to be where it's like oh just a battle it's going to be very much like a sport but that's the next the next phase and and what and the people doing it you know are going to basically become celebrities in a way because they're going to be on tv similar to like boxing for example i was just at a boxing event last night and they televise it and it doesn't take anything away from the boxers it just means more people get to see it so i think that's the next phase for breaking man you're going to see like these you know top level people for entertainment competing maybe for money maybe for fame or you know maybe just to just to compete against other people yeah i'm just you know that's awesome brother you know for real but one thing i kind of like uh not to worry but you know what i mean like if you take the like super higher level in the in the in the world like taking really right correctly and then spread it out or whatever like yeah i i think one i think that's really important for me like yeah whatever um b-boy I mean yeah you just gotta bring it whole together you know what I mean like hip hop culture because breaking coming from hip hop culture right it's not like individual thing so if you wanna like having this culture like to the next level like Olympics and TV show or whatever anything you just gotta make sure bring whole hip hop culture correctly I think that's yeah so it's what i you know yeah so it goes together not just breaking isolated yeah but correct correct like you know hip-hop culture go together and then show to people why not it's awesome yeah i think it's possible i think that if uh if done right i think it's possible for people to do that and you can have a a sporting event but have a dj that is well known in the community and as a part of the culture yeah and a dope mc yeah If you can keep it like that, then you can hit everything and still educate people on the culture.
And that's how it is. That's how we come from. And I just want to keep it the right way. Yeah. Like, you know, really original looking.
Yeah. Yeah. And I think that definitely will be something to look at. And also at the same time, I believe that it's also the best way to show it. in the most entertainment in a way because if you have just two people battling and you have some music.
Like empty spot. Yeah it's not gonna look you're not even the people watching it at home are going to be like what is this you know. Maybe some people like that way too but okay so my first like uh I mean not the first I remember like a 99 hip-hop festival in the Korea back in 99. Uh I wasn't there because I just started that year so I didn't know.
happening that time but I'm watching videotape because they made a videotape after the festival okay what I remember was it's not just about b-boy there was a b-boying battle you know but they call it hip-hop festival oh I saw this for the b-boy battle like five on five like country versus country I've never seen so it was USA all-stars in Canada Japan I think France I guess Anyway, like it was like a worldwide battle. Oh, wow. Okay, but I'll remember host was really cool He was he he I forgot his name, but he from also state, you know, and DJ was on point too and and Background was a graffiti on the stage. Like it was just super cool, you know, yeah, so I'm not only remember about the b-boying but I remember like whole vibe.
Yeah the vibe. I think that's what they made a big event in Korea first time I guess. Yeah that vibe has to be there right and that's the energy that you're talking about earlier.
Right you can't just you got to keep the energy there. Art form together. Yeah I mean it's gonna be exciting to see what happens in the next few years.
I do think there's a lot of like you said the things that you don't you know people don't know about. But I For the kids, for the younger generation, I feel like it's going to be really good for them as long as they have the right mentors and people behind them who understand the culture. And, you know, they don't, you know, don't go to like a gymnastics coach to learn how to flip, but you have a group of people who are also keeping the culture education side of it so that the kids learning are not just looking at breaking as only a sport. but they're also able to bring the culture because it really comes down to them. Imagine if you're watching it on TV and the people competing are amazing breakers, but they don't know anything about the culture.
They're the ones who are going to get the interviews. They're the ones that are going to get the commercials. So if they don't have that education and a mentorship, how can they then go out and talk about it? So I think it really starts with the people teaching them. on what it is, right?
And preparing them. Yeah, for sure. Right.
So now, you know, obviously, like we're going to this event and, you know, teaching wise, man, what do you try to teach the students when you talk, when we talk about breaking specially, right? Because that's something that, you know, you've been doing for a long time. What is the message that you are when you have a group of people and you see them, they all want to learn from you. They all know who you are.
What are, what is the... the feeling you get and the message that you want to share with people aside just from just breaking because you're using breaking almost as like a tool to share your message of culture and who you are so what are some of the messages that you try to bring across when you're teaching finding yourself express yourself but with the foundations and then into fundamental So foundation to the fundamental is like for me it's like foundation is just um from original like original moves like chair freeze like six steps or five step I think that foundation and then to the fundamental is like your own foundation. Yeah. So that's why I'm trying to really uh for myself also like I'm trying to study like that way more uh after like 20 years for breaking you know i'm thinking that way for my own foundation i'm fundamental that's not that's my goal too but it's not easy for sure because you gotta understand yeah exactly like what foundation and then so i think you gotta just back and forth that's what i try to teach but it's one hour right so it's one hour it's hard to do both yeah at the same time but i think the foundation end of day is the music so I think I'm trying to like understanding like how to count you know simple things you know and um how to how to do the two steps or you know yeah with the basic yeah funky funk music and stuff like that you know so that's what i'm trying to teaching nowadays i mean try to teach like keys or adult or you know i don't care like what age you know so about foundation to me so yeah and so like um you know it's good because you're you're looking at it as you learn the basics and then you can develop your own your own way yeah but i learned yeah i learned from like you know from the from the guy i learned i mean that's what i that's how i got my styles and from the other um teachers you know what i'm saying so i'm just teaching what i learned you know actually you know and put it in my own mind too but mostly what i learned and what i really study for nowadays and i try to teaching yeah yeah so your experience and like what you learned you just pass it on yeah pass on that knowledge right yeah you like what I really thinking nowadays and stuff so so let's go back a little bit to when you were younger and you know in many ways as as you you know you're growing up oftentimes what happens is your family will say let go of the dancing and get a real job right but it was always in me that I never I just didn't like anything else I felt like this was what I was supposed to do so in your case Did you ever get anything like that as when you were younger or your parents said why don't you get a job and start doing You know like normal things and not not art.
I got lucky yo, I mean we I mean our families We not we not we are not leech fam family Honestly, but they never say to me that like go to get a different job and stuff like that You know what I mean? But honestly like I dropped high school because of the i want to practice it more that time oh wow okay simple yeah i want to do more break you know that time for sure like like 24 hours i want to of course i sleep but you know i want to practicing at the night time through morning and then sleep a little bit and then daytime we do it again yeah and then just keep going and you're so tired yeah at the school you know so you were training hard basically yeah hard and then i started making money yeah it was I didn't really try to follow the money but I was really putting in my time for breaking and then job coming. You were just prepared you were ready for whatever came and you just yeah you were training yeah you're ready for any time and and anywhere yeah you know if you know what I mean like you're actually I was kind of ready like when I was 18 years old and then I started making a little bit of money you know not so much but Got job, you know, showcase like TV shows and sometimes battle, winning the battle, you know, solo battles and stuff like that.
And then, yeah. So parents never say like, oh, go get a job. Try to make a little more for, you know, mom and father too. After though, you know.
So, yeah, he's blessed. So all that work you were putting in many ways was attracting the money, was attracting the jobs. Because you're focusing on what you're doing. Because I didn't want to do other work. That's why I want to break in.
You just want to break. Yeah, but I need money for sure, too, because I can keep going, you know? So, yeah, yo. So that decision to basically do this as a profession, was that decision something that naturally happened for you?
Or did you make a decision and say, you know what, I'm going to... do this for the rest of my life i'm going to make a living i'm going to make it a career how did you make the decision and was that decision a natural one for you oh actually yeah i mean drop high school and then i don't want to uh ask my parents that need money you know what i mean yeah because i feel already guilty and sorry for the parents because i'm not i'm dropped high school you know yeah you had to tell them it's not good you know so but you Yeah, so I had to make my living myself like after that situation. So, yeah, I didn't really be like, oh, you know, I need I need I need that.
You know, I'm just really like going in more. Yeah. Breaking.
Like I say, 20, like 365. I mean, 365 and 24 hours, like seven days. I just just want to break breaking. So, um. And then it comes natural, I guess. I mean, when you put that much energy into something, it's hard to even explain because you basically are living it all the time.
And that's all you think about. when you wake up you're you're thinking you're excited to go and practice again yeah so dreaming yeah exactly so and and that's what it takes you know oftentimes you hear people doing amazing things and they talk about uh them being so in that element you have to like be super focused in many ways you can't even think about anything else because if the the energy you put into something and the focus you put into it these things start to happen yep yep yep but if you're not ready yeah he's yeah i yeah i think so too and then with the good friend and good you know crew you know good energy have together you know same level and then um yeah do what you love and and yeah the energy is there for sure so so it seems like you just kind of grew into it you you know started and then you focus you said i'm not going to continue with school because i want to focus on breaking all the time and then through that focus it basically attracted jobs which led to you making a little bit of money where you could now help your your family a little bit more and then it also took you all around the world yeah that's pretty cool man if you think about it yeah like in the lifetime like uh you 2005 like around till 10 you know what i mean that was like best time in my life for sure yeah travel around war battling people and then people knew who you were and yeah yeah had a studio yeah you know rivers crew studio open it up like having party and event like small jams like and then go to big jams after you know like it's it's pretty that's really pretty yeah so that was like great memories you know what i mean so i can keep um doing what i love you know even if i do different stuff you know i got the same energy mine as a b-boy and then i can just do whatever i you know i need to do or i want to do it you know right so that so that energy from from being a b-boy also kind of allows you to get do anything because you have the confidence to say hey you know what i i i have this experience already it's almost like another life in a way where you're traveling you're battling you're meeting people you're connecting with people and you you know you decided that this is what you're going to do and then it led you on where you are today i mean so you've had a lot of success i feel like you know it's hard to become a successful b-boy or b-girl without putting in that work right yeah i mean yeah but um like i say like i haven't i never have like oh I gotta do something. I mean, I mean like something that have you have like, I don't know.
It's hard to explaining though, but I'm just, just like keep going, you know, kept going. Thinking not too much far away. I mean, not thinking too much like, you know, like.
So you're in the moment. Yeah, I just keep, kept it going what I love, you know what I mean? And then.
and it happened just like naturally even like getting into graffiti or it's natural to me because you know like i said i started first started first and when i was young you know and then do it again in new york city and it's like it's very natural to me just like like just just keep it going i feel like i never stopped even if you know i stopped for a while like for graffiti like because of the breaking But it's all connected. Yeah, we're connected. And, you know, it's like, it's not like, like you, you know what I mean?
Like you got the, you grab the spray can after we, you know, kicking it like your yard and stuff like that. But it's not a random thing, actually. You know, it's part of, you know, your life already.
Right, right. You've seen graffiti already, like, you know. Yeah, and it's all, and it's nice to see.
that even though it's like a different element, you're practicing a different element, they have a lot in common. And your style is almost like similar. Yeah, you can figure it out, you know, in your brain, you know.
It's just a different way to like express how you feel, right? Different looking, yeah. Obviously, you're continuing what you're doing, right?
I'm sure you're going to do this for the rest of your life. Yes, yes, for sure. You know, I'm still, you know, processed, right? And I want to get... better yo like anything what i'm doing you know so we keep going definitely and i'm sure um i can get better and better you know it's never gonna stop you know so yeah so what do you want what are some of the things you want to do next in terms of art in terms of teaching what are some of your goals that you have in the future yeah man i want to like try to build like you you know house building a house and making tables and you know very simple carpentry thing and i love craft so you know i just want to learn anything that have something cracked with it you know and and i just want to keep going bro i'm already like doing uh some different thing already so you know i'm just trying to keep going and keep going but like you know i want a more structure you know more yeah structure than before you know and that's an art form too to build structure is is knowing what structure is to you and your lifestyle your personality because your structure might not work for me so you customize everything is customized you know what i mean like your lifestyle is customized you know what to do you know how to how to manage it so it's exciting man and i think you know you should try to get into some carpenting man it's uh it's really fun no doubt teaching me it's another level man it's another level cutting and measuring it but it's it's art in a way that so when i'm of course when i'm building something i get into it man even uh like i'm in here for hours days sometimes building stuff you know drawing it first and then cutting it and then nailing it and putting it all together it's a fun little process to do you know so i think you would like it you already like it man i'm just you know waiting for the time you know yeah putting in energy you know for me i also like the the smell of the wood when you cut it it gives off that smell it smells good man it smells but so man look thank you so much again you know for being on i know we talked about a few different things and we'll do it again this is the first time uh hopefully that i can get you back here soon i mean you're here probably like what once or twice a year maybe yeah um yeah i think yeah but i never yeah i always come here every every year i guess right like yeah i think every year for the most part for the last maybe what eight years you've been here yeah yo Yeah, so we kept up for all this time, you know, and I learned a lot from you, man.
And when I think about people in the breaking world, when everyone says, talks about b-boying, in my mind, there's only a few people that come to my mind. And you're one of those people. Oh, man.
When I think about b-boying in the world, in the world, bro, like around the world, who do I think, you know, is the rawest b-boy? Who do I think? I'm always like, well, I think about you. And I think about you not only because you break. But because of everything else that you do, you're living hip hop.
And to me, that's a huge inspiration, man, for people. Thank you. Everyone, you know, looks up to you. So it's amazing, man, that how far and how much you can inspire people when you put that work that you put in back in the days. Those hours that you put in when you were breaking, like you said, 24 hours a day led you to inspire people all around the world.
But at that time when you were doing it. you weren't thinking about that you were just in the moment doing it because it felt right and you you were able to inspire people so again thanks for being on man and you know we inspire each other all the time so you know i long from your love brother too you know so even these today you know thank you man thanks for helping me all the time yeah thanks man