if you havent seen this video yet, its all over facebook and bboy websites alike for the words spoken by havikoro's very own Marlon at 3:01 . If you take what he says about learning from other people and taking chances to learn from other people that you respect to get a view you might not normally get, then dope. this is also kind of cool for the aspect that he says don't be a sellout. but to me this would have been an opportunity to shed some light on his views that he may have shared at his workshop
jollyrancher-While I am a big fan of workshops - the each one teach one mentality and the idea that our community's knowledge is passed on through word of mouth - marlon simply lacks humbleness.
It was completely wrong for marlon to speak out in such a fashion towards a community of bboys he's never seen dance and doesn't know (whom he should see as his peers). His invitation as a judge does not entitle him to be above or below any other bboy in that jam - and to further state that they "lack" technique or swag and that HE has that magic formula is a lack of foresight and a implies a clear discontinuity with what he's saying and what he's really thinking. He says learn "knowledge" but what he's implying is "learn MY knowledge, I know what's best".
He may have "made it" in terms of community recognition but that should never mean that you're an authority on technique and swag. You earned your props with rocksteady crew or whomever you look up to but you (and any bboy for that matter) should enter a new town KNOWING that you need to earn THEIR respect, you don't automatically have it for being a judge. No easy props.
Whether you're crazy legs or ken swift himself, you're constantly being tested - that's the way our lifestyle is. You can't hold up? That's YOUR fault. Our philosophy is one of a dog eat dog world - it was started those that wanted to test each other, and was a very hostile environment. A lot of bboys now give our props without giving a second thought, and idolize bboys without testing them for being able to throw a airchair ninety. Respect is earned after throwing down - you shouldn't shake someone's hand and say you're dope until you've tested them in the cyphers. Being a fanboy shows a lack of integrity for the dance, a lack of history and an inability to think and fend for oneself - which is what marlon was looking for. Fanboys for himself.
The amount of years that marlon put in is obviously respectable but his background should never matter in the knowledge aspect of this dance. If you have something to share, share it. Knowledge is knowledge.
imo, it was Marlon's fault that nobody showed up to his workshop. He's obviously not appealing enough. People don't want to learn from good bboys, they want to learn from great bboys. He should hold it up to himself and say, shit, i'm not as dope as I thought I was. I should reevaluate what i'm doing and how I approach things, not blame the audience.
And i'm not just saying that he isn't great because he can't execute an airflare, nor am I saying that he isn't a good bboy. He is original with a variety of unique approaches to modern day bboy moves/flavor, but he isn't fantastic, and that his fault. I don't doubt his accomplishments but just because someone's got swag and technique and knows foundation doesn't entitle that person to anything. There are a thousand more bboys out there who are underground, more dope, know far more technique, foundation and history than he does. And they teach knowing that their students have no obligation to them.
KAAL respondes
even though i disagree with about everything you just wrote i will only comment (for now) on that "there are more bboys out there who are underground, more dope, know far more technique blah blah"
are those bboys travelling, putting time and energy to give out quality workshops? I dont know if you know but a workshop isnt something you just do and get paid. you think about it, you get urself a plan to work with. HE went to THEIR town and brought a RARE opportunity, they didnt cease it, he said to WAKE UP
and god damn you have no shame. you need to get out of your bubble and THEN listen to what marlon has to say. marlon not humble?... what a joke
(my insight- many of those bboys are traveling, but because they aren't on the main battle ship that everyone else is on, they aren't necessarily known by the mass scene. one of the dopest bboys i know doesn't battle, he travels hours to go to jams just to cypher. aside from all the grammer and spelling issues here, he's missing the whole point of the OP)
Usernamed-
jollyrancher dig a hole and never come out again dude... Seriously?! Marlon was just stating the fact that is destroying bboying nowadays. People lacking the communication and knowledge! Kids nowadays learn moves by watching youtube and don't give enough respect to the culture. Even if he is not teaching you how to do one handed airflare to 90 grabbing feet, he will surely teach you is dance approach, he's experience in battles, the way he learned a move (which can be faster), his style, his passion, and so on!! That you can´t learn by videos fool.
What are great bboys? there is no such thing. B-boying is an art, expression, at the end of the day is all about beeing yourself with your own style and technique. If you can grab the much experience from everybody you will turn that in your favor and build up.
I started by watching videos, in 2001, when there was no youtube. Few videos gave me inspiration, but when i went to a battle and start talking to people it blew my mind! So many simple stuff i didnt know. Even after ten years i always learn from somebody, and they are not BC ONE BBOYS!
People spend money on buying gazelle sneakers, hats and "bboy" clothes. That doesn't make you a bboy. So why dont we help true bboys and receive knowledge instead? Integrity.
(my insight- this guy is stating how youtube has killed the scene but then says how he learned from videos starting in 2001. learning by the web vs learning a video is the same thing. and to me you shouldnt be teaching someone your style, and correct you can't teach inspiration. again nothing has really been offered to this conversation)
yes states-
It's about learning and not learning. It's about preserving hip hop. We as a dance are suppose to support one another. I already have my own style but I would definitely attend workshops to gain knowledge.
jolly rancher
For those of you that think that the main point of my argument was "I LOVE AIRCHAIRS OMG YES BIG MOVES BIG MOVES" then you missed my point completely and you don't deserve to be a part of this discussion. If you think i'm a fan of eboying and against the idea of workshops, then you didn't even bother reading my post and shouldn't comment on this either.
In response, I am not critiquing Marlon as a person or bboy, I am critiquing him on his speech. Everyone knows Marlon and he deserves respect. But lets pretend for a second. If you DIDN'T know Marlon, and he was some random bboy - would you not think that his speech was uncalled for? Rude even? Think before you dickride.
Marlon was INVITED to the jam to judge, and INVITED to teach a workshop. HE should be GLAD that the promoters are taking the time to RECOGNIZE him for doing what he does. THAT is the appreciation that DID occur. He shouldn't EXPECT people to show up because his invitation to teach and to judge is not a RIGHT but a PRIVILEGE. If you don't measure up to the audience's expectations, the fault is with YOU, not with them. If you think that Marlon "traveling around the country to teach and jam and judge" is so hard and difficult - why is that EVERY SINGLE BBOY'S DREAM? Wow, to be invited and flown out to dance and jam (NOT ON YOUR DIME too mind you, but someone else's) and then complain about it? Marlon is living the dream. He's getting paid to TRAVEL AND DANCE. TO DO WHAT HE LOVES. It crashed and burned when his dream met reality. He got mad. He shouldn't have. He should have been humble.
If one really knew swag and flavor and whatever else, they would be able to show it and the jam/workshop participants would have been able to SEE it. They didn't, and that's why they didn't attend. Why would you attend someone who you don't think is dope?
The idea you all are talking about is SHARING knowledge, which I agree with. I DON'T agree with his choice to critique others techniques and style and say he is a an authority figure on knowledge, swag, style, technique, or flavor. Nobody is can ever be that in our dance. Everyone is a student. To say otherwise is a flat out lie.
Everyone dances differently and mistakes are often turned into inspiration. There's no WRONG way to dance, only DIFFERENT ways. Those of you who haven't realized this yet, step your game up. It's 2011.
originalcrew-
every bboy that started in the same year as i did, tought that ken swift was wack. now half of them quit, and the other half worship him.
the problem here, is the ignorance. everybody think they are great. yeah you are. but why wouldn't you be greater. a workshop helps you with that.
Jollyrancher. i am sorry but i disagree allmost completely.
In the TRUE bboyworld. judging is a right! i wouldn't enter a competition, ever, with a guy that has been breaking for like 2,3 years. fuck his moves. he is judgind by mentality. and that mentality educates. get it why nobody went to marlon's workshop?everybody is a judge now. showing in their showcase they know bboy moves, and in their judgind that they know allmost nothing about bboying. they are stuck in moves....they forgot about all things that really matter the most. and kids learn from them...
they get to point were they don't think. "the judge is somebody important i gotta hear.see what he has to say about his history" noooo....they just see moves. and moves can be learned from YOUTUBE.
(my insight- judging is NOT a right. it's like driving- if you suck at it, you aren't allowed to do it. thats why a majority of first year bboys aren't judging, because it isn't a right. also if NO-ONE goes to your workshop, that should say something more about yourself then the scene. My scene is spread out over an hour from each crew, yet PA (PARANOID ANDROID) who was NO-ONE to us, came to NY to do a workshop and based off how he presented himself 50 people wanted to take his workshop. we just knew he was from california and had some dope training concepts, other then that we didnt know anything about him. and he ended up being super influential on our scene and would love to have him back)
to me Jolly rancher hit alot of stuff on the head but i feel everyone was so aggressive towards him because he is well loved by many people (which is totally understandable) but yet no one had anything intelligent to rebuttle his points with.
if you would like to continue following this conversation check it out here
http://www.bboyworld.com/forum/newskool-footage-section/298028-judges-showcase-marlon-nasty-ray-kevo-speech-marlon.html
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