I Met My Kryptonite in Tokyo...

  The day I've been looking forward to for weeeeeks and weeks...the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble finally touched down in Tokyo. I mentioned them in an earlier post, with the clip of them featured on Mr. Jools Holland show on the BBC, something I've also wanted to see since the day I met them. This time it's their first pit stop ever in Asia. After having performed at the Asagiri Music Festival, a small music fest within the views of the iconic Mount Fuji, the brothers were invited to perform an impromptu secret gig for North Face at their boutique in the trendy Harajuku in celebration of a month-long exhibition of photos by female street photographers Miyuki Pai Hirai and Yuri Shibuya (more info here).

 

The boutique actually wasn't so big, the staff had cleared all their merchandise to make room for the throng of crowd that would later have the place filled to the brim. Knowing that in advance, having witnessed many of their packed performances in London, I made the most of the opportunity to have a sneak peek of the photos on display.

Black and white pictures are always effective in freezing its subjects in time, but I think in particular the monochrome quality seem to emphasize the isolation from the reality that is encompassed within urban American street life...never changing, always the same. Which I think why they are so befitting for a photo exhibition filled with urban imagery, as the G-Star clad Hypnotic brothers resembled physical embodiment of the exhibition theme with their South Side Chicago charm.

 

 I'm almost always pleasantly surprised at how much interest that the Brothers attract. A crowd was slowly developing as they did the sound check, impatiently waiting like a child on Christmas Day after staring at the same present for the past month.

 

 

 Although the event was kinda promoted as a 'secret gig', it was no secret amongst the loyal fans who already knew of the Hypnotic brothers ever since they released their first ever vinyl in Japan a few years back, hence the huge line outside the boutique.

So as always, the gig goes down a storm. It's a joy being in the know of much the new crowd will repsond every single time, because even if you've heard them on wax, it's never the same as seeing them live. And boy, do they deliver when they go live: the energy, the adrenaline, the Chit-town swagger...I don't do any drugs, but I'm never bored from getting a kick out of seeing them live on stage.

 

 

Roco having a Pop-Idol moment there with the Hypnotic geeks, who were going around with their vinyls to have them signed by each member of the band. 

 

And as usual, the crowd was totally blown away, paying the Hypnotic Bros more attention than the photo exhibits themselves. Then again, can you blame them?

 

Prinz of Korea

Haha...that's Flying Buddah, repping Top 9 of Russia. After what seemed like a blur that was R-16, everbody upped sticks and left, onto their next leg, many of whom are heading straight to the UK for the Bboy Champs, or getting ready for Battle of the Year in Germany..

Me...well, since my flight was the next morning, I had no plans. Luckily the prospect of roaming around Seoul aimlessly til dawn was saved by the news that Circle Prinz was taking place the same night, hosted by none other than Jaz Ivy, who also presented R-16. So after a few hours of chilling out, we headed to the venue in Ivy's car.

 I'd heard that Incheon was unique in South Korea in terms of being a completely new city, though I didn't realise just how much until we drove Seoul.  It kinda reminded me of Taiwan, with the irregularities of old and new, with the foggy smog hovering over it. I guess staying in Tokyo for the past six months can really distort your expectation of other east asian cities.

 Ivy kindly provided real-time commentary as he drove Jort and I through the streets of Seoul, having lived in the states before settling in South Korea for the last seven years. Famed for its art courses, he told us the district where the Circle Prinz was taking place is called Hongdae, short for Hongik Daehakgyo. Not surprisingly, over the years this area has become synonymous with everything associated with the art crowd: cool boutiques, flea markets, clubs and cozy restaurants. Walking through the place, its kitsch charms resembles Shibuya x Shimokitazawa in Tokyo,  downtown Soho in New York, or the popular Brick Lane in East London. It is also an area that was instrumental in the development of the bboy scene in South Korea, being the place where the studio of Rivers crew, of which he is the sole MC, is based, amongst other practise studios of other crews.

 

 Jaz's CD on sale at one of the boutiques...top left...

 Being famished, we went to some local diner to get some food. Most of the eateries provide a small pen on the tables, and let you tag on their walls. This is Jort doing his thang thang.

Bless his cotton socks. Jaz went through every single dish, describing what they are, before pointing at a miniscule section consisting of only two dishes that didn't contain any meat, which was to be his vegetarian option.

 

Turned out I wasn't the only South Korea virgin. Jort, who represents the Funky Dope Maneouvres crew in Holland, was also here for the first time ever. So over the food Ivy pretty much updated us on life in Korea, music and blaxpoitation movies amongst other soulful topics...

  Finally, we are here. Ivy kinda went through a bit of panic mode earlier on when we got to the venue at 3pm and there were no one here, thinking maybe it was at a different venue and then checking the other possible places where it could be, which was made even more complicated by the fact that he did not have a mobile phone. But after some wandering around, we bumped into some of the poppers from the day before, who actually told us it was at the right place, except it was too early. Duh!

 I'm not sure why, but Seoul has an electricity about it, almost like NYC in the sense that it's such a highly strung city, you feel it without even having to know the people or the culture. Circle Prinz was like its microcosm, with adrenaline pumping through the various cyphers going on as soon as you enter the venue.

 With 86 pairs to whittle down to one, it was to be a long ass night.  Six whole hours, to be exact. Usually, you'd get bored half way through, y'know, maybe some crews were weaker than others. But no. It was a constant stream of talent one after the other, a mini-colloseum, battle of the fittest, and I do mean the fittest. Korean bboys are known to be high quality, having reigned various international competitions for a good few years. Their energy as carnivorous as their national diet of meat and spicy food. In a small venue like this, all the emotions are magnified 20 times: the hunger, the pain, the sweat, the strive. Many of those competing actually belong to the same crews, namely Gamblerz, T.I.P, Rivers and Last for One.

 

 I have to give it up to the judges Wicket, YNot and Katsu, three of the best bboys around repping the three top crews: Renegade Rockers, Rock Steady and All Areas Crew respectively. These guys sat through the marathon session after coming from R-16, with barely even a break long enough to go to the toilet before being summoned back into the hot seats tentatively. Things got really tough in the rounds where it was a tight round, and they had to make a snap decision to choose one, even if both pairs were equally good. Who said judging was a glamorous job?

 

 This was my highlight of the evening, besides the bboying. Between some of stages during the competition, there were performances by special guests. These guys are called BStar, a Korean flatland crew. Having lived near and walked past Playstation (now X-Box) many times since college (that's high school to you Yanks), a skate board park under a motorway near Ladbroke Grove, I've seen flatlanding but not like this. I spotted these guys practising outside of the venue, not knowing they were actually performing for the event. They were so dope, executing really difficult impressive tricks in such a small space.

 It was a face off between Hong 10 and Differ of Seven Commandos crew, against Blanka and Tino Rock of Floor Gangz. Seven Commandos won, although I think Floor Ganz would've had a chance if they weren't so tired, considering how hard they battled all the way through.

So that concludes my first South Korea trip. Definitely not your average, but eye opening in unconventional ways. Ivy keeps a really neat blog to do with everything hip hop in Korea if you're interested, also check out both Ivy and Jort's pages Myspace.

The isolation of the hotel kind of gave the whole event a summer camp atmostphere. Incompletion of the city meant that the streets were desertedb by early evening, so boredom quickly set in, as the pristine yet empty buildings were no company for those practising an art synonymous with busy urban surroundings. During the day, all the crews attended events at the venue, at night everyone mingled at the local haunts: judges, bboys, organiseres alike, backing bottles of Korean soju either at Chicken and Beer, or at some random Korean barbeque joint a few minutes further up the road. As one member of a team rambled in his inebriated state, there were 'no people, no dogs, no cats, no rubbish...this place is so empty!'

First up on the battle list was the crew performance battle. The crews had been practising the night before in the conference rooms arranged by the organisers back at the hotel, which had sort of turned into a bboy conference centre due to all those participating in the whole event staying there. The picture above is of Top 9 from Russia, who had impressive choreography that really stood out from the rest. They were my firm favourites, though All Area from Japan took the crown in the end by a slim margin.

The crew battle was equally exciting, though my view was a bit obstructed being on the side of the stage the whole time. Once again, it was down to Top 9 and All Areas in the finals, though the US Renegades crew battled fiercely in the semi finals against Top 9. Both finalist were equally strong, it was a very tough decision for the judges but All Areas once again took the battle crown.

Scenes from the stage after the the battles...

Word spread of an 'afterparty' in the evening in the park after the event, which was really just 3 vinyl floors set up in the park opposite the hotel, with the music provided by one of the bboys and his compact speakers. So after celebrations, everybody headed there to cypher. It was very interesting to see these guys in their skewered state, trying to do the same moves after maybe 2 bottles of soju or 5 bottles of beer, most of all the 'no arms' cypher, where they tried to cypher with their arms tucked into their shirts. Definitely entertaining.

I only just discovered how to edit pictures on Photobucket, so I give you this with some Nineties flavour...

Last day of the event was the popping two on two battle, concluded by a special concert with Rakaa from Dilated Peoples...

 ...DMC champion P-Trix...

... Korean hip hop act Drunken Tiger, who had the most screams from the crowd.

R-16 Incheon, South Korea (Part 2)

The venue of R-16 was inside a park where the Incheon Global Fair and Festival was taking place, which included many different types of exhibits showcasing world cultures as well as creative and technological wonders. These are just some of the stuff on display in open air.

 

The first day was a bit slow to start with, there was some showcase from each crew for the sponsors of the event from the local council, which lagged on a bit considering most of the crews still had various degrees of jetlag from flying in from as far as Finland and California.  First event on the list was the solo bboy battle.

 

Judges having a moment- Ken Swift, Storm, and Jr Boogaloo

Throughout the whole event, there were some pretty impressive showcases from different parts of the world. First of all was the famous Iguchi family from Osaka, comprising of daddy Iguchi, his three sons, and his amazing nine-year old daughter Moka. She is the one jumping through the loop, who can do windmills. And air-flares. And headspins. Don't believe me? Check out this advert the family made for Nintendo DS. Look out for daddy Iguchi on the far right of the screen too.

 After what seemed like an age of a first day, it was back to the hotel, where some of the crews decided to lay out wherever they can to catch some of that good ol' rest. Bless.

R-16 Incheon, South Korea (Part 1)

At the end of September, I took off for what was my first ever trip to South Korea. For a person whose knowledge of Korea was limited to kimchi, bulgoggi and bibimbap, there were no expectations whatsoever. Considering my main reason being the Incheon R-16 Bboy Competition, an annual event that involves 16 teams from 15 different countries to battle it out for the crown, anything else would be a bonus. If all else disappoints, I'll just eat my way through Korea.

 

Nope, it's not photoshop. Incheon, the city where the competition took place, is very dead.  As an initiative to bring more foreign investment, Songdo, the part of Incheon where we stayed, was completely built up from reclaimed land in order to create a new 'Free Economic Zone'. Due to the recession, the city will not be complete until 2015, 3 years later than the planned finish date. So at this moment the city has not reached it's full capacity. As one of the bboys put it, there are no cats, no dogs, no rubbish. Which in a way is quite nice, almost like Tokyo with no people.

Anywho. Prior to our arrival, they held the preliminary rounds as well as a graffiti competition.

I had the pleasure of meeting a certain Mr. Jay Lewis, an incredible photographer from New York who has some really nice shots of the grafitti competition, you can check it out on his blog.