Shine Magazine Original B-Boy Series: Ken Swift

By Lisa Dumas
Co-Editor

Shine had the chance to sit down with another one of hip-hop's original b-boys, Ken Swift. Check out what he had to say about why he got started, the truth about his relationship with the world-famous Rock Steady Crew, and what he plans to do next.

Shine: How old were you when you started breakin?

Ken Swift: I really started breakin when I was 13. I did it when I was 12 in ’78, and in ’79 was when I really learned about it and became a part of it.

Shine: What attracted you to it most in those days?

Ken Swift: My partner Dante was the first person I ever saw spin and drop to the floor. That had to be ’78. I was embarrassed because I was with him and he just did it. But the thing that intrigued me the most was that he didn’t care what people thought and he just reacted to the music. At that time you wouldn’t see me do something like that. It was the concept of reacting to a song and not caring what people thought. Just feelin' the music and letting go.

Shine: How did you become a member of Rock Steady?

Ken Swift: Well what happened was Frosty Freeze was like the superhero b-boy from my neighborhood, and he ran with my man Sundance, and Fritz. We started hearin’ tapes from the Bronx of live Flash Jams, Grand Master Flash Jams, and I had a little crew already. We were thirsty little dudes comin’ up. Frosty had met Crazy Legs first, then he came around my way and told him about my crew. The memories are very vague cuz’ I was just havin’ fun at the time. We all just got busy. He was just starting RSC and I became vice president and so did Frosty. Even though RSC started in '77, the eighties was when the RSC that most people know about today was built.

Shine: What is your relationship with RSC today?

Ken Swift: When people ask me if I’m down with RSC, I say to them, "I am Rock Steady." To me, if I said to them "Yeah, I'm down with RSC," that sounds like I'm a second-hand wanna be.

A lot of people on the scene and some also in the industry want to know what's goin' on. There were a couple of things that happened with a couple of people in RSC, very importantly, things that had nothing to do with the art of b-boying, etc. If a couple of people have a problem about something, that’s between those people, it has nothing to do with the RSC. As far as the RSC heads reppin' today, I have no problems with any of them. They see me, show me respect and all that, and I show them the same in return.

Somebody started some dumb rumor that I wasn’t in RSC, that’s how the strange question “Are you down with RSC” came about. It's understandable that things happen on the scene, but to this day, nobody has come to my face and told me I’m not down in RSC. I see myself, among others, as a bricklayer of the Rock Steady Crew. My dues have been paid and then some. I don’t feel compelled to run around jams with letters on a shirt that say Rock Steady Crew to get my rock on. Every time I’m in a circle, I hold it down for what RSC truly represents, and I'm not talkin' some business deal or arrangement. I'm talkin hardcore b-boying.

The real heads in the game know the truth. The best way to say it is, I will always be Rock Steady Crew, I rep' the flag for the legacy of RSC. Real b-boys who got this thing flowin' through their hearts. Regardless of what people may think, the 1980’s were the golden years. If you take away the 80’s from the equation, RSC wouldn’t be what it is today.

Shine: Do you think it's important for today's b-boys to know their history when it comes to breakin?

Ken Swift: Absolutely. At some point it should be every b-boy/girl’s responsibility to learn the history so they pass the traditions down. Also, …there have been many mistakes we’ve made in our pasts regarding the dance and its exploitation. Until one understands this, they won't get a good idea of where they can go with it for personal and/or business reasons.

Shine: Some people say that hip-hop, including breakin, has become commercialized. Do you agree?

Ken Swift: It depends on the individual. The elements are always gonna be raw and underground. There are people that feel the energy and understand what the culture is about, and then there are people who exploit it as a business and commercialize it. I used to be real tight about that, but, over time I’ve learned that, for me hip-hop is what it is and business is something different. Everyone has their choice to their direction in this. I practice hip-hop from the heart. I do business and I’m into making money too, but I’m not about compromising my principles.

Shine: What do you think breakin and the b-boy lifestyle have contributed to hip-hop?

Ken Swift: From my perspective we were doin’ these things before it was even called hip-hop. When you look at hip-hop culture, if you take anything away it’s like it’s not complete. Breakin helped launch hip-hop world wide when we traveled because we realized that breakin was the most dynamic visual aspect of hip-hop culture. Dancing—that’s a universal language.

Shine: How does breakin fit into your life today?

Ken Swift: Among many different projects, I'm working with Inferno & Premo Entertainment. My boys Dante & Premo from '78, they own a club in Williamsburg called Brooklyn Sole. My office is above it and I use the club downstairs to train and teach classes. They let me rock a jam once a month there in whatever capacity I choose. It's definitely an underground dance spot for NYC. Heads can rock all night with no problems. The next one will most likely be Feburary 26th.

Shine: What are your plans for the future?

Ken Swift: God willing, just to really continue to enjoy the dance for what it’s truly worth. It’s about the freedom of expression. I have a beautiful gift, and I want to continue to expand on projects around my art. My event, "Raiders of the Lost Art," is a footwork skills competition. I’ve done North California, Miami, Seattle and NYC, and I’m doin’ Boston in April. On top of that, whatever comes my way, I plan to just try to grasp it and make sure I give it the respect it deserves.

For more information on KEN SWIFT visit:

www.breaklife.com

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