Life in pursuit of Education and Breaking

I really appreciate people who not only take part in the hip hop culture but also invest in developing it and nurturing it. Sometimes, all it takes is to say a few words of wisdom. It’s the concept of Each One Teach One but in our computer age present, this One can mean a whole community. I’m in far-away New Zealand at the bottom of the world, but stumbling across an article from BboySpot, a tweet by Cros1 and a Zeshen interview, the answers to my questions were laid bare before me.

As I near the end  of my degree, my parents had constantly hoped I stop dancing and focus on my career. My parents brought up two good points: first, breaking may just be one of those things I’d grow out of eventually, and second, change is always expected at different phases in life. It’s either stop now, or stop eventually.

I found myself somewhat in a state of crisis. One just doesn't give up what they love especially when they've been doing it for a long time. I talked it out with a friend and consulted others, and they were of huge help, but when it came to processing my thoughts, I still found myself slightly confused.

Out of coincidence, I came across an article written by Jonathan Chan for the BboySpot which literally wrote everything I wanted to express. Reading the article not only explained my own bafflement but also enlightened me and gave me some well needed insight. Later on, I was reminded of the Zeshen interview strifetv did somewhat 2 years ago about juggling Break Life with Med School. I joined twitter recently and as though Cros1 knew what I was struggling with, he tweeted a blog about Crazy Leg’s vision for the future of breaking.

Zeshen Interview

“My break life is not gonna be like other people’s break life; I do this and I do this. It helps shape both of those lives, my studies and my dancing. They feed each other” – Zeshen

I found this video really inspiring. Zeshen faces (Asian!) parental expectations while maintaining a successful breaking life. He’s holding himself down in battles and cyphers having his physical form stretched at the same time as obtaining a high degree of education to peak his mental capacity at its end.

For those of us who struggle from parental expectations and trying to find a middle ground, like Zeshen, I think we need to face the fact that our break life can’t be like everyone else’s break life. This is especially true for some of us who have potential in both areas of breaking and education. Throwing one talent away for another would be a horrible waste. We need to find a way to compromise because we can’t close those doors of opportunities – one day we might regret it.

I also dig it when he said that he takes the best out of both worlds. He does only what’s necessary – this means less time getting drunk and using that time to study; less time getting stressed with school and going to jams to vibe out.

What this interview means for me is that I can juggle a career and breaking. I don't have to lose one to pursue the other. And heck, if Zeshen juggles breaking with Med School and even succeeds in it, I'm sure everything else is do-able.

“Everybody else say I can’t do it. Sure you can.” 

Hip Hop and Education by Jonathan Chan at The Bboy Spot.

After reading this article, I finally realised what my biggest problem was. It was the fact I compartmentalised both hip hop and education, and believed I had to give up one to pursue the other. The article said, “both can be utilized to strengthen the drive that one has to accomplish dreams and stable means of living… By integrating the two, one is always learning. As they say “Always student, Never master”.” 

It never occurred to me that hip hop and education worked together. When you’re a part of the hip hop culture, it’s not just something you do a few hours a day – it’s how you live and breathe. It’s a culture. It’s one of those things I take for granted and often forget while being so engrossed with getting my education. 

Here is a very insightful video recorded by Nasty Ray which was also featured in the article.

Towards the end, the article leaves us to think about, “Don’t limit yourself. Having knowledge of the self and the world around you is possible beyond the cypher and the classroom. To summarize what a bboy said once you have to complete the circle in life to find happiness. It’s a flow and a cycle.” 

With both aspects of my life considered as not two separate things but a whole, I realized I needn’t fear that day when I stop “being” hip hop because hip hop and my breaking life will be infused in everything else I do. 

Crazy Legs Rock Steady Crew On The Future Of Breaking by paulskeee

I was pretty lucky to come across this tweet by Cros1 because I’m not very active on social media (except blogging, does that count?). Who better to give advice than an OG who’s been there done that? Watch this clip.

This is truly a wake up call for the young generation to understand the importance of education, and for our young adults to keep pursuing a career. It’s something our elders tell us every day and some don’t realise it until it’s too late. 

Crazy Legs highlights the most important point, in my opinion, when he refers to the different socio-economic status our OGs had as compared to the life most bboys live today. A lot of our young bboys and bgirls today have the opportunity to get educated whereas Crazy Legs got into bboying because it was his only option – his family had no financial stability.

The young guns especially have a lot of potential in terms of breaking and in education, and need to incorporate both as part of their lifestyle. In a sense, I believe this is the same for people my age – just like Zeshen and Jonathan Chan mentioned, these two aspects of life need to come together. As Crazy Legs mentioned, bboying is evolving over time, and away from all that “thuggery”. What we need today are intelligent futures of the art form, people who have education and enjoy their art with sincerity.

We can’t always support ourselves with breaking, but we need to support ourselves so we can break. These articles and videos really helped encourage me to achieve at my fullest potential and love breaking even more.

Thanks to everyone who really do take the time to educate others. I thoroughly needed this kind of encouragement!

Love and Peace x