Eddie, born Edwin Berrios, said Mr. Colon was a natural for a medium that prized quick wits. “There is the freedom of playing what you want without the restrictions of commercial radio,” Mr. Berrios said. “You can be yourself and take it back to a time when it was innocent and you just rocked out.”

Four days a week, Mr. Colon wedges himself between counter and stove to play music with his computer, a mixer and two digitally manipulated turntables. Mr. Melendez plops himself in front of the camera and holds court as the in-house jester.

Though the mood is improvisational, guests have learned to come prepared.

“I select guests who can take a joke,” Mr. Colon said. “When Big Daddy Kane was on the show, it was a good vibe. He started rocking the mic, and D-Stroy was goofing off. Now, Big Daddy Kane is this smooth character, but he was a good sport about what D-Stroy was doing.”

A quick new infomercial of sorts from Sedgwick & Cedar on the impact of the Roxy and its co-founder Kool Lady Blue.

More in-depth and previous coverage by the BBC here:

Don’t miss the pic of Crazy Legs meeting Queen Elizabeth, who was said to “love” the Rock Steady Crew:

Link

Crazy Legs mentioned his participation in this film during the Panel Discussion on Latinos in Hip-Hop back in Feb. It’s funny ’cause when he first walked on stage his Red Bull cap was standing out to me. Later on in the night he revealed them (Red Bull Media House) to be a sponsor of the project. The film tells the story of Breakdance Project Uganda, which aims to help the youth of that war torn region to overcome hardships through a focus on hip-hop and dance. It follows Abramz, the founder, and Crazy Legs as they travel and participate in workshops. Narrated by Common and features interviews with Mos Def, Will-I-Am, and K’Naan. Directed by Nabil Elderkin. Full synopsis after the jump.

FILM SYNOPSIS

Uganda has been called one of the worst places on earth to be a child. In the South, children face the threat of poverty and disease. In the North, these threats are enflamed by a brutal, mindless war inflicted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (L.R.A.) that has divided families, displaced millions, and led to the abduction and mutilation of tens of thousands of children resulting in the deterioration of identity and culture.

Bouncing Cats is the inspiring story of one man’s attempt to create a better life for the children of
Uganda using the unlikely tool of hip-hop with a focus on b-boy culture and breakdance. In 2006, Abraham “Abramz” Tekya, a Ugandan b-boy and A.I.D.S. orphan created Breakdance Project Uganda (B.P.U.). The dream was to establish a free workshop that would empower, rehabilitate and heal the community by teaching youth about b-boy culture. Based in Kampala, Uganda, B.P.U. has recently expanded to include permanent classes in Gulu, Northern Uganda. Abramz teaches classes three times a week to more than 300 kids from all parts of the country. Many of the children are homeless, victims of war and poverty, and few can afford proper schooling yet they walk from miles away to attend the B.P.U. classes. As Abramz says, “This is where many people’s pride is. It’s a skill that no one can take away from us.”

Crazy Legs, one of the founding members of the seminal Rock Steady Crew visited Uganda after receiving an invitation from Abramz to teach b-boy classes. What he discovered upon his arrival was both heartbreaking and inspiring. Traveling throughout Uganda, from the southern slums to the war-torn North, Crazy Legs encountered a passion for hip-hop and desire to learn amongst the most squalid conditions.

Bouncing Cats follows Abramz, Crazy Legs, and Breakdance Project Uganda on a journey to use hip-hop culture for positive social change. The film features narration by Common and interviews with Mos Def, Will-I-Am, and K’Naan.

via sc73

Went down at the Lecture on Urban Latino Hip-Hop in NYC tonight. Here are a few snapshots of the legendary panel consisting of Joe Conzo, Crazy Legs and Popmaster Fabel. And these are just the people on stage! Audience members included Afrika Bambaataa, Grand Wizard Theodore, G-Bo The Pro, Tony Tone, Ernie Paniccioli and more. Great night.

On Stage w/ Crazy legs last weekend in Newark.

Rocksteady Crew 32nd Anniversary is taking place from July 22nd – July 26th.

Wild Style Special 1: Kool Moe Dee
Wild Style Special 2: Crazy Legs
Wild Style Special 3: Fab 5 Freddy

Kool Moe Dee: Every three and six years there is a transition within hiphop. I know I get a little over-analytical with it. And scientifical. And mathematical. Let me explain. The very first paradime shift happened in 1982, with Planet Rock and The Message. This means that everything before Planet Rock and The Message feels totally different than anything you ever heard, up untill them. I’ve noticed that this occurs very systematically within hiphop. Every three years there is a small paradime shift, every six or seven years a huge paradime shift. So in 1982, hiphop was going in a different way than in the three years before. Planet Rock and The Message were the first things that sounded different from Sugar Hill Gang. In the next couple of years, you see LL Cool J and Run DMC appearing on the scene. They were influenced by Planet Rock and Grandmaster Flash. So in 1985 the second paradime shift happens. Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh step on the scene with The Show and La Di Da Di. This is were two important elements became huge for hiphop: beatboxing and storytelling. That made me write a couple of storysongs, see what I mean? In 1988 I would say the whole Public Enemy movement, plus the birth of gangsterrap with N.W.A. Then you see 1991, which completely killed everything that happened before that: Naughty by Nature and Das EFX. They completely changed the way everyone was rhyming back then. Three years later in 1994, you know this one right? Biggie, Snoop, Pac, Nas, the whole lot of ‘em. “Muthafucking right/ My pocket’s looking kinda tight!”. Laid back storytelling, it was amazing. Then in 1997, you get Diddy. He slows the gangsterinfluences down with glitters and partyhiphop. Then in 2000 there’s Eminem and Nelly, artist like that. Dirty South gets bigger and bigger. The year 2003 belongs to 50. Ain’t no arguing with that. He completely shifts it back to gangster, maffia shit. In the following period of time you see artist like Kanye becoming huge. The next paradime shift happens in 2006, the Dirty South takes over. Artists like T.I. bring hiphop to unkown levels. He alone completely changed the way hiphop was going after the 2003-2006 paradime.

Crazy Legs: I created The Windmill accidentally. I was practicing to go from a Backspin into a Chair Freeze, but I overrotated, so I went into a Backspin again. I created another move accidentally, the 1990. But I didn’t even call it the 1990. People started to call it that, because Ken Swift did a similar move in 1990. I called it the Handspin, because you spin on one hand on the ground. I also evolved the Backspin, also by mistake, haha! I was trying to go into a Chair Freeze while in a small hallway. While spinning, I didn’t want to get hurt, so I kinda jumped up with my hand. That’s how I evolved the Backspin.

Fab 5 Freddy: One time me and Charlie [Ahearn] were at this party in the Bronx. There used to be a drug that guys would smoke back then, called Angel Dust. So at this party, there was this BIG black guy, right? You could tell he was superhigh, just walking around looking fucking mean, man. Everyone at the party would get out of his way. There was a lot of tough guys at the party, but if you’d see this dude right here, nobody was touching him. Charlie and I would see this guy, and I would be like ‘oh shit, I hope he don’t come this way’. But jolly ol’ Charlie was out here taking pictures, you know, being the happy white guy. ‘HI! What’s going on? I’m Charlie!’. I was standing next to him, just fucking scared of this big black dude, man. Next thing I know, I suddenly see that big dude from across the club looking at Charlie. I started fearing for everyting I had and had ever known. This guy started walking, walked all the way right up to Charlie. I was standing there going ‘oh fuck this is it, this guy is the fucking monster that’s going to eat us’. So the guy is standing in front of Charlie, looking at him, and I don’t have any idea of what the fuck is about to happen. All of a sudden, Charlie looks at me and says ‘HEY FRED!’ ‘HEY FRED! I THINK THIS GUY WANTS ME TO TAKE HIS PICTURE!’ Then the big dude just walked off! I nearly pissed myself right there. It was like a fucking movie!

Charity event with music by Tony Touch, Bobbito, Rich Medina and Little Louie Vega. Price of admission is at least one can of food so don’t be cheap!

Hey Everybody! This is the BIG one. Crazy Legs from the legendary Rock Steady Crew & I are celebrating our birthday’s @ Mannahatta. It would be a food drive for a charity in the Bronx. The admission to get in is a can of food. We have the incredible line up for DJs. Little Louie Vega, Rich Medina, Bobbito & Tony Touch!!! You can’t beat that with a baseball bat! This will be a MONUMENTAL EVENT. I hope you can make it and be a part of history.