Sports
Breakdance after the Paris Games and the glow that hangs over art
VENICE BEACH, Calif. — “I still consider breaking through as a limit.”
Reggie Noble talks on the roof of a loft gallery on Windward Avenue, across from the centerpiece of the Venice Beach Boardwalk, one in all the most famous boardwalks in Southern California. There are murals on the wall depicting Gang Starr’s 1998 album, and the one actually visible from the street depicts Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson from their cult film set on this very place.
You probably know him as Redman, the rapper who rose to fame as an EPMD acolyte in the early ’90s, grew up as a solo artist, and teamed up with Method Man to form one in all the best duos the game has ever seen. The 4 pillars of hip-hop: breakdancing, graffiti, DJing and MCing are still very near his heart.
He opens the proceedings with a performance at the Red Bull BC One competition, during which the best US breakdance champions are chosen, who will then play in the finals in Brazil in December. Downstairs, b-boys and girls of all types are milling around the gallery, enthusiastic about the afternoon ahead.
“There’s still a strong element of hacking everywhere, especially on the East Coast and overseas, right? And when you have one of the elements of hip-hop that’s been brought to where kids want to do it, it’s just like rap. It’s no different from rap,” he said. “Like everyone else, he wants to be a rapper. There are many people who want to breakdance, who want to dance, who just want to make a living dancing. They don’t care about money. They want to do something that will make them feel good.”
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16 dancers of each sexes participate in the competition called Cypher. This is a single-elimination event and judging is easy. Judges raise their hands a method or the other to vote. There is not any one who can be embarrassed by a low and even non-existent result.
Why does all this matter? Because the weight of what Rachael Gunn completed at the Paris Olympics still hangs over the world of breakdancing, whether anyone likes it or not. As a lifelong fan of hip-hop and its culture, there was nothing funny about the sight of a white woman named “Raygun” jumping, jumping and jumping around the Olympic stage, causing laughter around the world.
When rumors emerged that she hadn’t exactly “cheated” her strategy to the Olympics, but had taken advantage of a shady system – which one way or the other involved her husband – it felt like a kick to the gut. Let’s just ignore the fact that there have been apparently few blacks in the Paris competition, and next to “Nicki” was a Lithuanian woman in a durag.
“Honestly, I looked at it as if it was a privileged move. He must be someone important. Australia is, is a serious country. It’s not just a city, it’s a country,” Redman said with an incredulous laugh. “So you’re trying to tell me that the whole country said, ‘Yes, she’s going to represent us there,’ I don’t think that’s what happened.”
The event was a reminder of how great this whole idea might have been if the International Olympic Committee had waited to host the competition in the country where breaking was invented, quite than a half-hearted effort that seemed designed to undermine it. Add to that the fact that Gunn played in our faces and made a reputation for herself by desecrating this art form.
It was pretty clear: breakdancing must have made its debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, and where everyone was standing can be the perfect place to host it. Besides, you do not have to arrange entire competitions to see people dancing in the streets on a given weekend.
How an energy drink like Red Bull became the sport’s final frontier isn’t the point, but it surely definitely seems essential. Some of us won’t ever forgive the Olympics for botching a culture’s entry into the global arena. However, this didn’t make it difficult to make use of this feature. The crowd was stuffed with semi-celebrities, but mostly families and other crowd pleasers who just desired to be an element of the event.
The winners were Vicki Chang, aka La Vix, of San Jose and Jeremy Viray, aka Icey Ives, of Anchorage, Alaska. Additionally, Victor Montalvo, medalist of the Paris Games, was honored by the city of Los Angeles.
Red Bull Media House
The sights and sounds of real hip-hop don’t at all times outshine the antics of faux imitations, backed by “scholarship” or not. Which was a shame, because as the sun set over the Pacific and various other groundbreaking codes entered the crowd – together with young children imitating what they saw and just doing something between tumbling and dancing on the makeshift linoleum – you may feel the purpose and camaraderie in the air.
“I’ll admit I laughed at the Australian girl, but it surely began to trouble me in a short time, yes, because I felt it was only a distraction from what she really was, and because my first exposure to hip-hop culture was, it was attempting to be a b-boy trying out pop and lock,” said DJ Babu, member of the world famous Beat Junkies and Dilated Peoples. “So this (Red Bull BC One) is about seeing this dream come true and turn out to be a reality, I give it some thought emotionally and then I reduce it to memes and jokes… that really bothered me. I didn’t even like talking about it.
“But what a milestone for hip-hop and culture generally, to have it legitimized on arguably the biggest stage one could ever perform on. Overall I used to be really completely happy and proud. Recognizing any element at the next level is amazing, but it surely’s not perfect. This was the first yr and it’s just disappointing that I believe it won’t come back.
On December 7, the best breakers in the world will compete in Rio de Janeiro. What happened in Paris this summer was NOT this. When they arrive in Brazil, there will likely be no drug tests, PhDs or governing bodies that will spoil the viability of the genre created by black and Latino kids in New York in the Seventies.
“We can avoid this if we have communication and we have to educate ourselves,” Redman told the crowd. “So I salute Red Bull for taking this culture seriously and organizing events like this so that we can all learn from it.”
People was once afraid that corporate greed and interests would spoil the soul of culture. Now not less than one corporation is keeping the art alive.
“It’s a bit tricky because, like anything else, everything takes time to develop and refine, and mistakes need to be fixed and lessons learned from them. It’s almost like a big mockery, especially since I’m here in Los Angeles and the Olympics are coming here. I can only imagine what b-boying would look like at the next Olympics after his first attack,” DJ Babu said.
“I used to be unfortunately dissatisfied to listen to that it would not be coming back to Los Angeles. I mean, I hope that’s the case in the future, but a part of me tends to feel that b-boying will likely be effective with or without the Olympics should you come from that culture and realize it.
Gregg Popovich, the most important coach of San Antonio Spurs Gregg Popovich, won the highest and maybe the largest coach in NBA history outside the side line. It also disappeared, but actually not forgotten, Popovich used his platform to talk against racial, social and political injustice.
“He was probably one of the first trainers of the modern generation, who really spoke about politics and social injustice,” said coach Golden State Warriors Steve Kerr, a former guard of Spurs near Popuvich. “One of my favorite trainers is (former basketball coach of men from the University of North Karolina) Dean Smith. Dean Smith in the 1960s. He helped break the racial barriers in the south, refusing to take his team in some places for staying or eating. Coaches who really distinguish me. “
Spurs announced the retirement of Popovich from coaching on May 2 after 33 years as the most important trainer. Naismith Hall of Famer is the NBA leader in the field of coaching victories with 1422 wins in the regular season. The three -time NBA coach led Spurs to 5 championships. The 76-year-old also took third place in winning the playoffs.
Popovich trained the Spurs dynasty, which included the NBA championships in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014, Hall of Famers David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Future Hall of Famer Kawhi Leonard. With the NBA All-Star Center Victor Wembanyama, in its composition, Popovich trained only five matches this season, after which he suffered a stroke in a team facility on November 2, 2024. He never returned out of bord.
Popovich will remain in Spurs as the president of basketball operations and was replaced by Mitch Johnson, who was a short lived team of the team this season.
“It’s a sad day. It’s also an encouraging day,” said Kerr on May 2. “This is a natural transition for him organizationally to go to the next role. He also gives him space and time that he must regain after health problems.
“So I got a lot of mixed emotions … mainly my love for pop. My empathy for what has gone through with the Spurs organization. All of the above. This is a very emotional day for everyone involved. Thank you, pop.”
Coach Houston Rockets, Ime Udoka, former guard of Spurs and assistant coach near Popowicz, said on May 2: “This is a sweet -bitter day, of course, for all of us. But I am glad that he is in the good place. And I am glad that he is good with his family. A special day. A special person. One of the best for it. I am happy that I have a chance to work with him and call him.”
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Popovich also had an impact on the world, undeniably using his platform to speak about injustice. What made his openness much more unique was that he was a white man who spoke about marginalized individuals who didn’t seem like him.
Former San Antonio Spurs Forward Lamarcus Aldridge once described Popovich as “color blindness” to Andcape. Popovich was also known that he normally had an inventory with international talent.
“When you meet him, color doesn’t matter to him,” Aldridge said about Popovich. “It can refer. People can say that he and Stephen Jackson are really close. Stephen Jackson is the opposite of being from Europe. It doesn’t matter who you are. He connects with all people … He is so open to everything.”
Popovich once expressed respect for the playmaker San Francisco 49ers Colin Kapernicka and his national protest. These were the words of a person who attended the American Air Force Academy and obtained a bachelor’s degree in the field of Soviet studies. He served five years of the required lively service in the Air Force and once considered a profession in the CIA.
“A quite good group of people immediately thought that they did not respect the army,” said Popovich once. “It had nothing to do with his protest. In fact, he was able to do what he did because of what the army was doing for us. Most people think about it, but there will always be an element that wants to jump on fashion and this is unfortunate in our country.”
Popovich once took Spurs to the private screening of the film “Chi-raq” with the famous film director Spike Lee. Popovich had a former John Carlos track star, who joined Tommie Smith to get a controversial salut of black power on the podium medal during the Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968, confer with his team. Popovich gave his players the book “Between the world and me” by Tahisi Coates, who was written as a letter to the writer’s teenage son about reality, emotions and symbolism of being an African American in the United States. Popovich also took his team for the show “The Birth of the Nation”, the film Parker invested about Nat Turner, who managed the historic riot of slaves in 1831 and see the famous art of “Hamilton” in New York.
“It is obvious that the domestic plane of slavery still penetrates our social system in this country,” said Popovich once. “People want to ignore it, they don’t want to talk about it because it is uncomfortable.”
Popovich also described the race in America as “elephant in peace.” He believed that the White Americans didn’t understand the pain and stress related to being an African American. Popovich remembered listening to the black assistants of trainers about how that they had to confer with children about the best way to cope with the police in the event that they were confronted. He said it was something that as a white man never had in common together with his two children.
“It’s easier for white people because we haven’t experienced this experience. For many white people it is difficult to understand the everyday feeling with which many black people are dealing with,” Popovich once said. “I did not talk to my children about how to behave in front of a policeman when you stop. I did not have to do it. All my black friends did it. There is something that is wrong in it and we all know it.”
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Popovich also also talked about what he thinks were injustices in the American government, particularly against President Donald Trump. During October 27, 2024, a press conferencePopovich described Trump as “pathetic” and accused him of supporting the culture of racism and division in America. Popovich also added that he believes that Trump has confirmed racism, which normalized and legitimized discrimination on this process.
Popovich recurrently talked about the control of weapons. In 2023, Popovich gave an unnecessary, nine -minute lobbying lobbying for the laws of weapon control in America and criticizing “cowardly legislators who are selfish” before the match in Dallas. Popovich criticized republican legislators in Texas and Tennessee, and in addition expressed contempt for the expedition of representatives in 2023 Justin Jones and Justin Pearson from the Chamber of Representatives in Tennessee. Two black democrats were demonstrating weapons control on the floor of the chamber after a shooting in Nashville. Popovich called the provisions on the resistance of weapon control, an try and “clog all these things (in) the myth of the second amendment.”
“I was wondering because we have a governor and governor governor and prosecutor general, who made it easier to have more weapons,” Popovich said, referring to politicians from Texas. “It was a response to the murder of our children. I just thought it was a bit strange decision. But it’s just me.”
So how did Popovich develop into so conscious, caring and vocal?
The son of a Croatian father and Serbian mother organized naturally about other cultures, growing up in a racially diverse eastern Chicago in Indiana, 18 miles from the Chicago center. According to the universal census of the United States of 2010, Eastern Chicago had 42.9% black, 35.5% white and 19.1% of other races. Popovich attributed his military origin for making him aware of the world. He also learned about the world when he played basketball for the American Basketball Team of the Armed Forces in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.
“When you meet him and learn about his upbringing and his origin, raised in (suburbs) Gary, Indian, in a multicultural district …”-said Udoka. “He all the time talked about the neighbors he had – an Italian family, a Jewish family, a black family. Everything around him was immigrants and his.
“This is the core of who it is. It is appropriate, regardless of whether you are black, white or different.”
Kerr also spoke about social injustice, racism, violence with weapons and political problems during the training of warriors. He recognized Popovich for uplifting him to make use of his platform to talk.
“I was 100% inspired by pop for the courage to speak and take the hits you do,” said Kerr. “I met POP after I signed a contract with Spurs in 1999 during the blockade. You can see the sacrifice for his country. A proud air force graduate. From the first national anthem (played in the game Spurs) I saw how he stood on an unusual American flut.
“This is a belief together with, say, the Shenanigans of this country politically – in actual fact all BS began at the moment, at the turn of the century … between social media and Buffoners politically, on this era, wherein everyone screams against one another.
In the sports industry value a billion dollars there isn’t any image more quietly threatening to the system than a robust, engaged black father.
We see it time and again.
Lavar Ball is known as boastful.
Deion Sanders is known as selfish.
Richard Williams was crazy long before the world learned the names Venus and Serena.
Lebron James is in some way criticized for being too publicly supporting his son Brony.
Earl Woods was presented as a controlling character, even when he raised one of the biggest golfers he had ever seen.
Cecil Newton Sr. He met with public control simply following his son CAM.
The plan is evident: when the black father stands at the center of his child’s success – leading, protecting, moving away from exploitation – the media paint him as an issue.
As Egomaniak.
As someone “bothers”.
Why?
Because strong black fathers disturb the narrative.
The system is just not only invested in the talent of black athletes – it invests in controlling them.
A young black athlete without suggestions is less complicated to control. Easier to pay. Easier to face against others. Easier to the brand, profit and reject when it’s comfortable.
A powerful black father changes the terms of the contract.
Requires higher contracts.
He asks about coaching decisions.
It protects the mental health of your child from the franchise.
He reminds the world that his son or daughter is just not only an asset – but a human being along with his family, dreams and dignity.
And that is where real fear lies.
The image of a united black family – not broken, absent, not broken – a challenge of deeply rooted stereotypes on which American society has long been about the justification of inequalities.
A powerful black man standing next to his child and says that he is just not perceived as an act of love, but as an act of revolt.
It is less complicated to submit a father than to confess that the system is designed to make use of athletes, while they’re young, sensitive and isolated.
It is less complicated to make fun of yourself than to confront the truth:
Black families who stick together support one another and are fiercely in favor of their very own, are irrefutable, not a threat.
When Deion Sanders tells his sons that they’re kings, not goods, it worries the old order.
When Richard Williams insists that his daughters are larger than tennis, he prescribes the rules.
When Lavar Ball dreams loudly for his sons, he scares a system that prefers black athletes to be grateful and quiet.
But let’s be clear:
It is just not their trust that threatens the sports industry.
It’s their love.
Their refusal to permission to their children used and rejected to the side.
Their impudence is consider that they deserve sitting at the table – and pull up the chair without not asking for permission.
Black fathers in sport should not villains.
They are architects.
They are defenders.
These are a shield between industries value a billion dollars and kids, otherwise they consumed.
Or possibly this can be a real story that America doesn’t wish to tell.
”
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“Ball Up Top” is a weekly NBA video series in which David Dennis Jr. With AndScape he talks about hot topics in the league and popular culture with special guests in addition to personalities and sejds.
In episode 8, David is joined by a senior author Justin Tinsley to debate Los Angeles Lakers, who was rejected from Playoffs and what to do next. In addition, a really exciting opera clip that David cannot stop enthusiastic about.
Episode 8, 2 May 2025
Host: David Dennis Jr.
Guests: Justin Tinsley
Manufacturers: Charles Abankwa, Ryan Cortes, Rodney Davis, Chris Gavin, Charles Peach
Archives
Episode 1 (March 7, 2025): Quentin Richardson on Phoenix Suns, his moment “Welcome to the NBA” and beef with “Nad edge”
Episode 2 (March 14, 2025): Plus/Minus! Nikola Jokic (not) MVP, whose Knicks and Lakers don’t need to see, asks Cooper Flagg
Episode 3 (March 21, 2025): Danny Green evaluates his pretenders to the Western Conference, members of the Abrevocal Team
Episode 4 (March 28, 2025): Talking Heat Culture after the outbreak of warriors, more plus/minus
Episode 5 (April 4, 2025): The most vital games left in the NBA schedule
Episode 6 (April 17, 2025): Kazeem Famuyide talks NBA Playoffs, Wrestlemania 41, Army X
Episode 7 (April 24, 2025): Which NBA Playoffs teams are cooked/not cooked?
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