|
Mr. Wiggles, Hip
Hop Pioneer
12/15/04 - LatinRapper.com
exclusive interview
|
 |
Its been
long overdue that LatinRapper.com run an interview with
an established b-boy considering Latinos, Boricuas in
particular, have made major contributions to Hip Hop.
So to kick things off right, we get the 411 from none
other than hip hop pioneer Mr. Wiggles.
Born and
raised in the South Bronx, and raised on Hip Hop during
it's earliest years, Wiggles is a writer (graffiti
artist), B-Boy (breakdancer), MC, popper and a
practitioner of locking. You've seen him in the
classics Beat Street and Wild Style, and his moves have
graced videos like Usher's "My Way", Missy Elliot's
"Work It" and Limp Bizkit's "Rollin".
A member of
the legendary Roc Steady Crew, Wiggles took time out to
speak with LR about Hip Hop history and more.
|
LatinRapper.com: How did you get your start in b-boying/breaking?
I'm from the Bronx, and I was surrounded by both Rockers
(Uprockers) and B Boys all my childhood, so I just
followed what the older cats did in the streets, and my
sista Wanda got me into Rockin (a more Latin dance style
that was more vertical)
Your graf work didn't pick up until a few years after
you started rocking, how did you get involved with that?
In the 70's I was so involved in anything and everything
that was in the Bronx streets, and back then we didn't
just do one aspect of HIP HOP, we did it all, and writin'
was definitely one of my biggest passions in the
streets, I started out cause my cousins NAC 143 and
DAZE, NAC is my real cuz, and we would just say that
DAZE was also our cousin, was down with a well known
crew called CYA (crazy young artist), and DAZE was
featured in Wild Style. They would come over my
house every weekend for family parties and get togethers,
and bring black books and photo albums, and I got hooked
and started bombin' the IRT lines, mostly the 6 train
lay-ups.
Who were some of the people that inspired you as a
b-boy?
In my area it was a brotha from Bronx River named
Beaver. He was popular at the time and was down with the
famous Bronx B-boy Crew Zulu Kings.
In the late 80's, you were doing Broadway
performances, followed up in the 90's with mostly
off-Broadway work and choreography. How did you get
involved with theatrical work?
Theater work kind of just fell on my lap. It was during
the time when B-boyin', Poppin', Lockin' was being
brushed off as a fad. And I was blessed enough to get
these phone calls from theater people looking to spice
up there production with something different. After
doing one, I started getting mad calls from all kinds of
Broadway people, and started taking it more serious, and
eventually did several productions on my own and with
Ghettoriginal dance company. Including off Broadway
shows like Jam on the Groove, Hip Hop Wonderland and Mad
Hattan.
You've been in videos for artists like Madonna,
Usher, Limp Bizkit and most recently Missy. With your
accolades and experience, shouldn't we be seeing you in
more videos?
Haha, tell that to these c*ck blockin'
choreographers.... Haha, just kidding.
On your site you offer practical feedback to newjacks
in the game, have you considered working as an industry
consultant?
I think in my experience, and position in Hip Hop, I
will always help young people in the culture, just to
keep them on the straight and narrow.
You've got some great stories about battle
experiences, what was your most memorable battle and
why?
I guess the battles in Japan. They were real
competitive, and it was mad fun. That kid Go was
dope in the mid to late 90's and had as many moves as I
did at the time so we had some ill battles.
As far as graf, you've been bombing from the Bronx to
as far as the Middle East. Do you still get down?
I still get down once in a while, no more illegal sh*t
though, but I like to throw down when ever I can, and
I'm always creatin' new styles.
Worldwide recognition of breaking started mushrooming
in the early 80's. How has breaking changed in the
last 20 years?
70's it was the funkiest, realest, rawest, and mad
street era. Crazy Flava
80's it went from the creation of incredible power moves
to being commercialized
90's it got more technical with the Europeans adding
some incredible sh*t
2000 and beyond, more young heads are starting to dance
more like the 70's, but very few will catch the essence
of the original styles like the OG's.
You appeared in two groundbreaking Hip Hop flicks,
Wild Style and Beat Street. What affect do you think
these movies had on graf, breaking, MCing and DJing as a
whole?
WILD STYLE was raw, and real, but the script and acting
sucked. But you can still feel the energy of what Hip
Hop was all about in this movie. And everything was high
caliber sh*t. B-boys, DJ's, MC's, and writers were all
real and at the top of there game.
BEAT STREET was allot more watered down, and still a bad
script and they had actors play the characters, so the
acting was good, but it made it seem even more fake. The graff was also fake done by a union artist who just bit
ideas from real writers and he did a horrible job. The
MC's were real but were forced to wear a lot of funny
a** sh*t, and rhyme about corny sh*t. The B-boys
were real, and the battles were real, but the editing
was what messed up some of the dance sequences.
Wild Style wins by a landslide.
What advice to you have to anyone interested in
becoming a b-boy but live where there is no exposure to
experienced breakers or competitions?
Get as much info on real foundation before you peruse
this culture. Learn from the ROOTS, and FOUNDATION.
Finally, where do you see B-boying in another 20
years?
I hope I don't see it in the Olympics like a lot of
people keep comparing it to. B-boying is the art
of dance not flips and tricks, it's something you feel
and the only way it would work in that format is if it
done the way it was done in the streets. And that's
battles. I would hate to see a B-boy with tights on
doing perfect windmills with pointed toes, and legs
straight looking like a gymnast tryna break.
I hope that young dancers gear themselves more to
theater and stage, and try and put on full productions.
And I also see the underground getting stronger, but we
need more real B-boy jams and less B-boy events.
I'm tired of going to a B-boy event and seeing these
young dancers with backpacks dressed like bums warming
up and stretching on the floor, and breaking all day and
night showin' every lil move they got. A jam is
more of a party atmosphere, you gotta get down and dance
with girls, and feel the music, and when that James
Brown beat hits you, you get down and rip, and and the
moment is gone, you go back and party some more and save
some moves for the next session. That's the real
sh*t.
Anything else you want to add?
Right now I'm representing two of the most amazing dance
crews of our time, Rock Steady Crew and The Electric
Boogaloos. I am incredibly blessed and honored to
be down with these crews. And also me and my
partner Zeus started a clothing line called "Brigante"
so be on the lookout for our gears. High end Latin
flavored hip hop gears with mad ghetto elegance.
Peace.
Official Website:
http://www.mrwiggleshiphop.net/
LatinRapper.com
News: click
here
Find select old
News/Interviews below, or use keywords
in the bar
for a detailed search of all site news
Archived News
& Interviews
Tego Calderon
Interview
Mario Vasquez
Interview
4th Annual Latin
Rap Conference
Pitbull Gears up
for el Mariel
Big House (jail)
Clothing
Raze of NYC
Interview
Song Writing
Competition
Zona Estreno & David Rolas
Session of the
Bronx Interview
Yolanda Perez -
Got Milk
Mayra Veronica
Interview
Jehuniko
Releases La Pura Vida
Uno Dos Roc
Familia Interview
Vida Guerra
Interview
Psycho Realm
Interview
Rock Steady Crew
Anniversary
Duho's Codigo
Postal
Platanos and
Collard Greens
Hector el Father
Interview
Vico C at 2006
Alma Awards
On the Outs
release on DVD
David Rolas
Morena (español)
Cultura Londres
Interview
Da Klick Latin
Music Show
Vico C
Interview
Reyes Brothers
Album
Lil Uno releases
The Streets
Dres of Black
Sheep
Interview
Dom Pachino
Interview
Machete Music partnership
Latin Urban Mix in Miami
Fuego Magazine Shut Down
Bilingual Hip Hop DVD
DJ Lady Tribe
Interview
Street Greeting Cards
Cuete Yeska
Interview
Tego Calderon Married
Cuervoton Talent
Search
Pocos Pero Locos
KPWR
Tony Touch
Interview
DJ Sy of
Honduras
La Bruja
Interview
Chino XL Poison
Pen
Monteloco of
Oxnard Interview
La Bruja new
movie
Airmagination Interview
Megaton
Reggaeton Concert
Noches de Latin
Hip Hop
Wu Tang Latino
Video
Nacional
Launches Label
Joell Ortiz Interview
Bridgez Latin
Hip Hop mag
Latinologues
Review
Yolanda Perez
Musica 360
Downloads
La Manteca Rap
DVD
Hogg Boss of
Salt Lake
Wu Tang Latino &
Honda
AZ Interview
Khool Aid
Interview
Rap Battles in
NY & PR
Gloria Velez DVD
Shysti
(conference)
Interview
Latin Rap
Conference
Akwid face Xbox
fans
DJ Sama of Miami
Radio
Preach Martin
Hustles
David Rolas
Fiesta Remix
El Salvador Fest
Photos
Cuban Link 2nd
Interview
Latin Music
Conference
Lil Rob 2nd
Interview
Hip Hop Movie
films in L.A.
Wu-Tang Latino
Interview
Tonedeff
Interview
Pocos Pero Locos
radio
Street Messenger
Capitan
Aztek (Def Jam)
Interview
Juan Gotti
Climbs Charts
Daddy Yankee Big
Overseas
Tego Calderon
signs Atlantic Deal
Latin Music
Conference
Stylo Reps LR at
16 Bars
Estevan Oriol
Interview
Hip Hop Hoodios
Perform
Ladybug Mecca
Interview
Akwid Wins at
Billboard
Sporty Loco
Debut
Red Zone Latin
Alt Radio
Cool & Dre
Interview
Playa Rae Mixtapes
Daddy Yankee &
Latin Billboard
LATV outperforms
MTV
Baby Bash
Interview
Frankie J's
Obsession (videos)
Flakiss
Sophomore Album
Crooked Stilo
Interview
Enemigo Releases
Caminando
L.A. Hitman
Studio
Kinto Sol's
Family Pride
Pitbull Goes
Gold
Locura Terminal
Hoodios Latin
Jewish Rap
Napoleon
Interview
Capone Interview
Kane & Abel
Interview
Mexiclan Drop
New Album
Justin Bua
(artist) Interview
Open Mic
Showcase in NY
Latin Connection
in NY
DJ Lazy K
interview
Garcia of Miami
Interview
Univision Top
Label Again
Dani Kartel
(Slow Motion)
Rapper
"Anonymous"
Mr. Wiggles
(B-Boy) Interview
Pitbull Progress
Report
Peedo of Miami
Interview
Latino
Airbrushing & Muralists
Latin Rap
Conference Returns
Akwid Gets
Grammy Nod
B-Real of
Cypress Drops Solo
Sinful of
Mexicanz Interview
Pitbull
Interview
Gloria Velez &
Remy Martin
Cuban Link in PR
(photos)
Latin Rap
Pioneer Gerardo
Kiki Romero of
San Diego
Immortal
Technique Interview
Big Rich tha Don
DJ Buddha's hot
Reggaeton Mixtape
Anonymous
Interview
Laura Diamante &
Syndicato
Lil Rob
Interview
San Jose's Playa
Rae
Hispanic
Purchasing Power
Sen Dog of
Cypress Hill interview
Jyareh and
Atlanta rap/reggaeton
Trakwerk and
Bronx Hip Hop
Female MC
"Havana" of Miami
Juan Gotti
Nominated for Grammy
DJ Mafioso of
Atlanta mixtapes
Scratch
Magazine Interview
Uno Dos
Interview
Gemstar/BigMato/Noreaga
(Oye Mi Canto)
New York's
Enemigo
L.A. Company
Seeks Show Hosts/Videos
Touch Clothing
Interview
Kemo the
Blaxican Interview
Azteka and his
Sueño Americano
Green Card
Reality Show
Triple Seis
Interview
Female Artist
Flakiss
Jae-P strikes
Latin Gold
Pumpkinhead
Interview
Crooked Stilo
Latinos Receive
Low Wages
Mellow Man Ace
Interview
Gloria Velez
Interview
Chingo Bling
Interview
DJ Chela/North
Carolina
Latin Rap
Conference
Bobo of Cypress
Hill Interview
Mister Cartoon Interview
DJ Efn Mixtapes
Jessy Terrero & Soul Plane
Chingo Bling
Tamale Kingpin
Reggaeton Music
Cuban
Link Interview
Sinful's Spanish album
Florida's
DJ Killatone
Mellow Man Ace
album
De la Hoya's Rap
Album
Baby Bash
Goes Gold
Angelito Vuela lyrics Don Omar
Kane & Abel
Releasing DVD
|