rock steady crew

The Rock Steady Crew was established in 1977 by Bronx b-boys Jimmy D and Jojo. When they started this crew in the streets of the Bronx, they had no idea that someday it would take them all around the world. Only the best b-boys were down with Rock Steady. They had rivals in all five boroughs of New York and for every rival there were ten kids who wanted to be down with them. However, getting into the original crew was not easy. To get into Rock Steady you had to battle one of the other b-boys in the crew. It was a competition few people won.

布朗克斯的b-boy们Jimmy D和Jojo于1977年成立了rock steady团体。当他们在纽约市布朗克斯的街头用rock steady的名号跳舞时，他们并不知道有一天rock steady将会传遍世界。只有最出色的b-boy才能加入rock steady。在纽约市所有的五个区，都有为了能加入rock steady而竞争的比赛，每一次竞赛会有10名参赛者。但是，要想加入最初的rock steady并不容易，除非当你击败了一名rock steady的成员。这是一个只有少数人获胜的竞争。

n 1979 when the b-boying hype was beginning to die down, Jimmy D put Crazy Legs and Lenny Len down with Rock Steady just in time to add new life to the art form and take it to the next level. This was at a time when Crazy Legs moved to Manhattan. Going back to the Bronx every weekend became too difficult for Crazy Legs pockets. He then started to explore the Hip Hop scene in Manhattan more often. This meant losing touch with other members of Rock Steady. Crazy Legs would spend most of his time developing his craft in tenement building hallways and battling b-boys that he would come across and eventually hanging out with the ones that he felt had an original style

1979年，当b-boy的浪潮开始衰弱时，Jimmy D邀请Crazy Legs和Lenny Len加入Rock Steady，他们的加入为B-boy增添了新的活力，并将其带入了一个新的阶段。后来，Crazy legs搬到了曼哈顿居住。每个周末回到布朗克斯与Rock Steady的成员们相聚对于并不富裕的他来说并非易事。所以，更多的时候他玩起了hip hop。这意味着crazy legs与其他成员逐渐失去了联系。在crazy legs的大部分时间里，他只做三件事情，一，在住所的走廊上练习技巧；二，和他偶遇的B-boy比赛；三，和他认为具有rock steady原始精神的b-boy切磋。

Wanting to start a crew of his own he went back to the Bronx to look for Jimmy D and the rest of the crew to get permission to start a chapter of his own. He was not able to find them. Not knowing what to do, he sought the advice of his cousin Lenny Len. Lenny Len suggested that he join Rockwell Association (another well known crew from the Bronx). Rockwell Association was the crew that had turned Crazy Legs down as a member before he got in to Rock Steady Crew. This time Crazy Legs had a lot more to offer. They immediately put him in Rockwell Association and gave him a chapter in Manhattan. It was bitter sweet for him. He felt that Rock Steady Crew was the better of the two and wanted to use the Rock Steady Crew name. In the early part of 1981 Crazy Legs had come across Jimmy D and told him about what he was doing in Manhattan. Jimmy D was impressed with the amount of members that Legs had in Rockwell Association. Crazy Legs asked Jimmy D if he can start a chapter and Jimmy D gave him permission. Crazy Legs immediately changed the name of the crew to Rock Steady Crew. Although none of the members that got into Rock Steady Crew by battling, they had already gained the respect of Crazy Legs. Crazy Legs and the new recruits from Manhattan eventually became the motivating forces behind b-boying gaining back its popularity in the streets of New York City. crazy legs

准备在曼哈顿成立一个rock steady的分会。他回到了布朗克斯去寻找Jimmy D和rock steady的其余成员想要获得他们的许可。可是他无法联系到他原来的伙伴们。当他无计可施之时，他向他的表哥Lenny Len求助。Lenny Len建议他去加入Rockwell协会(布朗克斯另一个著名的b-boy 团体).在Crazy Legs加入Rock steady之前，他曾参加过Rockwell协会。Rockwell很快接收了他，并且授权他去曼哈顿成立一个分会。这让他悲喜交集。在他心目中rock steady还是最棒的，他想要分会的名称还是用rock steady。1981年初，crazy legs偶遇到Jimmy D，并且告诉了Jimmy D他分会的事情。Jimmy D对于legs分会中有这么多成员感到吃惊。crazy legs趁机提到了他想将这个分会改为rock steady的，Jimmy D授权他这么做。随后，crazy legs立即将分会的名称改为rock steady。虽然现在进入rock steady不再需要经过比赛来决定，但Rock steady每一个加入的成员仍然是十分出色的选手。crazy legs和他的新伙伴们成为纽约市街头b-boy们重新流行的新动力。

The turning point for Rock Steady was in 1981 when people began to take notice of all the noise Crazy Legs, Frosty Freeze, Take One, Little Crazy Legs and Ken Swift were making in Manhattan. In August of 1981, photographer/sculptor Henry Chalfant offered them the chance to perform at the Lincoln Center Outdoors Program. This performance, which was also a battle with rival b-boys from The Dynamic Rockers, was crucial not only because it was covered by local television stations, The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Daily News, and National Geographic, it would later gain them worldwide exposure. Jimmy D took notice of the buzz that Crazy Legs had started in Manhattan and made him President of the entire Rock Steady Crew. Crazy Legs in turn made Frosty Freeze and Ken Swift Co-Vice Presidents.

rock steady的重大的转机出现在1981年，当人们开始关注Crazy Legs和他的伙伴们Frosty Freeze, Take One, Little Crazy Legs and Ken Swift。1981年8月，摄影家Henry Chalfant给了他们一个机会，他们将在林肯中心进行表演。这次表演，或者说是一场和来自The Dynamic Rockers的b-boy们的比赛，是至关重要的。因为这场演出被当地电视台，纽约时报，乡村声音，日报和国家地理等多家媒体报道，为rock steady 赢得了世界性的声誉

In the winter of 1982 the Rock Steady Crew was invited to perform at the original Ritz nightclub. The list of performers that night included the Punk Rock group BOW WOW WOW, Afrika Bambaataa and the Jazzy 5. Since Afrika Bambaataa was known by many as the "Godfather of Hip-Hop", the Rock Steady Crew was honored to be on the same bill. After their performance, Crazy Legs and Frosty Freeze asked Afrika Bambaataa if they could be down with the Zulu Kings, the most highly respected of all b-boy crews. Afrika Bambaataa allowed them as well as the entire Rock Steady Crew to become members of the Zulu Kings, knowing that they would also become an integral part of the Zulu Nation. Soon after that performance the Rock Steady Crew took the downtown club scene by storm. They became caught up in a culture clash of Rastafarians, Punk Rockers and Hip-Hop heads.

1982年冬天，rock steady被邀请在著名的里兹大饭店夜总会进行表演。与他们同台演出的还包括朋克摇滚乐队BOW WOW WOW，非洲Bambaataa和爵士5。非洲Bambaataa被尊称为“教父的hip-hop”，rock steady也享有同样的盛名。在演出结束之后，Crazy Legs和Frosty Freeze邀请非洲bambaataa加入Zulu Kings,一个在b-boy界最受瞩目的一个组织。非洲Bambaataa表示，只要rock steady全体加入Zulu kings,他就加入，因为那样可以使他们成为一个整体。在那晚的表演之后，rock steady卷起了一阵风暴。他们终于和Rastafarians, Punk Rockers and Hip-Hop并驾齐驱。

As the word spread, Rock Steady expanded into a huge family consisting of women, children, roller skaters, artists and DJ''s. The Crew''s popularity grew bigger than the city of New York and Kool Lady Blue started managing the group. She booked them on the Roxy Tour, sponsored by Europe One Radio. The Roxy Tour took the Rock Steady Crew, Afrika Bambaataa, Fab Five Freddie, The McDonald Double Dutch Girls, DJ''s and graffiti artists straight from the "concrete jungle" to London and Paris. It was the first Hip-Hop tour of it''s kind and it opened the door for many more to follow. The Crew also appeared on the Jerry Lewis Telethon two years in a row. In November 1983, they were asked by the Queen of England to perform at the Royal Variety Performance in aid of the Artist''s Benevolent Fund. During these spectacular performances Charisma Records approached the Rock Steady Crew with a record deal. The record "Hey You, The Rock Steady Crew" was in the top ten charts in Great Britain and sold over a million copies. The Crew, however, saw very little of the proceeds. Due to their lack of knowledge of the music industry at such a young age, the company took advantage of the Crew and would not allow them any creative input toward their own project.

Rock steady逐渐变成了一个庞大的组织，其中包括妇女，儿童，冰上舞者，艺术家和DJ们。这个团体的人数甚至超过了纽约市的人口总数，Kool Lady Blue开始管理这个团体。她组织大规模巡回演出，演出的发起是由欧洲的一家电台。这次巡演使rock steady，非洲bambaataa,fab five freddie,The McDonald Double Dutch Girls，DJ''s 和graffiti aritsts从"混凝土丛林"来到伦敦，巴黎。这是第一次hip-hop音乐获得巨大成功的巡演。1983年11月，他们受到英国女皇的邀请，为艺术家慈善基金进行表演。charisma唱片公司为他们精彩的演出灌制了磁带。专辑“hey you, the rock steady crew”在不列颠销量很好，卖出了约1000，000盘。但rock steady对专辑热卖所赢得的收益看得很淡。由于当时唱片工业还处于很不成熟的时期，公司从rock steady收取了很高的利润，却并不对他们再多投资

When Charisma Records went out of business and was sold to Virgin Records, the group was put on hold indefinitely. During this time, the crew''s management told them not to dance in clubs. They tried to convince them that it was in their best interest not to dance they way they love to. Just for fun. Suddenly the Crew was on the outside looking in. By this time they had lost much of their fame and notoriety. They found themselves at a dead end with no plans for the future. Regardless, the Crew never split up, but they took some time to regroup and they went their separate ways. Some members took an optimistic attitude and went back to school or pursued other interests. Others did not fare so well. However, the Crew kept looking forward and took their anger and disappointment and made something positive

最终charisma唱片公司破产，被Virgin唱片公司收购，大家对前景很不乐观。在此期间，rock steady的管理层决定让他们不再在俱乐部中演出。这段时间他们的事业走入低谷。他们觉得自己对于未来没有计划。然而，rock steady永远不会分裂。他们只是需要时间去重组。一些具有积极态度的成员重新回到学校，并且尝试着说服一些投资者。总之，rock steady还是继续向前走着，尽管带着一些愤怒和失望，但还是做出了一些积极东西

In 1991 Mr. Wiggles approached Crazy Legs about an idea he and Fable (Magnificent Force) had for a Hip-Hop musical. Crazy Legs (with the help of Mr. Wiggles) then needed to persuade Ken Swift to start dancing again in order to have Ken involved as well. The musical was called "So, What Happens Now?". Rock Steady member Buck 4 (R.I.P) provided the perfect scenario to base the musical on. He said, "You don''t know what it feels like to go fill out a job application ...where it says, ''what do you do?'' what do I write? I spin on my head?" "So, What Happens Now?" was the critics choice in the New York Times and received rave reviews in The Village Voice, The Daily News and El Diario. In 1992, they received a standing ovation lead by Gregory Hines at the Kennedy Center Honors where President George Bush, Gregory Peck and the Nicholas Brothers were all in attendance

1991年，Wiggles先生告诉crazy legs他和Fable(magnificent force)想要做一个hip-hop音乐剧的想法。Crazy legs又说服Ken Swift重新出山。这个音乐剧的名字是"so, what happens now". rock steady的成员 Buck 4(R.I.P)为这个音乐剧设计了一个相当完美的情节。他说,"你不知道去填一份工作申请表是什么感觉。。。当被问到‘你现在做什么’我该填什么？摇头？"。“So,现在发生了什么？”再纽约时报，乡村声音，日报和El Diario上引起强烈的反响。1992年，他们再肯尼迪中心受到Gregory Hines的嘉奖，当时总统乔治布什，乔治派克，尼古拉斯兄弟均出席了嘉奖仪式。

A Rock Steady Crew Anniversary is held annually to symbolize the preservation of the history and evolution of Hip-Hop Culture. This monumental community event brings out DJ''s, b-boys/b-girls, graffiti artists, emcees and thousands of other positive Hip-Hop heads from all around the globe. It also honors members of Rock Steady Crew and members of the Hip-Hop community that have passed away. Since their beginning the Rock Steady Crew has come full circle. Crazy Legs is still president of the crew with Fabel being vice-president. They have added new faces like Teknyc, Venom, Servin'' Ervin, Denote, Heps Fury, Fever One, Jeromeskee, Floor Rock as well as members in Japan, United Kingdom and Italy. The difference this time is that they have total control over their company and their destiny. "This time we have control over what''s going on", says Crazy Legs. "We are running it with no one to answer to and that makes everything we do more satisfying". With the Rock Steady Crew''s 29th anniversary on the horizon, they have plenty more goals in sight. The Rock Steady Crew has bounced back and performs throughout the world. They remain very active in the community and are involved in several different outreach programs as well as holding food drives and donating time and money to non-profit organizations. They hope to set up a Rock Steady foundation for children. This program will provide dance classes and other activities that will help to influence the youth to stay on the right path throughout life. It will also involve maintaining and preserving Hip-Hop culture

每年都会举行的Rock Steady周年仪式成为了Hip-Hop的历史和演进的标志。这个团体将DJ,b-boy/b-girl,graffiti艺术家等这些概念带到了世界各个角落。Crazy Legs仍是这个团体的主席，Fabel担任副主席。他们又吸收了一些来自日本，不列颠，意大利等一些新人如，Teknyc, Venom, Servin'' Ervin, Denote, Heps Fury, Fever One, Jeromeskee, Floor Rock。现在他们可以完全控制他们的公司和他们自己的命运。“现在我们的地盘我做主！”Crazy Legs说道。 当rock steady的第29个生日来临之际，他们还有许多目标即将实现。他们希望能够为了儿童们建立一个rock steady基金。这个项目将会为儿童提供一些舞蹈课和其他活动，用来帮助年轻人能够正确的选择他们的人生方向。这一切都将保持和延续hip-hop文化。