Breaking crew The Supreme Beingz carry on NYC hip-hop traditions and have won many of the top international breaking competitions. They’ve learned from many of the City’s pioneers and continue to share hip-hop culture through performing, judging battles, and teaching the next generation. The group has several members and the crew members featured here are Bongo Roc, Jiggz Star and Ken Fury. 

Inspired by legendary b-girls like Rokafella and Honey Rockwell, NYC-born Bonnie aka Bongo Roc (Puerto Rican) has been dancing since the 1990s. She is one of the leading b-girls and DJs in the New York hip hop scene. Ramon Silverio Jr., also known as Jiggz Star (Dominican), is one of the top b-boys from New York City. Along with Bongo Roc, he’s one of the co-founders of Supreme Beingz. Well respected for his competitive spirit, Jiggz has been dancing and competing for over 23 years. Originally from Colorado, multi-talented artist Kenneth “Ken Fury” Marez Jr. (Native American Genízaro/Nuevomexicano) has been dancing for over 23 years. His signature style has won him over 30 of the top breaking competitions worldwide. He was mentored and taught by some of New York City’s best like Kwikstep from Full Circle, Float Committee and Incredible Breakers.

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Rokafella and Kwikstep captured in New York City. Photography by Taranita Costales.

Multifaceted hip hop artists, B-girl Rokafella and B-boy Kwikstep, established the nonprofit  Full Circle Productions, Inc. in 1996. Today, the husband-wife duo continue to carry out their mission to uplift the cultural value of hip hop as a positive expression through workshops, events, and performances for people of all ages.

Kwikstep captured in New York City. Photography by Taranita Costales.

Rokafella captured in New York City. Photography by Taranita Costales.

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Kid Freeze pictured by Taranita Costales. 

This four-part series spotlights generations of New York City Latine hip hop artists, each of them trailblazers  in their respective elements. Featured artists: Kid Freeze, a b-boy pioneer who got his start in the 1970s and the inventor of continuous headspins and a range of power moves; Lady Pink, a legendary graffiti artist known for painting NYC subway cars in the late ’70s; Kwikstep, founder of the Full Circle breaking crew and a mentor to some of the best break dancers in the U.S.; Rokafella, one of the most iconic b-girls in hip-hop history; D-Stroy, an MC from the Arsonists, an underground ’90s hip-hop collective, ; and Jiggz Star, Bongo Roc, and Ken Fury of the world champion break dancing crew, The Supreme Beingz. This eclectic mix of hip-hop leaders inspire their communities and keep the roots of hip hop culture alive through their art forms.

Kid Freeze pictured by Taranita Costales.

A boricua from the Bronx, Kid Freeze saw other young Latinos and African Americans dancing to break beats and immediately knew what he wanted to do with his life — he wanted to be a b-boy. Eventually, he joined Street Masters and Dynamic Rockers, each legendary game-changing NYC crews. Today, Kid Freeze is known for inventing the continuous headspin and leaving a profound impact on the world of Hip-Hop. 

Kid Freeze pictured by Taranita Costales.

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D-Stroy 

D-Stroy is a Brooklyn-born MC, actor, writer, comedian and host of his own show, “Show Off Your Gems.” He is a member of the legendary underground group Arsonists, an all-Latinx hip-hop collective founded in the early ’90s. An advocate for Latinx and Hispanic recognition, D-Stroy is a wealth of knowledge on the beginnings of hip-hop and the Latinxs that helped create it. In a recent Instagram post celebrating the Latinx founders of hip-hop, he writes, “Erasure is present and millennials outside of the metropolitan area can’t fathom the idea that Latinos were there since inception.”

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Lady Pink 

Graffiti and mural artist Lady Pink was born in Ecuador and raised in NYC. In 1979, she started writing graffiti and soon became a prominent figure in subway graffiti subculture. In the early ’80s she became known as the “First Lady of Graffiti” for her prolific work. In 1982, she had a starring role in the motion picture “Wild Style.” That role and her other significant contributions to graffiti have made her a cult figure in hip-hop subculture. Today, Lady Pink continues to create new paintings — on canvas — that express her unique personal vision. She also shares her 30 years of experience with teens by holding mural workshops and lecturing to college students.

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