Tag Archives: Kendrick Lamar

03Apr/26

How Street Codes Survive the AI Era

Decoding the Dance: How the Crip Walk Transformed from a Secret Gang Code to Global Entertainment

April 3, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The C-Walk, originally known as the Crip Walk, was developed in 1970s Compton by gang member Robert “Sugar Bear” Jackson as a complex, non-verbal “secret code”. It utilized precise footwork to spell out gang identifiers like “C-R-I-P” and visually cross out the names of rival gangs. During the 1990s, West Coast hip-hop artists like Snoop Dogg and WC popularized the dance, transforming it from a localized ritual into a mainstream symbol of regional pride.

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16Mar/26

Crip Walking from Compton to Super Bowl

The Kinematic Language of Compton: 5 Realities Behind the C-Walk’s Sophisticated Evolution

March 16, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The provided sources explore the Crip Walk, a distinctive hip-hop dance characterized by intricate and fluid footwork. Originally developed in Compton, California, in the 1970s, the movement served as a symbolic communication tool for gang members to display loyalty or taunt rivals. Over time, the dance evolved into several variations, including the high-speed Clown Walk and the hybrid Crown Walk, which often seek to decouple the technique from its original gang associations. Famous cultural icons like Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar have played pivotal roles in bringing the dance to global stages, such as the Super Bowl, transforming it into a broader symbol of West Coast identity. Despite its mainstream popularity and use as a victory celebration by athletes like Serena Williams, the dance remains a subject of controversy due to its historical ties. Instructional materials also detail specific technical components, such as the V-Step, the Heel-Toe, and Toe Tipping, which require significant balance and rhythmic precision. Continue reading

14Aug/23

Hip-hop at 50: how the sights, sounds and moves of the music spread across the world

Adam de Paor-Evans, University of Plymouth

On August 11 1973, DJ Kool Herc and his sister Cindy threw the now legendary Back To School jam in the recreation room of 1520 Sedgewick Avenue in The Bronx, New York.

Herc’s party represented a coming together of music and the start of something new. The Bronx crowd did not want the dancehall sounds Herc had begun to play. They wanted soul and the tough percussion of funk. So, Herc changed up the sound and used the main switch for the lights like a strobe-light to add atmosphere. Little did they know, that his event would be commonly accepted by the hip-hop fraternity worldwide as the starting point of what was to become one of the most important creative movements of the last century.

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01Aug/23

Hip Hop is beyond Drake memes. It’s a phenomenon

July 31, 2023 /Entertainment/ — Hip hop has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the Bronx in the 1970s. It has evolved from a local street art form to a global phenomenon that encompasses all cultures and generations.

There are a number of factors that have contributed to hip hop’s rise to popularity. One of the most important factors was the release of the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979. This song was the first rap single to reach the top 40 of the Billboard charts, and it helped to introduce hip hop to a wider audience. Continue reading

03Mar/23

De La Soul is coming to streaming services – a brief guide to their best work

Adam de Paor-Evans, University of Plymouth

De La Soul is one of the most significant and iconic groups in the history of hip hop. Comprising three members, Trugoy The Dove, Posdnous and Maseo, De La Soul worked together for 35 years releasing innovative music, touring and collaborating with artists from a range of genres until Trugoy’s death in February 2023.

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30Jan/23

Deep Fake Neighbour Wars: ITV’s comedy shows how AI can transform popular culture

Dominic Lees, University of Reading

ITVX’s Deep Fake Neighbour Wars is the breakthrough in television’s use of artificial intelligence that experts in the cultural use of deepfakes like myself have been waiting for.

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