His real name is Kenny Gabbert. He was called "the epitome of a B-Boy" for 16 years and has helped to preserve and promote hip-hop culture. As a member of Rock Steady Crew, Swift participated in the first hip-hop international tour, New York City Rap. His documentary and film credits include Wild Style, Style Wars, Beat Street, and Flashdance. For television, Swift has appeared on CBS's "The Kennedy Center Honors," Great Performances' 20th Anniversary, Kurt Weill's "September Songs." With GhettOriginal Productions Swift has performed at P.S. 122, Central Park Summer Stage, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Boston Ballet and in Toronto, Paris, Vienna and tours throughout the United States. He won the 1991 Bessie Award for choreography. He continues to create and name new moves -1990's Kaboom, air babies and flowing downstream -adding to the vocabulary of b-boying worldwide.

Kozo. "Dancer's Delight" Rock Steady Crew

 KeN sWiFt OnLiNe
On May 8th the few knowing members of AOL go the oppurtunity to chat online with the
legendary b-boy “Ken Swift from the Rock Steady Crew”... i’ve included a cut down
version on what went on that night but i kept the words exactly as Ken Swift spoke it to
his typist... check out this conversation... (note: i didn’t get a 
chance to stay on for the rest
of the conversation so if ne body that was  there saved a full copy... i’d like to have it to
add on to this..) 

SFLRDAMike:Welcome, Khaoscru  tonight we are chatting 
with b-boy/breakdancer Ken Swift
RSC Ken:        I am an oriinal b boy from the rock steady crew...
RSC Ken:        that still can blast off!
RSC Ken:        in the dance circles
Khaoscru:       yo ken.. can u explain what 7 gems is and why 
it was made?
RSC Ken:        7 gems...(i was prepared for this one...)
RSC Ken:	See, 7 gems recently just blew up nationwide...
RSC Ken:	because of the 7 gens...break magazine videos
RSC Ken:	The 7 gems is started by myself...
RSC Ken:	originally as the 7 grand mastas
RSC Ken:	with the intentions of being the new underground 
spirit...
RSC Ken:	of elite breakers
RSC Ken:	representing the old and the new...
RSC Ken:	worldwide...
RSC Ken:	It is to signify
RSC Ken:	future development of dance in hiphop
RSC Ken:	and unify breakers world wide
RSC Ken:	by battling
RSC Ken:	and keeping the original essence, win lose or draw.
RSC Ken:	and ulitimately...
RSC Ken:	one of the goals is to protect b boys and b girls...
RSC Ken:	that choose to go into business with their dance 
skills...
RSC Ken:	and also at the same time to educate them.
RSC Ken:	samething like a union...
JLENRI2561:	how many flairs do you have ken
RSC Ken:	I dont do flares, JLENRI...
RSC Ken:	Im gonna dance in Miami at the poro-am b boy 
masters...
RSC Ken:	hosted by zulu gremlin and speedy legs...
ROD1ONE:	KEN..b/sides NY where would YOU 
say has the most flava for b/dancin??
RSC Ken:	flava is a very delicate word, ROD...
RSC Ken:	what do you mean by flava?
ROD1ONE:	I mean style
RSC Ken:	rod1 - OUT OF 7000 BREAKERS ONLY 700 
 MIGHT HAVE STYLE...
PHATCAPS:	ay Ken....You know Wiggles nephew?
RSC Ken:	PHAT, yes I know Jason, wiggles nephew...
that sone of his nephews anyway...
RSC Ken:	he may have more, but jason is the one i know.
RSC Ken:	I'll be in LA all the time, been going back and forth...
RSC Ken:	just in Frisco 2 weeks ago...
PHATCAPS:	ay Ken...You going to check out my graf/b-boying page?
RSC Ken:	PHATCAPS...in a few onths I will be looking at 
everything thats up & running
RSC Ken:	been to busy
PHATCAPS:	ok Ken
PHATCAPS:	http://members.aol.com/PHATCAPS/hiphop.htm(no L)
PHATCAPS:	TRUESKOOL
Khaoscru:	And ya check out mine too...
Khaoscru:	http://members.aol.com/kasperr007/index.html
B boy167:	phat page k-haos has there!
RSC Ken:	I hope you all show up to the event...
RSC Ken:	I aint got no shame I'll kick wiht anybody ;-)
Bboypsycho:	hey ken have you ever sprained your knee?
RSC Ken:	Bboy - I've never sprained it, but i did blow it out...
RSC Ken:	cartilage tear last october...
RSC Ken:	had arthroscopic surgery...
RSC Ken:	but now i am back RETURN OF THE DRAGON!
PHATCAPS:	Bruce Leroy
Bboypsycho:	had surgery too.. last month.. cartiledge 
and ligament.. bustin with the brace
TJ1GUS:	ken how did graffiti.....hiphop musak....and 
boying .......
get reckognized as a  subculture
TJ1GUS:	?
TJ1GUS:	ooops b-boying
RSC Ken:	TJ1 - as a subculture...
RSC Ken:	you dont recognize somethign as a subculture...
RSC Ken:	culture is a way of life
RSC Ken:	it wasn't a plan
RSC Ken:	i think they involve similar attributes...
RSC Ken:	each of those el;ements onvolve one person's
 creativity
RSC Ken:	and cometetive spirit...
RSC Ken:	(competetive)
PHATCAPS:	ay Ken...you write or ever been into graf?
RSC Ken:	PHAT - yes, i used to write back in 79..
RSC Ken:	i started writing with Doze
RSC Ken:	and I hung out with all the brothers from the late 
70's early 80's
RSC Ken:	I used to bomb the one line in manhattan and destroy
 my
neighborhood....with my name.
NShep0112:	ken what did you used to write ?
RSC Ken:	I used to write KEN ROC...ROC was a cru called 
rock on city...
RSC Ken:	started by mayor and kel
TJ1GUS:	ken you know cope?
RSC Ken:	Ive heard of Cope, dont think I've met him...
RSC Ken:	i meet a lot of people, not good with names
NShep0112:	ken do you still do any graff, at all ?
RSC Ken:	Nshep - I still do outlines and taggin in books...but 
i kinda fell of my graf skills...
RSC Ken:	but...i'm going down to miami with an artist from NY...
RSC Ken:	that writes SUCH
RSC Ken:	and he's pretty good
NShep0112:	which artist ?
TJ1GUS:	ken whos the artist???????
RSC Ken:	SUCH is his name...
PHATCAPS:	ay Ken...are you an AOL member?
RSC Ken:	PHAT - no i'm not...but I will be soon (an AOL member)
RSC Ken:	I'm interested in bombing the whole net...
RSC Ken:	putting up a lot of things about the science of 
breaking
PHATCAPS:	okay...wow...Legs and Ken AOL members!
ALiZeALiZe:	hey Ken can you do head spins?
RSC Ken:	Can I do head spins, I do one shot sizzlers...
RSC Ken:	those are the ORIGINAL head spins.,..
RSC Ken:	friom footwork youthrow yourself into a headspin 
and whatever happens
	RSC Ken:	The thing of beauty re: headspins is ya 
never know how many you gonna get..
Bboypsycho:	new school is hella fresh! but what of the 
power moves?
RSC Ken:	Power moves are essential to breaking...
RSC Ken:	they provide an element of suprise...
RSC Ken:	and amazement.
RSC Ken:	When combined with footwork and freezes..
RSC Ken:	but power moves alone
RSC Ken:	is only part of the whole picture..
Bboypsycho:	true as wel as flavor 
Bboypsycho:	thankyou master!
BObPRL9:	Hey Ken, do you feel that b-boys are 
getting slept on?
RSC Ken:	BOb, first of all...i think we should start relationg 
more..
RSC Ken:	to b girls and b boys...
RSC Ken:	because  b girls have been around from the 
bginning, but they dont get the deserved credit..
RSC Ken:	i think the breaking element overall in society with 
hiphop...
RSC Ken:	hiphop in general isnot getting its due respect...
RSC Ken:	but...b boying and b girling was MEANT to 
be undergorund..
RSC Ken:	not somehting for america to love, so that is all 
that matteers
Bboypsycho:	just wonderin you in any relationships?
RSC Ken:	Bboy - my relationship status is personal...
Bboypsycho:	that's cool..
SuzyBu:	Ken Tell me about the movie
SuzyBu:	how did you get started?
RSC Ken:	I was in Style Wars, Wild Style...
RSC Ken:	Flashdance...
RSC Ken:	B Street
SuzyBu:	what about wild style?
RSC Ken:	Wild Style was my favorite film...
Bboypsycho:	hey.. how can get your video?
RSC Ken:	Oh the Ken Swift video...?
Bboypsycho:	yeah
RSC Ken:	The video is not a movie - its just a project I put 
together...
RSC Ken:	just my little escapades
Bboypsycho:	how can i get it?
RSC Ken:	Bboy - hmmm....wow....
RSC Ken:	you can go through the Wiggles catalog...
RSC Ken:	or through me...
RSC Ken:	it depends...
Bboypsycho:	can't find it.
RSC Ken:	I think Wiggles is backed up....
RSC Ken:	look out for volume two! it will be dynamite...
Khaoscru:	hey ken... u kno kozo rite?? why don't 
u come visit him down here in michigan??
B boy167:	Ken- how'd did you like Seattle?
RSC Ken:	B boy 1767 - i can kick it with you along time 
about seattle..
RSC Ken:	i like dit very much...
RSC Ken:	Plug in with fever and sneak from DVS (droppin 
viscious styles)
B boy167:	yeah- Evan lee- she helped organized 
the break wars thing- she said she got
to 	hang with all
B boy167:	you guys
Khaoscru:	hey ken... u kno kozo rite?? why don't 
u come visit him down here in
	michigan??
RSC Ken:	Kozo - i know who he is...
RSC Ken:	I'd love to come visit...
RSC Ken:	if there is an event tell Kozo to let me know,...
RSC Ken:	and I'll go
RSC Ken:	I like Kozo alot - he's real cool...
RSC Ken:	Khao - I'd love to endorse it and help ya with it...
RSC Ken:	but i started 7 gems....
RSC Ken:	its in its beginning stages...
RSC Ken:	but if i can help out, no problem..
Khaoscru:	that'll be correct ken
HonEBaby:	Ken.. who would you say has been 
your mentor(s) in all of this?
RSC Ken:	HonE - definitely first and foremost...have to 
be a B boy named Greggo...
RSC Ken:	saw him in 79 or 80 with a crew...called the
 executioners...
RSC Ken:	and i hasd been breaking already
RSC Ken:	but when i saw him, i was overwhelmed by his 
ability to be like a hoovercraft...
RSC Ken:	when he did his footwork...
RSC Ken:	on concrete...you could not hear his feet touch
 the ground...
RSC Ken:	and he wasnt doing flares...
RSC Ken:	and then of course, ...
RSC Ken:	Kid Terrific, Magnetic, Ron Darris...
RSC Ken:	Kid Sorcerer...
RSC Ken:	Charlie Rock
RSC Ken:	Kid Galaxy
RSC Ken:	eddie Ed for the brooklyn rock...
RSC Ken:	spy
RSC Ken:	and track...
B boy167:	Ken- I need a new cru name- ya got 
any ideas?
RSC Ken:	a new crew nmame...i got masssive cru names...
RSC Ken:	i got hundreds...
RSC Ken:	but i cant remember any...i got mnames tho


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