Gangsta Walking

For the 2006 single by rapper Coolio, see Gangsta Walk.

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The Gangsta Walk

Gangsta Walking (often referred to as Buckin, Jookin, or Choppin) is a street dance that originated in Memphis, Tennessee along side "Buck" music during the 1980s, some have speculated that the dance was originally created during the late 1970s. The Gangsta Walk is commonly performed to crunk music due to the particular 'bounce' in the beat & the movement the dancers make to keep with it. Though Gangsta Walking has been around for many years, much of the dance is still exclusive to the city & surrounding areas.

Types of Gangsta Walk

There is a variation of styles for the Gangsta Walk:

• One particular style requires the dancer to take quick steps, stomp, twists, & throwing their arms around while moving to a beat, the best example being Crunchy Black's style, referred to as G-Walking [1]. The style is considered the bases of all Gangsta Walking done in Memphis since the 80s.

• Another style requires 3 or more people hopping around in a circle in a rhythmatic motion, while throwing their hands into the air & yelling "Get Buck" or the lyrics to a Buck song. This style of the Gangsta Walk is more commonly referred to as the G-Train. It is said that this style was banded from the clubs shortly after being created due to the wildness it invoked in performers & as well as onlookers. Reminders of its existence are still left behind in older clubs or closed down night spots around the city.

• The most known style of Gangsta Walking is within the standard crunk atmosphere, involving a crowd of people slamming and pushing off one another on the dance floor.

• The most famous & practiced style of Gangsta Walking around the city takes bits & pieces from other street dance styles like liquid dancing (the wave, tutting, tracing, contours, & hand flowing), the robot, locking, popping, gliding & even breakdancing all merged together with the traditional dance. The most recognizable moves in the dance is the dancer does moves similar to the two-step between making another motion & spinning or walking on the tips of their toes. This style of the Gangsta Walk is mostly done by the younger generation & the generation behind them who grew up shortly after the invention of Buck music, thus titling it Buckin.

Spin-offs

Turfing, an Oakland, California based street dance, has its roots in Gangsta Walking. In the late 80s, native rapper, MC Hammer, toured in Memphis & saw the dance in the crowd while performing. He incorperated his own moves into the 'Walk' to create his own original style which (after years of evolution) in turn made Turfing. Many Turf dancers consider the Gangsta Walk as a recreation of their own style.

Music videos featuring the Gangsta Walk

• Al Kapone - Buckin' and Jookin' [2]
• G-Style - Gangsta [3]
• Three 6 Mafia feat.Chamillionaire - Dope Boy Fresh[4]
• Three 6 Mafia feat. Bow Wow & Project Pat - Side 2 Side (remix) [5]
• Three 6 Mafia feat. Lil' Flip - Ridin' Spinners [6]
• Da Crunkstaz feat.Al Kapone & La Chat - Reppin' Da M [7]
• Project Pat - Raised in the Projects [8]
• Kingpin Skinny Pimp - Dey Gotta Pay Me [9]
• Kingpin Skinny Pimp feat.Yo Gotti, Kinfolk Kia $hine, & 8-Ball - TV's (24's And Wang) [10]
• Da Volunteers feat.MJG - Favorite Color [11]
• Infintry - It's Official [12]
• Misc. - Memphis Walk [13]

See also

• Memphis Rap
• MemphisRap.com

External links

• Gangsta Walking the Movie Website
• Gangsta Walking the Movie trailer
• Memphis Jookin, Vol. 1 DVD: The History and Evolution of Gangsta Walking website
• Buckin on Youtube.com
• Early Gangsta Walking on Youtube.com
• [my space smk muzik {gangsta walk 2007}