When you think of reality competition first, you think Kelly Clarkson for American Idol, Da Band for Making The Band, and Jabbawockeez for America’s Best Dance Crew. These masked men, who won the first season of one of MTV’s most popular shows, has risen to enormous fame in the last two years, starring in a box-office hit STEP-UP 2: The Streets, touring with New Kids On The Block, and performing with Saquille O’Neal at the 2009 Allstar game. The crew recently added 10 more shows to their line up at uber-fabulous MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and GG caught up with the boys about fame, the evolution of west coast dance, and of course, whats next for original winners of ABDC.
[pagebreak]
When you think Vegas performances, you think legends like Celine Dion, Cher, Donny and Marie Osmand. Well now you can put the Jabbawockeez in that lineup. The crew did an amazing 20-day run at the world famous MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. There show, which sold out every night, was picked up for another 10 performance. How does the crew feel? According to Cristyleand Swaggerboy ‘We want 20 years!’
How did they get to this point of success some might ask? Well, they contribute it to where they’re from, the West Coast. If you have not noticed, every winning crew from ABDC has been from the west. According to Kid Rainen, ‘Anyone can make up a dance. What the west coast is good at doing is making it into a show’. Cristyle adds to that; ‘ABDC is, on a larger scale, based off shows we’ve been doing in the SoCal circit for years’
[pagebreak]
And while these guys have guys have reached unimaginable fame, they are all surprisingly modest about the whole thing. When I talk to them about their ‘heartthrob’ status, Phi instantly exclaims ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about!’, while Kid Rainen says ‘We’re basing that off what were hear from you’.
So after a few laughs, I finally get around to asking what they want to do after Vegas. Then I remember, while waiting for the interview outside their hotel room, I heard them singing! I asked to hear more, and they sung, in damn-near perfect harmony their website URL ‘J-B-W-K-Z DOT COM!!!!’ (Insert HotWire commercial jingle). The crew now has mixtape ready for download on their website JBWKZ.com, along with exclusive Crooks X Jabba gear. Can we say triple threat status!
Follow Me On Twitter|@SmithXX
