PORTRAIT/INTERVIEW / Asia One / B-Girl and Graffiti Artist & Activist

First off, when asked to introduce myself i address myself as follows: Asia One Bgirl. I don't consider myself a dancer (that is to limiting). I am an innovator of bboy/bgirl culture, a champion of the crusade called No Easy Props, and a commUNITY thinker whose goal is to help create a sustainable holistic Hip-Hop community that doesn't need to rely on outside support or funding, instead creates all financial growth, and community well being by itself (FUBU).

Never content to follow trends I have trailblazed my own off beaten path. The road hasn't been smooth, but only positive energy flows (be like water right?) to get past the rocks. I don't want to do a long bio here, if you want my credentials, you can check my website. I am not an "old-skool" head, missed that mark, but came in after that, in the mid nineties, and am credited with helping to create new momentum and rekindling the bboy spirit/lifeblood with my event, The Bboy Summit.

The Summit (94) was created at a time out of necessity since bboys/bgirl were a rare breed at that time, and no support or platforms were available for us to express ourselves, thus the Summit was born. It was always and will remain a cultural platform for Hip-Hop, all elements recognized. The next step for me was the creation of No Easy Props (97), the movement and slogan ment to raise an eyebrow and a fist in the air! It is timeless, and if ya don't know what it means, you probably came across this article my mistake! hahaha! Well, skills first and formost must be cultivated, and respect is earned by the later. I consider my biggest success to be my personal transformation over the years to the person i am NOW. I don't have anyone i consider an enemy, don't hold any grudges, and have really changed my views to be a freethinker. So many of us have been touched, influenced by incredible talent that has helped mold us to who we are today. Without the past we have no future. But the past is exactly that, i don't live in it, don't watch Wild Style every day like i used to.

Now my efforts are more concentrated by a cause I was hipped to recently, the youth. Currently, No Easy Props has a program that i consider the most important thing to emerge in years called Hip-Hop 101 (07). It is an after school visual arts program throughout the schools system in LA, and recently started in Miami also. We spend time with our youth, mentor them on bboy/bgirl Hip-Hop style of dance and Hip-Hop art. If you get one thing from reading this article, I implore you to spend some of your valuable time helping out a youngstar. Other than that I stay steady on my Bgirl diet, and of course yes indeedy I write graffiti, and am currently working with my crews No Easy Props, Evoke, and Zulu Kweens!

For more information on the Bboy Summit (coming at you in Sept 2008), No Easy Props, and Asia One peep the websites:

www.bboysummit.com
www.noeasyprops.tv
www.Asia-1.org