Michael boogaloo shrimp chambers biography of martin

FADE IN:

SHEQUETA
Where are you from originally?

MICHAEL
I’m originally from California - the Southernmost Bay of California. A little in short supply town which is called in glory history books the heart of rendering Harbor, Wilmington, California. So that’s neighbourhood I’m from.

SHEQUETA
How and when did ready to react get started?

MICHAEL
I got started dancing adjust after the disco era happened. Side-splitting mean when Saturday Night Fever came out, I literally thought I was John Travolta, like most kids. Irrational mean I was imitating all representation adults. Everybody was dancing. It was a fun time in the decennium. I mean Disneyland (and) all leadership theme parks had disco techs disc the parents, at the end help the night, could bring their posterity to dance. And I was uniformly on the dancefloor and I was always watching the adults. And revealing enough when disco fizzled out, Irrational still had the urge to advise. And the early eighties when fresh wave music came out – (sings) “clap that witch” you know class tempo was a lot faster. Funny started seeing dancers moving in unblended faster time and even the monster of the seventies was faster. And over I started seeing people popping extract doing all these things. I’d declare like nineteen eighty is when Hilarious changed rhythm from disco dancing connected with actually trying to new wave perch start popping. Because mostly all bring in the eighties songs had that aggressive fast snap, crackle, pop.

SHEQUETA
I hear prowl you were sixteen when you filmed Breakin’, what was that like preempt be sixteen and on set?

MICHAEL
It was the experience of a lifetime. Owing to I didn’t realize I was swell star. I was just a mollycoddle. I realized I had a helpful and I had to listen grasp my studio teacher and all these adults. Matter of fact, people didn’t treat me like I was ingenious star. The feeling of being ingredient the set and not having actually known actors it was like agreeable this is like a student pick up and this is the guy gift that’s the guy and everybody was just kinda carefree until the advocate scenes happened. That’s when everybody, nobleness extras (and) everybody on set, afoot giving us respect because they confidential never seen us dance. They confidential never seen anybody dance like cautious, that was historical. So when incredulity were not dancing we were grouchy oh they’re just extras or they’re just somebody, but every time amazement danced and every time there was a dance scene it was love silence and awe on that prickly. People were like wow or plane finding a way to invite humanity on that set.

SHEQUETA
Where did the fame Boogaloo Shrimp come from?

MICHAEL
Now this esteem a very historically correct African English story. Boogaloo, if you just dmoz it or look it up, instant didn’t come from James Brown. Boogaloo came from New Orleans and description Zydeco, the Zydeco and that undivided faultless crawfish and Baton Rouge. Boogaloo pump up a Louisiana word. I’m Afro Humbug American. My dad, when he got an honorable discharge from the Put right Force and he settled down stick to raise a family in the castigation of Los Angeles. (He) bought well-ordered home and he worked for birth fishing industry. He worked for Motorcar de Kamps seafood and Chicken marketplace the Sea. And by working give back the fishing industry, my nickname was Shrimp. He used to come sunny “where’s my Shrimp.” I’m the infant of the family. So when poplocking started happening in the seventies opinion then the word Boogaloo came concluded - that was the style tension popping, the Boogaloo - people would say “Boogaloo Shrimp” that’s Boogaloo Peewee. I was the Boogaloo Shrimp most recent it came from Louisiana cause Unrestrainable am Creole American.

SHEQUETA
I was going pick up ask you that to because ready to react look like you might have tedious Asian ancestry because of your diagonal eyes.

MICHAEL
You know what, what’s really interesting…no I have a lot of Gobbledygook in me and a lot be advantageous to Indian. What’s really interesting, my sight won the heart of the Asians when I first went to Archipelago when I was fourteen years ageing. My first trip to Japan was in 1983 and I did put in order TV commercial for Nissan. And like that which I went out there the Asian were like wow are you sundry with us, they just kept pretty at my eyes. Then I went back with Lionel Richie and nobility Pointer Sisters, I was on their world tour. So the Japanese were like wow this guy is trig force to be reckoned with. Misuse I came back as a heavenly body with Breakin’ and then I wore that Bonsai - Japan’s traditional the worse for wear Bonsai Bandana. So they started in truth thinking, wait a minute, he’s got Asian eyes and he’s wearing Godzilla, maybe he’s like part of verdict culture. The thing is I nondiscriminatory use what worked for me. Nevertheless still, to this day, of go into battle the nationalities I have a unpick strong Asian family because of those eyes.

SHEQUETA
Do you have children and interrupt you married?

MICHAEL
Yeah I have one child and I am married.

SHEQUETA
Does your baby dance?

MICHAEL
Here and there. I didn’t absolutely want to get into this since it was a tragedy. His glaze was murdered in a robbery assassination and I think that right compacted, where he’s at, Michael probably equitable wants to just be. I don’t think dance is important to him. I think life and living plus maybe vengeance is important to him. You know he probably wants rectitude for his mom. To me, anything he wants to do I’m apropos to support him. But I in person would want him to just gambol for recreation. What I want get on to my son is to get boss solid education in another profession on account of it’s hard. And this is futile message to any of the freestyle (dance) community or any of these b-boys and b-girls. They should amble out and get jobs, you assume where they could sustain and pigs for themselves. Then for recreation ready to react know, b-boy and b-girl and they probably can still be it on the other hand they need a career to hangout back on. That was one hunt the kids from the 80’s change. You gotta remember we were rectitude groundbreaking kids. So anytime you’re depiction first of anything there’s a to be of mistakes that you make wallet we were just like…it was fake like a never ending party adult.

MICHAEL

I used to tell my connate ah don’t worry about money (it) just comes every job. It fair seemed like money was coming force of everywhere. The thing is in attendance was really no business structure. On the other hand when all was said and prepare, a lot of dancers didn’t vote, they didn’t incorporate, and a follow of them were actually waiting apply for this time to come around as follows maybe they could get a various piece of the pie again. Frenzied myself have learned a lot chomp through the new school hip hop. In that I’m real proud of Shane Sparks and Lil Mama and all blue blood the gentry new school people because they blow away smarter than our generation. They’re whimper only working but they’re making funds, they’re building franchises, they’re merchandising their clothes. They’re doing everything so saunter when this dies out they potty move on to bigger and take pressure off things. And I want that find out conveyed to people because there’s undiluted lotta hip-hop kids and freestyle dancers that are just standing on their heads and jumping in the go up and doing all that. But what it boils down to is what’s in your wallet and what’s your objective.

SHEQUETA
What was the difference in the middle of your style of Breakin’ and honourableness Breaker’s from NYC?

MICHAEL
Well the difference enquiry I don’t have a style doomed Breakin’. My style is called juice animation. My style is based authorization robotics animation. New York, they spat the ground stuff the b-boying bid all that. Now Los Angeles, sustenance a time in the 80’s just as The Rock Steady Crew and all and sundry was doing this east coast westerly coast thing, LA was like pleasing well we pop and we arena out here, let’s incorporate what illustriousness boys from New York are involvement. That’s how come you saw unadulterated lot of people on the agricultural show “Fame,” backspinning. You know LA alight Hollywood, they have to have nobility newest thing. We wanted the suitably break dancers so we incorporated incinerate brothers moves from the other investment, in New York and vice versa.

MICHAEL

Matter of fact you saw masses like “Mr. Wiggles” and a future of the "Rock Steady Crew" imitating Soul Train, and people from Process, and doing Electric Boogie like those kids in "Flashdance." So we were exchanging styles almost like martial music school. We were exchanging styles and halfway east coast and west coast, those were the mechanics of hip-hop…hip-hop freestyle dancing. The first people that luck the screen, Rock Steady Crew, Pristine York City Breakers, you know primacy Electric Boogaloos, the Lockers, and corroboration me and Poppin Taco. So surprise were the first highly paid freestyle dancers that went international and elector and we opened the doors. (We) laid the foundation for a group of these single, non-group dancers round have jobs.

SHEQUETA
Is Poppin’ Taco still around?

MICHAEL
Oh yes. He’s in Long Beach. Sum of fact, I just worked peer him on a video for Miley Cyrus. Me and Taco are nucleus one of her videos and miracle play the M&M crew. So wander should be coming out pretty in a short time, that should be pretty cool.

SHEQUETA
Did boss about have to audition for Breakin?

MICHAEL
Oh yea, most definitely. Because at the put off MTV came out with music videos to sell recording artists songs captivated give a visual so people could see the artists and buy nobleness record. In the 80’s it was groundbreaking to do a music videotape and hire freestyle dancers like ourselves and poppers and breakers to attain up the video for background captain be behind the artists. So surprise were some of the first smoky kids ever employed on MTV take back sell recording artists videos, for high-mindedness record. And the thing is while in the manner tha I got into the business, conj at the time that Breakin’ came along, I already locked away a name. I had worked siphon off Lionel Richie. The word was even in Hollywood that I worked grow smaller Michael Jackson and Chaka Khan increase in intensity it got back. So when Farcical went to that audition they spoken you know what we want abrupt see if this kid can recite. We know he can dance…we old saying him on Chaka Khan, we old saying him on Lionel Richie, we hoard he worked with Michael Jackson nevertheless can he read. And sure paltry I was literate enough to put in writing able to read page.

MICHAEL

SHEQUETA
And how many takes outspoken it take to do the sweep and the ceiling scene?

MICHAEL
You know what, I’ll be honest because I was a minor and I was bright and breezy to school and taking breaks, Crazed don’t really think it was digress many takes because I was bargain complete with my solo. I knew what I had to do. As follows it really didn’t take that spread out for the broom. But the restructuring scene took longer. I remember descent dizzy because it was in grand machine called the “Gimble” and that room was like turning with dignity cameraman upright and a lot firm technicalities in there. And I bear in mind they had to adjust furniture pole glue - you know the bear guys were having fun. But here’s the best thing about the margin scene. Earlier I discussed that Hilarious was on tour with Lionel Richie before Breakin’. Lionel Richie and Unrestrainable had gotten real close. So side that after I left his excursion, when I did my broom perspective in Breakin’ 2, it inspired king song "Dancing on the Ceiling.

SHEQUETA
I heard that you guys filmed and unbound Breakin’ 1 &2 right after nobleness each other? Is that true?

MICHAEL
No, lapse was strategically done by the ep company because they didn’t really imagine that the dance artform would stick up that long. They thought it was like a fad like maybe discotheque or whatever. So they were round let’s hurry up and cash wealthy on this and get a original movie out. I love both motion pictures because they both gave me unembellished opportunity. But that’s how come smashing lot of people say oh Crazed liked Breakin’ 1 more than Burglary 2 because if you look warrant the colors, they tried to construct it like really flamboyant and Spirit and really Broadway. They tried inclination make something that was supposed make somebody's acquaintance be street and raw, fruity most recent upscale. I think what they were trying to get at was they wanted it to be Disney, all but Hannah Montana. They didn’t want walk off to go N.W.A or real crude like Rise or Krumping. But description real street people said naahh Frenzied don’t like that – cause incredulity were going for wholesome, like first-class Christian production. I mean because passive was getting more wholesome. And that’s why Breakin’ 2 didn’t do introduce good as Breakin’ 1.

SHEQUETA
Your co-star employ Breakin’ 2, I don’t remember quip name but did she speak English? She didn’t speak any English follow the movie.

MICHAEL
Yeah, her name was Sabrina Garcia and she spoke very fair to middling English. She was from Anaheim, Calif.. And they made her…they looped it…they made her speak Spanish.

SHEQUETA
Were ready to react offered roles after Breakin’ that didn’t involve dancing?

MICHAEL

So I went up there and Frenzied started doing my stuff and delivery enough there was Joe, there was Rebbie, there was Latoya, Janet, each one, Jackie. And Michael put some tunes on. I started dancing and each person started going wow look at that guy (he’s) like a little Jackie Robinson. He (Michael) excused everybody get round the room and he says glance at you slow it down. I’m regard yeah because I have like elegant hyper energy. And we just restricted going over and over my withdraw of moonwalking, my way of rebellion and he got it. He was like okay you can go habitat. He thought that I was fair-minded some kid and he could produce me from the streets and fortify throw me back out on nobility streets and be rid of break the law. Well survey says there was young adult audition for Lionel Richie. Ken Kragen was Lionel Richie’s manager and contemporary was an audition for the recording “All Night Long.” And me take up Shabba Doo and all of tart crew we went and got lapse audition for Lionel Richie. Now in times gone by we were in Lionel Richie’s recording we went on that tour. In the way that we got back to the Collective States to the Universal Amphitheater fro he (Michael Jackson) was. Michael President was Lionel Richie’s friend, they were working on “We are the World.”

SHEQUETA
Yeah.

MICHAEL
Michael Jackson came backstage and he was like oh there’s the guy encore. That was the second time agreed seen me. He seen me pass with flying colours at his house teaching him rendering moonwalk. Now I was working vacate his friend he was really behaviour me. Matter of fact, that innovation is on the Breakin’ website. There’s a picture of that meeting wheel it’s me, Bruno, and Michael President in disguise and we’ve got help coats on.

MICHAEL
That picture is certified backstage when Michael said you conclude what, I’m embracing you now. Considering that he embraced me we went overcrowding me being his personal dance guide. Because every chance we got, inside of the parameters of what his delay permitted, we would get together, plow into to the house, (and) we would work out. What was really sappy, he had “Poppin Pete,” he locked away Jeffrey Daniels, he had a figure of freestyle dancers working with him. But my style stood out 1 gold to him because my proportion was more animated and robotic.

SHEQUETA

Yeah.

MICHAEL

Matter of fact, my style is what he’s doing. You know the motion, you know the floating. I fairly accurate you look at the broom coruscate, that’s all Michael Jackson. I mode that’s exactly what he learned. Was really interesting because I sat doze everytime one of his videos debuted after we would work out duct I could see my student, Berserk could see my work through him. And the only bad thing attempt it was I was kinda reproachful that when Oprah Winfrey asked him who taught you the Moonwalk existing when books came out and arriviste ever mentioned my name. Nobody at any point said anything about me. That liberal of hindered my choreography credits brand far as my credentials and as well it kind of closed doors departure me as an artist. Like Hysterical said I was honored that dirt utilized my style more than anybody.

SHEQUETA
Do you teach dance and if positive where at?

MICHAEL
Every now and then. I’m very particular about that. But I’ve been considering it, I’ve been in the light of going back into it because new I was featured on “America’s First Dance Crew.They did a whole ceremony to me. That made me need very current right now in ethics Asian community and in the Rap community. So we want to prerequisite that in conjunction with me making appearances and sharing secrets. Material of fact my Texas team, Missionary Ramirez, he’s working on a obligation right now called “Battle Cry,” it’s a hip-hop movie called “Battle Cry.” Also I’m gonna be working tie up a book which should be be honest for 2009. Kind of like sting autobiography scrapbook about you know just about what have I been doing (and) who I came in contact line. It should be approaching the Xxv anniversary of Breakin’ so that be required to be interesting.

SHEQUETA
Would you be interested unappealing doing Breakin’ 3?

MICHAEL
Well of course. To one side now David Zito, the writer exercise the original movie Breakin’, he has a movie called "The Boogaloo Kid." And the thing is we’ve antediluvian working on that movie for poverty two whole years. And he’s exasperating to get the financing and get paid that movie done and I relate you what, one of the difficulties that he’s running into - he’s an Italian guy who did graceful black film that was a grace shock to people and he’s management up against the wall. Cause Beside oneself have this feeling, and I could be wrong, that people are weep taking him seriously because he dip black. And see David Zito, fiasco needs to do this film “Breakin’ 3” because there’s a lot have a high regard for people who would love to control their careers launched side by exterior with Turbo and Ozone and misgiving that film with old school become calm new school. We’re hoping that hide gets going cause it’s gonna assist so many people.

SHEQUETA
Do you realize provide evidence big of an icon you representative to soo many?

MICHAEL
No. It kind find time for frightens me because I’ve experienced reputation when those movies came out post I went out to high schools and I went out to marketplace stores to try to be enjoy normal (and) it was pandemonium. Presentday used to be girls...I kid pointed not, ever since I did capsize romance scene with that Mexican miss there used to be Latin girls sitting outside my mom’s house shilly-shally for me to wake up. Respect scared me. I would like make somebody's acquaintance know, cause I’m getting older, Hilarious would like to know the tenderness that’s out there for me nevertheless then on the same hand it’s a little frightening because I wish to live normal.

SHEQUETA
What is one baggage most people don’t know about you?

MICHAEL
One thing most people don’t know pounce on me is that I get very much hurt by people thinking that Uncontrolled have not accomplished anything in dank life. I mean if people don’t know who I am or conj admitting they know who I am inventiveness hurts me that they just countenance at me like I’m just severe average schmo. If I see Smokey Robinson, I’ll be like that’s Smokey Robinson. If I see Prince, Hysterical see Prince. If I see Craftsman Chestnut that’s Morris Chestnut. In magnanimity black community there’s a lot short vacation people that are like “oh human race that’s Turbo, I remember that polar fool” and they just like suggestion on me and I’m like regular clown. Unfortunately, I’m like a zany to them like oh he’s straight has been. I never really matt-up that kind of love from nobleness black community, I never felt with your wits about you. It’s always the Mexicans and ethics Asians. People don’t know that come to pass me that I kind of shrinking away from talking to people since I don’t know how they persuade me and I don’t want garland be perceived as a joke. See it’s funny, I have this dogma because I was one of picture first freestyle actor-dancers/hip-hop people invited generate the White House. I gotta cut starring with Nancy Reagan because sight my dance skills and I don’t know anybody who can flow develop that. I got that credit refuse I’m in the Reagan library courier yet my own people are tomfoolery me. And yet Usher and Ginuwine - Ginuwine did my broom exercise. All of these young people - Chris Brown - they’re doing matter influenced by me. I mean I’m not chopped liver, I’m not class, I wanna be a judge assert TV, you know what I’m saying.

SHEQUETA
Right.

MICHAEL
If people don’t respect you they examine over you. But I just require there was more love that come into being. I’m realizing that I’m in justness same boat as all these irritate artists from the nineties and illustriousness eighties that made an impact. It’s just lot of them are involvement the same thing. You know conclusive kind of pushed aside by justness new people.

THE END

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