Hip-hop artist, activist, and historian Jorge "Fabel" Pabon captivated a small audience in Pearson last Thursday with his discussion on the evolution of hip-hop.
Spliced with video clips of dancers, DJs, and legendary hip-hop figures such as Afrika Bambaata and Grandmaster Flash, Fabel's lecture navigated through over three decades of hip-hop culture.
Almost forty years old himself, Fabel grew up in Spanish Harlem and witnessed the rise, and in his estimation, the decline of the true hip-hop spirit.
The vibrant street culture to which Fabel owes most of his influences was a setting characterized by "weird dynamics." At once the home of artists, musicians and gangs alike, the roots of hip-hop grew from the tempestuous climate of Spanish Harlem, and other neighborhoods like it.
"The revolutionary spirit of the '60s helped fuel the motivation for what later became know as hip-hop culture," Fabel explained.
Even before it had a label, people in Fabel's community were participating in "jams."
Jams were basically huge block parties that included DJ battles and dancing. With their come-as-you-are policy, "it was kind of like an F-you to the disco scene."
Fabel noted the universality of the movement as well: "It's not about skin color or racial background, it's all about what's in your heart, and your skill level."
At times admittedly nostalgic about hip-hop's early days, Fabel attempted to set the record straight concerning what qualified as true hip-hop.
Moving beyond the so-called "four elements" - dancing, DJs, MCs, and graffiti - Fabel included fashion, slang, beat boxing, etc., as equally important aspects of the culture. Whereas in the '70s and '80s each performer played a significant role and was appreciated for his skills, today's music industry and media have propelled the MC to the top spot.
"The word hip-hop has been hijacked by the rap industry and they're milking it for everything it's worth," Fabel lamented.
Responsibility for this misnomer also goes to the media, an entity that does not shy away from generalizations. Fabel revealed that the term "break dancing" was a label the media has applied to very different forms of dance. Even the move Michael Jackson made famous was sold under the false name of "moon walking" - he was really just backsliding.
Using his own body to demonstrate the differences between popping, locking, uprocking, and breaking, Fabel also denounced the movie industry's attempts to capture the culture in such films as "Breaking,"(a movie that featured mostly popping and locking) "Wild Style" and "Beat Street," a movie featuring Fabel himself.
Fabel did not let his bitterness stand alone, and offered solutions to the disintegration of the culture. Bringing back the jams should be the top priority, as this provided a sense of community that cultivated collaboration and innovation among fellow artists, improving the genre at every step.
"When the jams ended, the cultural chain of succession was broken," Fabel explained. One reason that rap has become the dominant aspect of hip-hop is because the other elements are no longer as accessible to the public.
Co-founder of GhettOriginal, Fabel was involved in the first hip-hop off-broadway musical, "Jam on the Groove."
As a featured performer, Fabel toured internationally, also visiting schools and doing different outreach programs to "set the record straight." Fabel is currently the Senior VP of the Rock Steady Crew, President of the Hierophysics Crew, and a member of Magnificent Force. These groups are devoted to the promotion of all aspects of hip-hop.
This lecture was the first event of a five part series sponsored by the Latino Studies Department. The upcoming lectures will feature other Latino artists and musicians.
Fabel's presentation was preceded earlier in the day by a free dance class on the techniques of popping and locking, the artist's trademark styles.
Fabel regularly teaches at NYU's Experimental Dance Theatre Wing, as well as other schools and dance institutions around New York City.
