In this interview, photographer and documentary filmmaker Henry Chalfant reflects on his work documenting New York’s graffiti movement during the 1970s and 1980s, and the lasting cultural impact of his photographs.
His work would go on to influence generations of graffiti writers far beyond New York. ART IS NOT A CRIME explores this lasting impact, presenting Chalfant’s photographs at their original scale and tracing their role in shaping the Dutch graffiti scene.
Special thanks to film director Leanne Vink.
ART IS NOT A CRIME is on view at STRAAT Museum through March 13, 2027. Curated by SUSO33 and supported by AFK.
The most expensive album in music history is a controversial, 1-of-1 work of art, owned by "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli, then the feds... and now a mysterious digital art collective named pleasrDAO. But, in no small part because the album's NFT-style circus began to fracture their team, Wu-Tang Clan's most famous member had never actually heard "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin." Until now.
This 58-minute archival b-roll tape is a look at the genesis of hip-hop culture, specifically the B-boy/breakdancing element, captured just as it was teetering on the edge of global commercialization.
The footage bypasses polished MTV-style framing and dives straight into the raw nerve of the culture. It opens with extended cuts of a Kiss FM radio broadcast and raw street cyphers, documenting the exact aesthetic and sonic landscape of 1984 New York.
The physical maneuvers—windmills, headspins, electric boogaloo—are captured not as choreography, but as athletic, highly competitive street expression.
The most sociologically revealing moments occur during the unvarnished interviews with members of the legendary Rock Steady Crew toward the end of the tape [48:46].
They bluntly deconstruct the "battle," explaining it not as a dance routine, but as a direct substitute for violence.
When asked if breakdancing took the place of old gang wars, a member confirms, "Yeah, definitely, since about '71, '69" [52:20].
The archive lays bare the structural reality of these youth: they were minorities in the Bronx, facing systemic hurdles in education and employment.
They explicitly acknowledge that without this art form, their outcomes could have been devastating ("how you think is it replacing... I have no criminal record, none of us do") [51:26].
The footage also exposes the early friction of commercialization.
The crew members recount being mocked when the trend "died out" initially, only to laugh in the faces of those who rushed back when "everybody sees that there's money" [57:02].
It captures a culture furiously trying to protect its authenticity ("don't look like nobody else") [55:43] while simultaneously negotiating the transition from street corners on Columbus Avenue to international tours in Germany and Japan.
The crew vents about the dilution of the culture, complaining that "the whole city's doing it" regarding a specific move (the windmill).
This captures the strict, internal policing of authenticity within the subculture, where copying was a cardinal sin and original style was the primary currency.
When asked what breakdancing is doing for kids in the city, the response is deeply sociological: "It's hard enough for most people living in the Bronx and New York City just by being minority for them to get a job, a decent education."
his explicitly frames hip-hop not merely as entertainment, but as an autonomous economic and social survival mechanism created by the abandoned working class.
A member directly confirms that breaking took the place of "old gang wars" dating back to the early 70s, tracing the crew's roots back to a subdivision of an actual street gang (the Bronx Boys).
This is a vital historical record of how marginalized youth spontaneously engineered a cultural substitute for self-destructive street violence.
The crew discusses the vultures of the industry, noting how people mocked them when breaking wasn't trendy, but suddenly "everybody wants a piece" once money was involved.
This exposes the raw machinery of cultural exploitation, where corporate entities commodify working-class art forms for profit.
"Electric Boogie" (1983) is a fascinating documentary and performance film that captures the explosive rise of breaking and electro-influenced Hip Hop culture during one of its most exciting periods. Filmed as Hip Hop was expanding beyond New York City, the documentary showcases the energy of street dancers, B-boys, B-girls, DJs, and the vibrant urban culture that surrounded the early breakdance movement. Featuring authentic performances and a soundtrack rooted in the electro sound of the era, Electric Boogie offers a valuable snapshot of the creativity, athleticism, and innovation that defined Hip Hop in the early 1980s.
In 1983, Hip Hop was rapidly becoming a global cultural phenomenon. Electro classics such as "Planet Rock," "Clear," "Jam On It," and "Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)" were fueling dance floors, while breakdancing was emerging as one of the culture's most visible elements. Music videos, television appearances, and documentaries helped introduce audiences around the world to B-boying, DJing, MCing, and graffiti writing. Electric Boogie belongs to this important wave of films that documented Hip Hop as it spread internationally, preserving the authentic style and spirit of the movement before it became fully mainstream.
Rather than focusing on a single artist, Electric Boogie celebrates the dancers and communities that helped shape Hip Hop culture. The documentary highlights the skill, creativity, and dedication required to master breaking, popping, locking, and other street dance styles that were captivating audiences worldwide. These performers, alongside pioneering DJs and MCs, helped transform Hip Hop from a local New York phenomenon into an international cultural movement that influenced music, fashion, art, and dance.
Electric Boogie remains an important historical document because it preserves the early visual history of breaking during Hip Hop's formative years. It offers modern viewers an authentic look at the fashion, music, dance techniques, and street culture that inspired generations of dancers and artists. For anyone interested in the roots of Hip Hop, the documentary provides an invaluable glimpse into the era when breaking became a worldwide phenomenon and electro music became its soundtrack.
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