Written by Alan Ng
Edited by Jenkin Au
Photography by Jenkin Au

One’s opinion on what routes younger cats entering the scene should comply to is quite ambiguous. While each persons journey to success lies on various aspects and original approaches, there will always be a parallel that can be easily noticed by the people that get recognized in street culture. Hip-hop was born out of battles so people that are experimenting with these elements will always be judged, criticized, and analyzed. Through the interviews that we have conducted and on behalf of the words of wisdom from the older generation, this editorial will speak upon the basic common factors of success in street culture that is consistently mentioned.

Starting off the bat is the simplest concept but people never understand it or give themselves excuses. A high level of creativity, passion, dedication and what not doesn’t mean a shit if you are not working hard. While the starting point of each individual is different, working hard is perhaps the only way you can distinguish yourself from the rest in this competitive street culture. Especially for up and comers, people could rate and comment on many positive aspects of your work but if they don’t see your work ethics in power play, you will mean nothing to them because for them to get to where they are today, it’s probably because of the sacrifices and hard work that they have made throughout the years.

The ever growing technology has definitely changed how skills can be obtained. While there will always be methods of retaining the old school essence of learning, it’s almost arrogant sometimes to compare yourself with the past. While it’s important to build a solid foundation and ground work for your trade, it’s also important to be relevant and look around your surroundings. You can only pay your dues to a point and then it leads on to the next factor, originality.

Being original is extremely difficult in street culture. Through commercialization and the saturation of information on the internet, it’s really hard to put originality in the equation. A good approach would be to master all the frameworks that all beginners should know. From that, utilize your creativity and flip moves and tricks to your own. Everyone in the world’s different, and there are no limits of creativity. It’s only when you are too influenced by a particular style or person that makes you a replica.

Replication of concepts, events, and styles will not only make you a jokester, but you are not really progressing as a person nor bringing your art form or trade to the next level. With the aid of and progression of technology, things can really be done much easier than the old days yet people are not stepping the game up. Whether people are in it for the wrong reasons, it seems like we have been entering a constant loop and cycle of the state of street culture. People have been using formats that are known to be successful and are labeling titles or identifications that they do not truly represent.  If you have nothing to offer, other than the motive to earn money in the scene, your existences in the scene will only be a fad.

Connections are also an important concept to understand which many kids either abuse or take advantage of. The way you handle with your associations could also make or break depending on your approach. As you progress in the scene, you will definitely meet more people that could potential play a strong role in the development of your career, but you have to be conscious. It’s important to remember not to directly lean on their shoulders and be able to branch out to a more massive network without constraining yourself with the one that you have collaborated with. Not only does it close up many future doors of potential friends, but you have just trapped yourself in a niche that is operated by the giant.

Staying true yourself is a complicated theory. Another way to put it is do it for the love of it. You are really only living life when you are doing something you love. As you continue to grow and progress as a person, external factors will come to play and that mentality might be forgotten. These distractions will lead you to become another person but a good way to remind yourself is put yourself back in the shoes that you have worn in day one, when everything else was irrelevant other than the appreciation and respect of what you are doing is present.

NOTE: The views of the author is not necessarily that of justalilhype!. Please visit the posting on the CREW BLOG to leave comments on how you feel about this. We definitely want to hear from you!