Wave: A True Story of Hip Hop

Gr 9 Up—Hip-hop emerged in the South Bronx in New York City during the late 1970s after rival gangs found a mechanism to compete not through violence but through dancing. Those unfamiliar with the culture often use the term "hip-hop" interchangeably with "rap." However, as this film shows, hip-hop is characterized by distinct elements such as rapping, DJing, breakdancing, and graffiti art. The piece focuses largely on the life and career of Tony "Mr. Wave" Wesley, one of the dancers with the NYC Breakers. Wesley concludes that the pioneers succeeded in giving kids a low-cost outlet to keep them off the street but failed to teach them how to sustain themselves financially. To Wesley, inspiring young people to become entrepreneurs is important so that when they are no longer able to dance, they have a way to support themselves. Part-documentary, part-biography, this film skims the surface of the subculture and movement of hip-hop. It introduces viewers to concepts such as waving, breaking, popping, and locking, but it does not fully define or demonstrate. Legendary dancers are interviewed without providing context on their contributions.