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The BreakDown of...The Mighty 4 Denver
By: D.E.N.T
The Place in the middle of the map is where it's at, some may say? Right smack dab in the middle you have the lovely Mile High City. Denver, Colorado, a place where the mountains and the city are 30 minutes away in any direction , and the 5,280 above sea level elevation,might have some out of townees gasping for their breath. From Sport teams, to the music scene, Colorado is steady growing and displays a host of some raw uncut talent of people who are embedded in the roots of the hip-hop culture.
On May 17th 2008..Hip-Hop advocates & pioneers coast to coast came to the square state, to celebrate the art form though dance and unity. As the community gather together, legendary Denver B-Boy crew L.O.F & Paulskee teamed up, and put together this amazing event. Bringing out some incredible b-boy's and b-girls from Cali to New York. The essence of that 'True Skool' original flavor was packed in The Beta Night Club that afternoon. With a All-Star cast of O.G. judges that consist of: Jo-Jo (RockSteady Krue founder), Trac2 (StarLaRock), & KwikStep (Full Circle). The DJ's for the event were strong on the front lines as well, ready to drop that funk to make your body move all day long. With over a weeks worth of dope breaks, between all the DJ's, I knew I was in for a real treat. Plus I was holding and controlling the MIC for this event, So I was ready to party rock!
Around noon, the music starting playing and small cyphers were slowly but surely forming, as more people were filtering in the venue. The Outside patio was transformed into a mini Hip-Hop flea market, with many booths set up by the events sponsors. Amazing artwork was on display by: Dunn, The Street Sign Artist, & Art from the Mind. The whole vibe and energy was already very abundant so early, as I watched B-Boy's and B-Girls start to stretch out getting ready for battle time. Around 3pm Live performances started getting underway from some Incredible C.O. Artists. Distrakt from Colorado Springs, rock the party right, followed up by: Infinite Mindz, who just was nominated for best hip-hop group by The WestWord Newspaper. Before the battles started, the crowd bare witness to a great performance by: Break EFX, a group of striving dancers who just won, Best Colorado Dance Group title! After taking in all this amazing hip-hop flava, plus watching a fresh poppin and lockin comp., the crowd was definitely ready to see some battles!.
With over 30 teams competing, there was a full day of battles , with not that much time to go on. So me, being the chief-rocker, I had to keep things moving smooth and precise. I felt sorry for the judges, because they had their hands filled, with so many dope B-Boy's ready to bring their skillz to the battle. It was about to get heated on the dance floor. Teams of 3 with some names like: GWT, The Freak Show, His-Panics, Killafornia, LOF, Front Range Rockers and many more. They all had their game faces on, and they were ready for war!. Round after round, B-Boy's and B-Girls show and proved on the floor, and got down to the funky beat, to see who could reach the top of the food chain and get crowned champions of the Mighty 4 Denver, walking away with that cold hard Cash Prize.
One by one, each team showed the judges what they had, with only one round each , during prelims for each b-boy. They had to make sure they were bringing nothing but flava to the dance circle. Watching hungry, entertaining breaker dancers get down round after round, before you know, we were inching closer to the finals. As we approached the semi-finals, we got word that we had a few taggers who were trying to ruin our fun, as the owners of the venue found the bathroom bomb to shit, not just the bathrooms, but they found tags on the sound system as well. A Sound system that is well worth over 50K, and is known in the city as the best club sound system in Denver. So, the club owner was far from happy when he saw this, and just as quick as people packed into the venue to watch a good battle, we now had to leave and not finish the battle because of feeble minded taggers, who had no respect for the venue. It's one thing to get a name up and rep a name on the street, but to know right from wrong, and destroying property, without thinking twice, had many break dancers upset, because, the party was over, and no one won, with no cash prize.
Pioneer B-Boy KwikStep controlled the MIC, very upset about the actions that were taken, called out the taggers who did the damage, asking them to come forth and pay for what they did. As the angry spectators grabbed up their stuff to exit, KwikStep had a suggestion on how this problem can be resolved. and asked everyone at the jam to come together, and give donations for funds to clean up the graffiti. It was truly amazing and inspiring to see how quick, the community dug into their pockets and everyone gave what they could, to try and fix the problem, all for the sake of standing for something they believed in, and for the passion of the battle and dance. One of the best ways of resolving a conflict I have ever came across. We came together, and gained enough donations to give to clean the graffiti, turning a negative situation into something positive with a great reflection on US as a Hip-Hop community. With a action packed day of hip-hop almost done, the finals continued on, having the mighty Killafornia crew, blow the top off the rest of the competition and they were the victorious winners, at the Mighty 4 Denver.
All and all, that day felt like a 80's park jam in the Bronx, that original vibe of peace, love, unity and having fun was the cornerstone of the day. Making you reminisce a little bit on how things used to be, and the huge change that the culture has been making over the years, As they say, somethings change, and somethings last forever, and it's truly remarkable to think how the Hip-Hop culture, is the only culture in the world, that unites every race, color, and creed, no matter your beliefs, to come together to express ourselves freely and creatively, to have everyone get down to the same grooves and dance to the drummers beat.
Fienz, the man behind the Mighty 4 Denver 2009
If you don't know that the Mighty 4 is here in Denver this weekend, then consider yourself notified. Fienz, the mastermind behind the biggest Bboy event Denver has seen before, has been working hard with his own dough to get it goin'. And after seeing him at a panel discussion and a Bboy battle showcase, I felt like picking his brain on who he is as a Bboy and what his motivation is for these events.
This interview lasted over an hour and I give my gratitude to him for giving me his time. I cut out a great majority of the interview to give a concise (I'm not sure it worked) read on Fienz himself and about the Mighty 4 Denver. The rest of the interview will be left for a greater project in the future, so stay tuned.
Jace: So tell us about your name Fienz and what the means to you.
Fienz: My boys - I used to hang out with my boy C-los, Poncho, a bunch of dudes; we used to hang out back in the day, they all named me Fienz. They called me that because I used to overdo everything.
J: How long have you been Bboyin’?
F: Well I started in the sixth grade, so that must’ve been ’84, ’85. Then we quit, you know, we quit dancin’ out here for a long time.
J: When did you quit about?
F: Probably about the eighth grade. We danced for about a year strong, two years maybe. Then it started dyin’ out, it wasn’t the thing to do. So we, me and my boy Jer dog and my boy C-los kind of got into – we were really into Hip-Hop, so we were tryin’ to be DJ’s and we’d save up all our lunch money to go get records. We bought a mixer and all that, we were tryin’ to do the DJ thing when the Bboy scene really died out. Then in the tenth grade the gang thing kind of swept everything. . .
J: Like the early nineties?
F: Yeah. So we got caught up in that in the late eighties, ’89, ’90. We got caught up in that for a long time.
J: So what got you into the Bboy thing and the Hip-Hop scene?
F: Then? Or again after. . .
J: Nah, let’s start from the beginning.
F: From the beginning? Actually, I saw Beat Street. That’s probably what sparked it for me. I tried to copy – it was Rock Steady, but I didn’t really know it was Rock Steady and the New York City Breakers, but those two crews really inspired me like Powerful Pexter, Kuriaky. Those dudes were really huge inspirations for me at that time. I used to try to mimic those dudes.
J: What was your style then?
F: Well I really used to mimic Powerful Pexter, Kuriaky, maybe Lil Lep. I tried to immitate those dudes.
J: When you were dancin’, were you more about battlin’, or were you tryin’. . .
F: Well back then I was rollin’ solo, I was just a little dude, I was the youngest; just used to hang out with older dudes. They used to dance and we’d practice at this dude named Jeff’s house out by where my parents lived. So we practiced over there and my pops used to take me to the Stapleton Center. There used to be some projects across the street and we used to go there. I remember this dude named Teets and this other Chicano dude and I used to look up to them. And there were other crews that you were hearin’ about. You were hearin’ of Dancers Unique, Radioactive, you heard of DNS Connection. All these crews man, you were always hearin’ of all these crews and Little Stevie. I was always dreamin’ and tryin’ to be like those guys.
J: You comin’ up in the Bboy scene?
F: Yeah, me comin’ up in the Bboy scene. I used to get lucky, I used to know this kat named Davy-D, who was the son of this guy named Danny and his uncle was Ricky-O and they DJ’d on KDKO ‘cause that was the only station we had at that time.
J: What station was that?
F: 1510 AM, that was the only station that used to have this Friday night street party and they used to mix three, four turntables. They used to have these jams down here at the Northside Pecos Center and they used to have Bboy jams, and those guys from the radio station would go DJ. I used to go with them. My father would let me roll with them ‘cause their parents were goin’ so I got to go wreck the circles by myself. I didn’t know many Bboys then, just the guys in my neighborhood.
J: So what was important to you when you were dancing?
F: I was just addicted bro, it was like drugs. That’s all I did: practice, practice, practice. My pops first brought me cardboard. Then, we had a vacant room in our basement so he filled that room up with lenolium for me and I would just sit in that room all day long and practice. I’d go watch Kuriaky doin’ windmills and I would pause the VCR, start, rewind, pause and kept doin’ it until I figured ‘em out. I would pretty much keep myself locked up in there.
J: Did you progress in your dance, besides getting better?
F: I think I did alright, I didn’t really know the fundamentals of the dance, you know what I’m sayin? I only knew what I’d seen. I was just tryin’ to mimic, so I didn’t know as much as I probably could have.
J: When you go outside of Colorado now and talk to people that aren’t from here, what’s the view of the Denver scene?
F: Trac, he loved it. He said after last years Mighty 4, this is coming from Trac2, he said that that’s the closest he’s been to a jam that was like his childhood. You know, he’s from a 1977 Bboy crew, you know what I mean? That was the closest; there were mothers, kids; he goes, “It was a family event,” B. He said that’s what Hip-Hop was then.
J: So Trac2 can say something like that about our scene, but then you look at what some Bboys are doing, it seems like there could be more goin’ on as far as the dancers doing the fundamentals. . .
F: I think there could bro, but I think they get caught up in the dynamics. . .
J: But it still creates an inviting scene. . .
F: Yeah.
J: So there’s room to grow?
F: We have a lot of room to grow. The reason that we did the Mighty 4 last year was because it had been 15 years since the Lords of Finesse was created. We wanted to do an anniversary, so this dude that was down with us at the time was Who Rock, he suggested that we do the Mighty 4. So I was like, “Alright, find out the information bro.” He hit up Paulski, told him, and somehow it got back to me and I ended up with everything in my lap. I had no idea what to do for an event bro, I’m not an event promoter, I’m just a Bboy.
J: Now you are. . .
F: Yeah really, dude, I still am just a Bboy. I really want. . .what I really want is Denver to experience what everyone leaving Denver left for. I dreamed of Denver having this huge jam where people came and they respected it; people from our city would come; old school pioneers would come. It’s the reason I bring the old school dudes all the time: I feel they’re being overlooked. They have a lot of knowledge, dude. I wanted Denver to be respected. My whole life I dreamed of it and last year it came true. But still, the only thing I’m really trying to do bro is, I’m not trying to get rich off of it, but I just want to get back what I put into it. I want Denver to be a place in between New York and L.A. where people know there’s a hot scene where they can go get busy. That’s all I’m tryin’ to do bro. For me, I didn’t have that. We had to go everywhere to get it and I wasn’t a rich dude, you know what I mean, I struggled to get where we had to go. So I think of all the little kids that dance at Kepner, Rishel, or Skinner Middle Schools; I think about, yo, how can I bring something to them so they can experience what I experienced: that’s all I’m tryin’ to do bro.
J: That’ll just ignite the young, their desire, and drive to keep dancin’.
F: That’s all I want bro, and I want them to know the history [. . .] There’s gonna be that free park jam, (Friday May 15th, 2009) these kids have the opportunity to go meet Bboy pioneers for free. This is before the big event where it’s gonna be all hectic. They can chill at the park downtown with them and just ask them questions.
J: And that’s something you organized?
F: Yeah. I organized it with the theatre district. They were like, “We’ll give you the venue and you organize it. We want it in the theatre district. We want to support the community.”
J: What’s something you can say that might inspire someone to come to the Mighty 4 on Saturday the 16th, 2009?
F: Pshh! It’s something they don’t want to miss dude. This is two days of raw Hip-Hop in its purist elements and forms. You’re gonna get everything: dope clothes venders, and parks and recs is gonna be there (they’re starting to do these little jams called “RAC4DAYS” They’re trying to recruite kids to go to these centers for breakin’ classes). Dude, you’re gonna have the most phenomenal Bboys there. I mean, just to be in the same room with Trac2, Aby, Troll, and Paulski; all these people are comin’: it should be inspiration enough. If they’re hip to the Bboy scene and want to see the raw ish and hear the best music, the raw breaks, then that’s why they need to come.
J: That’s inspiration enough for people that aren’t into the Bboy scene: to see the rawness.
F: [At last year’s Mighty 4] There were old people there, they paid the fee to bring their camera equipment inside and they set up shop all day and shot. They were like business people recording. The way everybody is sayin’ it: my brother Chonz, my wife, and my boy Pheud; they go, “Yo, this is gonna be the illest Bboy event ever to come to Denver. I’m like, “Cool, I hope that’s what it is.”
J: Me too!
F: Dude, the park jam alone: to go downtown on 16th Street mall across the street from the clock tower and dance. We used to try to do that all the time and got kicked out all the time. We’re gonna be able to do that and not get kicked out. We’re gonna be able to blast the music, just get busy, and interact with all these pioneers. It’s a chance of a lifetime. If these dudes sleep on the chance of a lifetime, then it may never happen again, it could be the last time it happens, I don’t know. I don’t know where this jam is gonna put me at.
J: Well I hope people get word of this.
F: It’s from 5pm to 8pm, the park jam. Then there’s a pre-party at Zen, that’s for the older heads that same Friday night; and then the next night is the jam.
For more info click Fienz's name highlighted in blue at the beginning of the interview.
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Lordz Of Finesse Est. 1993 
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Super Legendary event!!
And I was very humbled to be apart of the action and party rock, like I know how. So many Colorado Hip-Hop O.G.'s in the building, plus some Old Skool B-Boy Pioneer judges were on hand..Trac2, Jojo (founder of the Rock Steady Krue)
and KwikStep...a kat who set alot of groundwork, for Colorado B-Boy's and the dude, who formed and made up Lords of Finesse..he was a true skool teacher to a lot of us..
Plus..I was hyped cause my boy Afrika Sam, was in the place to be...buggin out in his own flava. I saw soo many folks I haven't sen in awhile..It was a truly fun event.
Our Scene needs more of this..I'm thinkng a monthly, or bi-monthly..whatever we can do, to unite hip-hop advocates and their family's, to set up some sort of median for us to come together, and celebrate the culture, and continue2 carrying on tradition, here in The Mile High City.
It definitely was a nice change up form the norm..everyone was about the community that day, no 'Ego' tripping..just taking it to the floor and everyone comming together to dance to the funky beat. The essence and Aura of that day, was like a dope park jam, in the 80's or 90's..it was a mini B-Boy Summit, with the little Hip-Hop Market outside of Beta, with the fresh pieces from the homie..Dunn and Art from the Mind.
It made me feel alive, and truly proud to rep our city the way we did. Thanks for all the dope feedback, I got from everyone, on my hosting skillz, I've been hosting B-Boy jams since '98...so I love B-Boy's and B-Boy's love me! LOL...
Bigg-ups 2 All the DJ's reppin that day..Chonz, Stretch, Phoreyez (L.A.)..LeanRock (Boston), Amen, KG, Vajra killed it, definitely the b-boy's best friend!!..
It was a dope action packed C.O. Hip-Hop Day, and our city Rep hard on a national level..The Mighty 4, for some who don't know, is a international, b-boy comp, that travels all around, finding the illest b-boy's in the country, props to Paulskee, who is the founder of The Mighty 4, check him out on the space..nd watch Mighty 4 T.V. for all the highlights...
I need more flicks from the jam, if anyone, took some, please send'em my way..here's my email addy...
bigg-up's Q...you the man, thanks for all you do for our scene!!
indeed as we continue on!!
D-E-N-T
RADIO BUMS-RTDK-LOF-SHUNZ
SERVED FRESH DAILY SI8NCE 1993..SUKAS!!
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DENTSMUSICISSAULGOOD
MAKINDENTS@GMAIL.COM
DAMN....SAM WAS IN THE HOUSE.
SUCKS I MISSED THAT.
GOOD TO HEAR SO MUCH GOOD SHIT ABOUT THIS EVENT.
GOOD LOOKS FIENZ....YOU PULLED IT OFF HARD HOMIE.
AS FOR MONTHLIES...PEEP THE BOOMBOX STARTING MAY 31ST AT THE MARQUIS THEATER.
20TH AND LARIMER.
YO MANE...I WANNA GET DOWN WITH THE BOOMBOX MOVEMENT..CAN I LIVE??
LETMEKNOW...GOOD SEEING U ON SUNDAY...HAPPY B-DAY BIG DOG!!
DENTY MO BEE
Damn I'm mad I missed all of that looked like fun! I had ALL of my kids that day too!! Def will b at the next joint fa sho! Thats the type of stuff we gotta keep makin happen!! Dent make sure u keep ur boy posted!
FOE
King Of The Mountain
Jewell Tyme Music
"I Am The Box"
Also make sure u check out this weekend at the snake pit I Got What U Need CD release party 5/24/08
And The BoomBox at the Marquis 5/31/08 b there!!!
A family affair and other things kept me from attending this event. Wish I could have been there. Congrats to everyone who made it a success. Looks like it was crazy dope. Much love and respect...
Flawless
~OP~