Breakdancing — The Electric Boogiemen and a bit of Dutch hip-hop history
Sometimes you come across a song that takes you right back to a specific time. For me, that was the case when I released the single “Breakdancing” of the Electric Boogiemen discovered. This 1983 song is not only a nostalgic nod to the early 80s, but also a special chapter in Dutch music history.
How I Discovered This Single
I still remember seeing this single in a bin full of old vinyl records. The name Electric Boogiems jumped out immediately. The cover, depicting a group of break dancers against a colorful graffiti background, had that typical '80s vibe that you just have to pick up. What appears? This graffiti was created by none other than Hugo Kaagman, a pioneer in Dutch street art.
When I put on the record, I heard a mix of disco and soul with a hint of hip-hop. It wasn't hardcore b-boy music, but it fit perfectly into the atmosphere of the time.
The story behind Break dancing
Break dancing is actually a commercial product created by Piet Souer, Hans van Hemert and André Boekholt. They cleverly capitalized on the breakdance hype that spread from America to Europe. The b-boy crew Electric Boogiemen was used for the visuals of the record and the accompanying video clip, which shows some authentic dance moves. For a song from 1983, that's quite impressive.
