Wild Style Zine Available

Artist: Wild Style
Title: Wild Style Zine
Medium: Softcover 92 Page Zine
Size: 8.5 x 11 Inches
Edition: UNSURE
Price: $40

 

Released in 1983, Charlie Ahearn’s Wild Style is widely regarded as the first authentic hip-hop motion picture, serving as a vital historical document that immortalized the movement before it reached global commercialization. The film’s influence on breakdancing (b-boying) was transformative, as it provided a visual blueprint for the dance’s acrobatic evolution. By featuring real-life pioneers rather than professional actors, it captured the raw energy of South Bronx street culture and exported it to international audiences. This exposure helped spark a worldwide phenomenon, directly inspiring the first generation of breakers in countries like Japan and Germany.

The movie’s impact was driven by its legendary cast of artists and dancers who played versions of themselves. At the center of the breakdancing movement was the Rock Steady Crew, featuring icons like Crazy Legs, Ken Swift, and Frosty Freeze, whose athletic floor moves and headspins became the gold standard for the genre. The narrative follows the journey of protagonist Raymond "Zoro", played by pioneering graffiti artist Lee Quiñones, alongside his love interest Rose, portrayed by the "First Lady of Graffiti," Lady Pink. Other seminal figures included Fab 5 Freddy, who acted as the film's musical and cultural consultant, and the legendary Grandmaster Flash, who showcased his foundational turntablism skills. Together with rap crews like the Cold Crush Brothers and Fantastic Freaks, these artists helped Wild Style define hip-hop as a unified culture of four pillars: MCing, DJing, graffiti, and breaking.