Crip Walk

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Snoop Dogg crip walking on the inner cover of Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Bo$$.

The Crip Walk, or C-Walk, is a dance that originated in the early 1990s in Compton, a poor suburb of Los Angeles, California, (popularly referenced in rap lyrics). What began as a symbolic dance in the early 1980s in South Central Los Angeles, soon became a staple of hip-hop dance in the late 1990s.^[1]

1 Origins
2 Variations
3 Trivia
4 Music videos featuring the Crip Walk
5 External links

[edit] Origins

Originally, members of the Crips would use nimble movements of their feet to spell out their names or other Crips words (sometimes spelling out Bloods, the name of their rival gang, and then crossing it out). Many Crip gangs also use the C-Walk to celebrate the initiation of a new member. It is also believed that the C-walk was used as a warning, for example in the build-up to a robbery: The lookout would stand outside of the store and act as surveillance, while the robbers would await the signal—the C-walk. Typically performed to West Coast gangsta rap and G-funk, the C-Walk first hit the mainstream when rapper Ice-T performed it on stage in front of cameras in the late '80s. Later, rapper WC would follow suit and add to its popularity; however, he clearly let the public know that this was not a dance, as "gangstas don't dance", and that it was only meant to show love to other Crip members.¹ The C-Walk was censored in the video of Snoop Dogg's hit single "Drop It Like It's Hot".

Although the C-Walk has found mainstream appeal, Snoop Dogg rapped on a remix of fellow Crip WC's single "The Streets" that it is for Crip members exclusively. In recent years, it has inspired spinoffs such as the Clown Walk in another attempt at distancing the walk from its original gang ties—and the Bloods' own interpretation of it, called the Blood Walk or more commonly the Blood Bounce or B Walk.

[edit] Variations

Because there are different variations to the walk, Crip Walking has evolved into various versions (primarily to distance it from its gang-like origins). However, there are several mainstream versions of the Crip Walk that have always been a part of the Crip culture:

The "V": This is the original Crip Walk, in which involves shifting your body by making "V" shaped movements with your feet. Executing the V also allowed members to spell out words or names. Often, Crips would spell out the word "Blood" and then 'erase' or 'cross it out' to further antagonise their rivals.^{[citation needed]}

The Heel-Toe: A recently popular variation to the C-Walk. This version involves crossing one leg and making a semi twist with your heels and toes. This also involves a lot of angle work (for example: your right foot must be directed at 90 degrees behind your left foot in order to make that semi twist) and takes a little longer to get the hang of. If this move is featured in a C Walk, it actually becomes Clown Walking, rather than Crip Walking. Nevertheless, it is a part of Crip Walking as a whole.

The Heel-Hop: Another popular version of the Crip Walk, and perhaps the easiest to perform of the three. This version is similar to the Heel-Toe version, but it does not involve a twist. You simply lift one leg and hop with the other leg. This version of the Crip Walk was shown throughout the film You Got Served. This is also featured in the music video The Streets. Warren G is doing The Heel-Hop

The Shuffle: This moveset involves shuffling your feet forwards and backwards. Snoop Dogg performs this in WC's video The Streets.

[edit] Trivia

In an attempt to distance itself from its gang origin, many people alter the spelling of the Crip Walk to Krypt, Crypt, and Krip, though it is more commonly referred to as The C-Walk.
In the 2004 Terror Squad hit Lean Back, Fat Joe makes fun of the commercialization of the Crip Walk: "Even Little Bow Wow throwing it up [i.e. using gang signs] / B2K Crip walking like that's what's up". Artists such as Bow Wow and B2K have also been criticised for performing the C-Walk while wearing red – a Blood color.
You Got Served was the first mainstream hip-hop movie to feature the Crip Walk. While the Crip Walk has been in existence for a long time, the film somewhat "popularized" the Crip Walk. The Crip Walk in the film is not considered to be an offensive ritual: but merely a dance routine used to win battles. It is only featured in one scene of the film.
The film 2 Fast 2 Furious (which was released before You Got Served), The V was featured very briefly before showing a clip of a fight: the consequences of performing the C-Walk in front of a Blood member.