In an age where big budget events and television dance seem to overshadow the smaller and under-the-radar events and cypher jams, Circle Kingz seems to defy all odds by sticking with the formula that has made it the hunting grounds for b-boys and b-girls whose ultimate goal is circle supremacy.
Recently on a trip to Switzerland, I had the opportunity to interview the man behind this event, Amjad of 7$ Crew, to figure out his take and definition of being a true Circle King.
“I remember when I had the flyers for the first Circle Kingz. I went to a jam to spread some flyers, and of my 300 flyers, I gave only twenty because I didn’t want most of the people to go to my jam. I always wanted quality instead of quantity.”
SKEME: What was your motivation behind starting Circle Kingz, and what is the concept?
AMJAD: I started this jam in 2005 for many reasons. I thought that the majority of the jams were not enough adapted for the b-boys. I was going to many jams from 2002 to 2005, and I wasn’t having a lot of fun.
I think that’s why a lot of good b-boys stopped during that time. They weren’t finding what they needed in the b-boy jams. Many organizers don’t understand what we want and a lot of b-boy competitions take away the essence of what b-boys are made of.
Their battles are on stage, there are no cyphers, [there are] wack DJs – fairy-flying b-boys were winning in the famous crowd-pleasing era. B-boying was losing its soul for me and becoming something I was not down with.
I created this jam to bring back what I like in b-boying: no stage battles, time and space for cyphers, uncut music, and judges judge musicality, style, freshness, attitude, and originality as the main criterions.
S: Most of the events around the world seem to have some sort of cash prize as the winnings, but Circle Kingz seems to be more about the respect factor, yet the attendance is always phenomenal. What separates your event from others that so many people attend without any money being involved?
A: I think the b-boys go to jams for several reasons: the vibe, getting famous, prize money. It depends on what they look for. I think that Circle Kingz has the vibes b-boys like, of what they’ve told me.
They go to some other jam or big commercial jams to get the prize money, to get the whole b-boy game process – being visible to get some gigs, etcetera – and that they come to Circle Kingz to vibe and feel some real shit.
I think big sponsors want a big stage and as many audience members as possible – civilians, parents, children, etcetera – because they want visibility. So of course they are not down to sponsor a jam that wants only b-boys, because they want a big audience.
I remember when I had the fliers for the first Circle Kingz. I went to a jam to spread some fliers, and of my 300 fliers, I gave only twenty because I didn’t want most of the people to go to my jam. I always wanted quality instead of quantity. And I think that quality made the other b-boys want to come too.
Why is there big prize money? The response might be, if an organizer does a jam which doesn’t really attract good b-boys with dope vibes and dope DJs, b-boys know it’s gonna be wack. The organizer better offer them big prize money. If not, they will stay at home.
S: I’ve noticed that you’ve expanded the operation and have Circle Prinz events in other locations around the world. Is there a strict guideline that those promoters have to follow in order to hold a Circle Prinz event?
A: My main goal since the start has always wanted to do the best for the b-boys and put b-boying on the track I think it should be. Many people congratulate me for Circle Kingz, and told me they were sad there weren’t enough jams like this.
I wanted to do a jam with a label. B-boys know what to expect when they go to a Circle Prinz: no stage, good judges, uncut music, time and space for the cyphers, etcetera.
So the answer is yes, there is a guideline, because the Circle Prinz have to look like the Circle Kingz. What is good too is that those Circle Prinz allow some b-boys that don’t have the cash to come to Circle Kingz to get free transportation, accommodation, and food to get the possibility to catch wreck at Circle Kingz.
S: Do you thing by throwing this event that other promoters will risk throwing these types of jams and possibly bringing a balance to the prize vs. respect events?
A: I wish I could do a respected jam and give a lot of money to the winners. That’s what b-boys deserved!
In the same way, I think that because there is no money in this b-boy game, it still has a lot of vibe and soul. B-boys dance for the love of the art and not for the green love – money.
I hope other promoters do some dope jams because I still travel to a lot of jams in Europe, and I want to have fun! But in the same way, I think the b-boy community needs some big commercial competitions to pay their bills and make our dance famous to the civilians.
The ultimate shit will be if others promoters do respect-based events that keep b-boying as pure as it is. If that happens, then my goal will be achieved.
S: When it’s all said and done at the end of the day, what is your ultimate goal to achieve with Circle Kingz?
A: The ultimate goal is the same as in surfing; we search for the perfect wave. I don’t know about the other organizers, but personally I search for the perfect jam — the perfect system that keeps this art as pure as it is.
That’s why I change the system every year. I’m still searching for the perfect mode. And until I find it, I will always bring some modifications.
S: Lets talk about your crew, 7$. What year did you guys form, and are you all based in Switzerland?
A: We almost all come from some villages close to a city called Morges, near Lausanne, Switzerland. We all went to the same school and were down with HH since the beginning.
We were doing all the hip-hop activities in an abandoned Biscuit Fabrik since about 1998. Then we formed the crew 7$ in 2003. The four original members were KASH, ADER, SERVAL and me.
At that time, we felt a bit alone because we didn’t know anybody with our vibe. Everybody was into the tricks-power combos. And after some travels, meetings and cypher sharings, we found some people with the same vibe that had the same values of our art and real mind connections.
So they became 7$: Australia’s LAMAROC, RUSH, RED, PEPITO and NACHO POP, Switzerland’s BULLET, $BILL and FAZI, Japan’s KATSU, Indonesia’s KREATE and FAHRAN, Philadelphia’s DOWNROC, Singapore’s FELIX, and finally the UK’s LEGENDARY PERVEZ.
S: One thing that I’ve noticed about your crew that is very traditional but is almost nonexistent in other b-boy crews is that you guys are involved not only in the b-boy element, but you guys also have graff writers as well. Is this something you that you purposely set out to do, or was it a natural progression to be involved in multiple aspects of hip-hop?
A: We did graffiti before breaking. Serval, Kash and Ader were painting since around ‘93. And then they started b-boying after. So of course, that became natural. All our friends were involved in other hip-hop activities, and it was normal for us to do many things – I remember some dope improvisational rap sessions in the car.
Our scheme of jams when we started was the German style of jam, all to include graff, breaking, rap, barbecue, and DJing.
And we continued officially with graff and breaking.
S: I heard a rumor not too long ago that 7$ has a snowboard team. How true is this?
A: [Laughs]. Okay, to tell you the truth, we are involved in a lot of things together. We go snowboard together in the Alps, we do surf travels in France, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Africa; we do bowl riding – skateboarding – at Miday.
We are more than a b-boy crew; we are friends before everything, and we enjoy life together. Some crews are formed just for b-boying, and then they try to be friends; we are more true friends that started b-boying together.
S: As a b-boy and a promoter, what is the most important thing you look for when throwing or going to a jam?
A: Okay, I will give you my secrets, which aren’t really secret. But you know I still don’t understand why some organizers fail on these three things, in order of importance.
One: good DJs.
Two: a good floor.
Three: good judges.
Four: the rest doesn’t really matter.
S: Any last words or shouts?
A: Big shout out to my biggest inspiration, A.K.A. my crew, all the real b-boys out there that truly represent our art. Keep it funky, and see you sweating on the floor. Peace.
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