Breaking’s Identity Crisis: Art, Sport, and the Fight for Authenticity

Abstract

Beneath the towering skyline of Singapore, obscured from the bustling city, lies the Esplanade underpass—its bright lights accentuating the glossy sheen of smooth taupe walls and marbled floors, where subtle cracks bear the marks left by the thriving underground breaking community. As I descend the escalator, my attention is seized by a breaker frenetically rotating against the worn-out floor, his movements perfectly in sync with the deep hip-hop bass. With his arms tucked and legs slicing through the air in a tight orbit, he accelerates wildly yet with care and finesse. In a fit of spontaneity, he defies gravity, thrusting himself into the air while still rotating, gliding effortlessly from hand to hand.