Back in Summer '87, when eleven years old Elaz-E (nowadays B-Boy Jay-Roc) started practicing his first breaking moves like step and six step, and probably would have never thought that even today he'd still be deeply involved in what is called today the Hip Hop scene. In the late 80's Hip Hop culture became very popular and also reached Basel City, native place of Swiss rapper and dancer Jay-Roc. He told me that during the first years, to him, breakdance was all about respect and the Saturday Night Jam sessions were Basel's best dancers came together to show their moves and battle for fame.
Hard training and the thrive to be the best, gave him the idea to join the forces of the city's best dancers into one crew, in order to reach higher levels of competition. Subsequently, Basel City Attack (BCA) became the first Swiss breaking crew to compete internationally with several excellent appearances that has put Swiss breakers on the map.
"The newly gained fame opened many doors to me" Jay-Roc stressed out, and ever since then he put all his effort in bringing this fascinating expression of art to the broad public; Saturday night life TV shows, urban theatre plays and a professional Break Dance instructional DVD are only a few of the milestones to be mentioned.
I think he has changed the way people would look at Breakin' simply because he was able to combine street realness with the commercial success of B-Boyin'.
As a creative artist, he felt the urge to do something about the ever repeating and sometimes boring Beats that were played at the battles. While enjoying the success with his newly formed Ruff'N'X crew, Jay-Roc and at the same time was developing another way of listen and feel the music. Knowing the importance of a good track and the influence it has on the dancer, he started to produce beats together with Jakebeatz, a way to express his creativity, combining his experience as a breaker with his talent for hard beats and catchy hooks...
Jay-Roc is a true artist and he knows that it's not easy to live this kind of life, but to him it's like vitamins; he needs them to express his ideas and emotions dancing, rapping or producing something.
"I don't know if I will be doing this forever, I just love what I'm doing, creating things that involve Breakdance and Hip Hip. Maybe I will stop rapping and producing but I see myself dancing till the end". Jay-Roc
Until then, and with his third studio album underway, check out to his first single release "All I know" featuring B-Boy Wicket.
