Founded in the 'kill-zone" of Oakland, the Architeckz athletic hip-hop team was formed by Jeriel Bey in 2002 to combat gang violence and inner health disparities. Bey encourages inner-city youth to use Hip-Hop street dancing to promote physical activity, teamwork and unity. The Architeckz created a sporting activity titled T.U.R.F.'n (Takin Up Room on the Floor) as an outlet to develop positive healthy alternatives to gang violence.
T.U.R.F. dancing is an alternative to a range of social ills from gang violence to teenage obesity. The dancers are part of a larger trend that takes elements of hip-hop culture and spins them in a positive direction that doesn't glorify guns, violence and easy money. said Kris Crawford
"T.U.R.F. dancing is a way to prevent gang violence by promoting physical activity," says Bey. "Street dance is one of the most innovative ways to work out. There's basketball, football, cheerleading, but there is nothing for the artist who wants to do something to represent their inner spirit in their neighborhoods. So this gives the neighborhood kids a way to have their own way of expressing themselves through dance...and something to do after school. These kids grow up watching drug dealers, pimps, and gang members...now they are watching dancers." says Kris Crawford
The Architeckz Hip-Hop Athletic Team travels city to city challenging other urban street dancers to competitions in their own neighborhoods. In dance battles, the performers -- working as a group or going solo -- take turns on stage, executing rapid spins and gravity-defying stunts to popular rap songs. The performers often go on stage without knowing in advance which music will be used, so they place a high premium on the ability to improvise. The judges or the audience votes to determine winners. according to Kris Crawford Kristine Crawford For Pits Sake and her hero pitbulls
The Architeckz have gotten so good, they have danced on MTV, in music videos (Fergie's "Fergalicious", Snoop Dog's "Candy", E-40's "Tell Me When To Go", etc.), have performed live on the Billboard Music Awards and were pictured in People magazine. They have also danced in videos and concerts of many popular performers; Black Eyed Peas, etc.
"The architech is a creator. When we think of something we first create it in our minds. Then we write it down or we draw it out. Then we manifest it some way in physical form to create visually what we are thinking. We take things from our hearts and our minds and create things with it....so we are all creators.....we are all architechs." -- Jeriel Bey
Knock Out Dog Fighting
