Poe One – 40 Years of Breaking & Hip-Hop

Poe One – A Personal Journey Through 40 Years of Breaking and Hip-Hop

Almost 20 years had passed since we last met. Then, at Nordic Flows in Norrköping, Sweden, I suddenly found myself standing face-to-face with legendary b-boy and hip-hop pioneer Poe One again. It immediately felt like the right moment to sit down with him and document a story spanning more than four decades of breaking, hip-hop culture, battles, travel and friendship.

Poe one and 2Easy. Selfie av två män som står utomhus på natten framför en tegelvägg. Mannen till vänster har svart keps, bockskägg och ler mot kameran. Mannen till höger gör ett fredstecken (V-tecken), bär en grå tröja och en klocka, och håller i ett svart föremål. — *Poe one and 2Easy*

Poe One – A Legend in Breaking and Hip-Hop

Some encounters stay with you. When I met Poe One again at Nordic Flows, memories from the early 2000s came flooding back.

I realized that this time, I didn’t just want to say hello.

I wanted to hear his story.

Poe One has been part of hip-hop and breaking culture for more than 40 years. As a member of Style Elements for many years, battles, teaching and international travel, he has helped shape and represent breaking far beyond the United States.

For me, he is also part of my own history within the Swedish hip-hop and breaking scene.

Breaking battle 2 vs 2 Time 2 Battle 2003 — *Stuntman, Sweep and Poe*

Boxingring Time 2 Battle Malmö — *Winners and judges Time 2 Battle Malmö.*

Scandinavian Superjam

The first time I met Poe One in person was in 2003, when I invited him and his crew Style Elements to Stockholm for my events Scandinavian Superjam and Time to Battle, organized together with Kulturhuset Stadsteatern and Parkteatern.

One event took place in Vitabergsparken in Södermalm, while the other was held near Kulturhuset in central Stockholm.

At the same time, I had invited Top 9 from St. Petersburg, Russia.

Building the Swedish Scene: Collaboration and Cultural Exchange

Looking back, it really was something of a clash of the titans in the European breaking scene of the early 2000s. Two highly influential crews and different breaking cultures came together in Stockholm at a time when the international scene was growing rapidly.

Meanwhile, Alex “Renegade” Cetina was organizing his summer event in Malmö. We also brought Time to Battle to Malmö during the same week.

By working together and sharing costs, we were able to keep the international dancers in Sweden for longer. Instead of bringing them over for just a few days, we created an entire week of breaking, battles, workshops and cultural exchange.

Biographical details and physical measurements for legendary b-boy and judge Poe One.

2004 – From Stockholm to Los Angeles

The following year, in 2004, I travelled to Los Angeles with Fredrick “Freeze” Herranen, Elvis “JamOne” Cetina and my future wife, Rebecca Roy.

We were there to experience two of the most legendary hip-hop and breaking events of the era: Freestyle Session and B-Boy Summit.

Poe One had a close relationship with me and Freeze, who at the time had formed the duo Godfathers. Because of that friendship, we were fortunate enough to stay at Poe’s apartment in Los Angeles.

I still remember that trip vividly.

Downtown LA. Venice Beach. The Hollywood Hills. A short trip to Las Vegas.

But more than anything, I remember the people and the culture.

At the events, I met Ken Swift, Flat Top and Flow Mo, along with dancers from Sweden, Norway, France and many other parts of the world.

It was a different time. Before social media made it possible to follow dancers and battles from anywhere in the world, travelling to Los Angeles and experiencing the culture firsthand meant something very special.

Freestyle Session-affisch med hiphop, rap battle och artister som Black Eyed Peas, Jazzy Jeff och Big Daddy Kane. — *Freestyle Session flyer – backside. Black Eyed Peas, Jazzy Jeff, Blackalicious and Big Daddy Kane, besides all the dancers from all over the world*

graffiti characters on the flyer for B-Boy summit — *BBoy Summit flyer 2004*

I remember that trip as an incredible experience. Downtown LA, Venice Beach, the Hollywood Hills and our short trip to Las Vegas all left lasting impressions. But most of all, I remember the people and the culture. At the events, I met Ken Swift, Flat Top, Flow Mo, and many dancers from Sweden, Norway, France and beyond.

Hollywood 2004 - JamOne, Freeze, 2Easy and Rebecca — *Hollywood 2004 – JamOne, Freeze, 2Easy and Rebecca*

Freeze håller upp mästarbältet från breakdance-tävlingen Time to Battle, iförd en T-shirt med graffititryck och keps. — *Freeze with Time 2 Battle Masterbelt*, *in Poes apartment in LA*

Poe One in The Early 2000s Era: Breaking Before the Social Media Age

From Los Angeles to Stockholm – and Back Again

Over the years, Poe One and I crossed paths several more times. He returned to Stockholm for different events and also taught Swedish dancers, including at Åsa Folk High School.

And then, almost 20 years after our previous meeting, our paths crossed again at Nordic Flows.

This time, simply saying hello wasn’t enough.

I wanted to know the whole story.

How did it all begin? What did breaking and hip-hop mean to him growing up? How did Style Elements develop? What was it like being part of the Los Angeles breaking scene during a period when the culture was expanding around the world? And what has kept him connected to dance for more than four decades?

These questions lead far beyond the story of one dancer.

Poe One’s story is also a story about the evolution of breaking, the global spread of hip-hop culture, and the people who helped build the culture long before social media made it possible for the entire world to watch.

Now it was time to hear that story – in Poe One’s own words.

Poe Part 1