Watch the full interview now as a VladTV Youtube Member: Click Here
Part 5: Tommy The Clown on "Rize" Documentary About Him, Movie Inspiring Vlad's First Film Project
Part 3: Tommy The Clown on Forming "Hip Hop Clowns" Crew, Doing Parties for Gangs
Part 1: Tommy The Clown on Moving From Detroit to LA & Selling Drugs, Getting Locked Up for 5 Years
--------
Tommy The Clown explained the key differences between clowning and krumping. He described clowning as an upbeat, happy dance style characterized by fast-paced freestyle. In contrast, krumping is more intense, aggressive, and slower, expressing raw and gritty emotions. Both styles originated from Tommy’s creation of "Battlezone," a competitive dance showcase where crews faced off in energetic dance battles aiming to "destroy" their opponents on the floor. This battle environment gave birth to krumping, emphasizing fierce dance warfare and emotional expression. Tommy noted that while clowning gained widespread popularity with over 60 crews in Los Angeles by 2000, krumping evolved as a more aggressive offshoot within this community. Tommy’s Battlezone concept helped unify various clown crews, turning dance battles into a vibrant cultural movement and a way of life in LA’s street dance scene.
