The realization struck me during a commencement ceremony, amidst the solemnity of academic tradition. Earlier that day, two Black colleagues had gently teased me about my walk – “You were working it,” one chuckled, before the other cautioned, “Don’t work it too hard, though, or you’ll scare the white folks.” Initially bewildered, their amusement turned to concern as they explained: I had been doing the “gangster walk” across campus, a relic of my youth resurfacing unbidden. This physical memory, ingrained from teenage years navigating tough streets, was a stark contrast to my present academic persona. This personal reflection took an unexpected turn later during the ceremony when a graduating student, in a moment of exuberant celebration, performed the Crip Walk on stage. It wasn’t just a celebratory jig; it was the Crip Walk, a dance with roots in gang culture, now finding its place in the mainstream, even performed by figures like Snoop Dogg.
This juxtaposition – my unconscious “gangster walk” and the student’s deliberate Crip Walk – sparked a deeper contemplation about cultural dances, their origins, and their journey into the broader world. The Crip Walk, in particular, is a fascinating case study, moving from the dangerous streets of Compton, California, to global stages, even finding an unlikely champion in hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg. Understanding this evolution requires delving into the dance’s controversial beginnings and its eventual, somewhat surprising, embrace by mainstream culture.
The Unexpected Resurgence of the “Gangster Walk”
My colleagues’ comments about scaring “the white folks” were initially perplexing. What had I done? Their detailed explanation painted a vivid picture: my body, without conscious direction from my brain, had reverted to a posture and gait from decades past. It was the “gangster walk,” a way of moving that projected a tough exterior, a silent warning: “Do not mess with me.” This wasn’t the choreographed “gangsta walk” popularized as a 90s dance trend, but something more visceral, an ingrained physical language of self-preservation from a former life.
The humor of the situation was undeniable – a middle-aged academic unconsciously embodying the swagger of a past he had consciously left behind. Yet, beneath the laughter was a layer of mortification. Had this body language been subtly leaking into my everyday interactions? The only times I consciously accessed this persona were in moments of perceived vulnerability, like walking through the Boston Common late at night. On a self-assessed “gangster-walk scale,” my default was a harmless “two,” escalating to a “four” in potentially risky situations. Visiting my old Chicago neighborhood might warrant a “six,” and even then, it was more performative than necessary. The incident at the commencement, however, suggested this “walk” could surface unexpectedly, blurring the lines between past and present identities.
Discovering the Crip Walk at Commencement
The discomfort of my own body’s unexpected performance was momentarily overshadowed by the commencement ceremony itself. Despite the length and sometimes tedious speeches, I genuinely enjoyed these events, a perspective perhaps rooted in my own unconventional journey from high school dropout to academia. Witnessing students, particularly Black students, achieving this milestone resonated deeply. Then, it happened. A young Black graduate, beaming with pride as he received his diploma, broke into the Crip Walk.
This wasn’t the first time I had seen the dance. I knew its origins were intertwined with gang culture, specifically the Crips, and understood there were both a “gangbanger” version and a more sanitized pop culture iteration. The student’s movements were smooth, deliberate, and seemingly celebratory. However, a fleeting hand gesture – index fingers and thumbs forming a “C” – introduced a layer of ambiguity. Was this simply an energetic dance of joy, or was there a deeper, perhaps unintended, message of gang affiliation being conveyed? The moment prompted a deeper reflection on the Crip Walk itself: its history, its evolution, and its complex place in contemporary culture.
The Origins and Evolution of the Crip Walk
From Compton Streets to Gang Ritual
The Crip Walk, also known as the C-Walk, originated in the early 1970s in Compton, California, a city synonymous with gang culture, particularly the Crips gang. Robert “Sugar Bear” Jackson is widely credited with creating the dance. Initially, the Crip Walk was far removed from celebratory graduation stages or Super Bowl halftime shows. It was a form of gang communication and intimidation. Crips members used it at parties to signal their affiliation, and chillingly, were known to perform it at murder scenes, spelling out “CRIP” with their feet near the bodies of victims, often rival Bloods gang members. In its nascent form, the Crip Walk was unequivocally linked to violence and gang identity.
Crossing into Pop Culture
Despite its violent origins, the Crip Walk began its journey into mainstream culture, initially through hip-hop music. Rapper Dub-C is often cited as a key figure in popularizing the dance beyond gang circles. His performances of the Crip Walk during the Up in Smoke tour in 2001 and in subsequent music videos brought it to a wider audience. However, this mainstream exposure was not without controversy. MTV, recognizing the dance’s gang roots, famously refused to air videos featuring the Crip Walk. School administrators, also aware of its origins, often banned it, attempting to prevent gang-related expressions on school grounds. This early phase of mainstream adoption was marked by tension, a struggle to reconcile the dance’s violent past with its growing popularity.
Serena Williams and Olympic Gold
The Crip Walk’s journey took another unexpected turn in 2012 when tennis superstar Serena Williams, a Compton native herself, performed it on Wimbledon’s Centre Court after winning an Olympic gold medal against Maria Sharapova. Her spontaneous celebratory dance sparked immediate controversy. Critics accused her of “glorifying hardened criminals” and being “immature and classless.” The outrage seemed disproportionate to a celebratory dance move. Williams, seemingly caught off guard by the backlash, attempted to downplay it, calling it “just a dance we do in California.” Serena’s Crip Walk moment highlighted the ongoing sensitivity surrounding the dance and the varying interpretations of its meaning depending on context and performer.
Snoop Dogg’s Embrace
Perhaps the most significant moment in the Crip Walk’s mainstream evolution came in 2020 when Snoop Dogg, another Compton icon, performed it during the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show. Unlike Serena Williams, Snoop Dogg faced virtually no criticism. In fact, his performance was largely celebrated, further solidifying the Crip Walk’s place in popular culture. Snoop Dogg himself had previously shown support for Serena Williams after her Wimbledon Crip Walk, tweeting, “Shout out to Serena Williams. C walking at the Olympics Cpt style hahahahah! Go girl.” Snoop Dogg’s open embrace of the Crip Walk, without societal condemnation, signaled a significant shift in public perception.
Snoop Dogg and the Crip Walk in the Mainstream
Snoop Dogg’s performance at the Super Bowl was a pivotal moment. It wasn’t just a fleeting dance move; it was a prominent feature of his performance, broadcast to a global audience of millions. His unapologetic performance seemed to legitimize the Crip Walk in a way that previous instances, even Serena Williams’, had not. Snoop Dogg, with his established mainstream appeal and cultural cachet, effectively normalized the dance. His actions suggested that the Crip Walk, while still carrying its history, could also be viewed as a form of cultural expression, a dance move divorced from its original violent context, particularly when performed by figures like himself.
This normalization isn’t without its complexities and criticisms. Some argue that celebrating the Crip Walk, even in a mainstream context, risks glossing over its violent origins and potentially trivializes the impact of gang violence. Others argue that cultural dances evolve, and the Crip Walk, like many other forms of cultural expression, has been reappropriated and transformed. Snoop Dogg’s performance can be seen as part of this reappropriation, reclaiming the dance from its purely gang-related past and presenting it as a form of Black cultural expression, capable of conveying joy, celebration, and cultural pride.
The Crip Walk as Homage and Cultural Expression
Returning to the commencement ceremony, the student’s Crip Walk, in light of Snoop Dogg’s mainstream embrace, can be interpreted through a different lens. Perhaps it wasn’t a gang affiliation signal, but rather an act of cultural homage, a nod to his roots, and a celebration of his achievement within a broader cultural context. Just as my own “gangster walk,” as the original article suggests, might be an unconscious homage to a formative past, the student’s Crip Walk could be seen as a similar act of embodied memory and cultural connection.
The Crip Walk’s journey, from a menacing gang ritual to a globally recognized dance move, reflects the complex and often contradictory nature of cultural appropriation and evolution. Snoop Dogg’s role in this transformation is undeniable. He has helped to reshape the narrative around the Crip Walk, moving it from the shadows of gang violence into the spotlight of mainstream entertainment. While the dance’s origins should not be forgotten, its current iteration, particularly when performed by figures like Snoop Dogg or celebratory graduates, represents a complex interplay of cultural heritage, personal expression, and the ever-evolving landscape of dance and identity. The Crip Walk, once a symbol of fear and intimidation, now navigates a new space, prompting ongoing conversations about culture, context, and the power of dance to transcend its origins.
