COLORSxSTUDIOS

Founded back in 2006 as the humble Joker Bigsouth Team, Joker Rock Crew is now well known as one of Vietnam’s most prominent break dance collectives. Operating various enterprises—including a dance school, a local fashion store, and an open drink-serving space for southern Vietnam’s hip-hop heads to come together—their rise to prominence is indicative of the emergence of hip hop in Vietnam. Previously, the subculture was almost non-existent, due to the country’s post-war “closed door” policy restricting the population from interacting with external influences. Now, with easier access to the internet and the rise of shows such as Rap Viet—a televised hip-hop talent show for musical artists—Vietnamese people can engage with hip-hop and street dance, interact with the global hip-hop subculture, and develop their own local approaches.

For this interview, COLORS met Boo and Poppyn at Street Box Hip-Hop House, Joker Rock Crew’s Ho Chi Minh City HQ. It’s not the group’s first clubhouse: they had to leave their original home after the outbreak of the global pandemic due to budgetary challenges. “It was just a reality we had to accept,” says Boo. Dancers in Vietnam, and beyond, are no stranger to facing financial challenges. “In contrast to many successful rappers coming out of mainstream competitions on television”—such as Rap Viet—“winners from dancing competitions still only get paid baseline salaries whenever they are booked for commercial deals.” As a result, most dancers manage their performance careers alongside jobs in other industries. Boo, for example, is a full-time realtor and, as a single mother, is the primary carer for her son. “My top priorities are family, work, and my passion,” she says, demonstrating that alongside being one of many female game changers in the street dance scene, she continues to hold traditional Vietnamese family values. Her son is the one who inspires her to keep working on her passion. “After giving birth, I started doing my dance practice in the mornings before I went to work,” says Boo. “It’s become a meditational way for me to start my day and polish my skills. You have to be disciplined.”

Since moving into Street Box Hip-Hop House, Joker Rock Crew have transformed it into a melting pot for hip-hop culture where they organize regular cyphers, jams, and meet-ups for HCMC-based hip-hop heads and international visitors alike. While the top floor boasts a studio for dance classes, enabling the crew to educate new generations of Vietnamese street dancers, lower floors feature chill-out zones for current artists to hang out and network. The last two floors are home to Joker Rock Crew’s shop and cafe, commercial enterprises that enable them to build towards a sustainable future. By establishing themselves in this way, the crew hope to shake the narrative of hip-hop being a rebellious, trouble-making pursuit of unemployed youths. “Building a community like Joker Rock crew comes with the responsibility of reflecting on your journey, helping those around you, and continuing the legacy,” says Poppyn.