Special Feature: Boogie Brown in Paris Town

Boogie Brown has a new blog on urban youth culture in Paris. Follow Brown down "on the street" in Dans La Rue to discover b-boy, graffiti, fashion, parkour, and street dance culture in the city of love.

Here is a recent entry:

Rep Wear You From

Fashion is undoubtedly one of the core elements of Hip Hop. After all, 1990's hip hoppers practically made the Tommy Hilfiger brand. And where would New Era fitteds be without Jay-Z?

Hip Hop, in every one of its art forms, is all about stylistic expression. It's no surprise then that fashion, as an outward expression of style, is so embraced by the Hip Hop generation to connote culture and identity. It's about reppin' who you are and where you're from.

The glocalized Hip Hop community here in Paris and France puts its own twist on that concept and the outfit trends from the US. Sure, the fitted caps, baggy pants, and fly sneakers remain a staple, but here young people spice up their wardrobes with a smattering of ethnic and religious roots.

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World b-boy champ Lilou

At every event I attend, I always feel like I'm at a convening at the UN. In the middle of a cypher, there will be a gleaming turquoise jacket with "ALGERIE" embroidered across the chest. To the left, I'll spot the outline of the African continent colored in bright red, green and yellow, on the front of a sweatshirt. I'll pick out the word "SENEGAL" discreetly wrapped around a friend's wristband. And then of course, my favorite Tee yells out to me, with huge block letters, "I'm Muslim, Don't Panik!" As I observe, I notice that I too am rockin' my favorite Philippines revolution crew-neck...
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