{"id":644710,"date":"2024-11-19T22:30:18","date_gmt":"2024-11-19T19:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-era-vow-to-keep-pushing-the-limits-of-footwork\/"},"modified":"2024-11-19T22:30:18","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T19:30:18","slug":"the-era-vow-to-keep-pushing-the-limits-of-footwork","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-era-vow-to-keep-pushing-the-limits-of-footwork\/","title":{"rendered":"#The Era vow to keep pushing the limits of footwork"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3bf10751572\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3bf10751572\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-era-vow-to-keep-pushing-the-limits-of-footwork\/#The_footwork_crew_members_Chief_Manny_and_Litebulb_talk_their_Combo_Pack_EP_learning_to_rap_as_dancers_and_the_future_of_the_craft\" >The footwork crew members Chief Manny and Litebulb talk their Combo Pack EP, learning to rap as dancers, and the future of the craft.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"deck\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_footwork_crew_members_Chief_Manny_and_Litebulb_talk_their_Combo_Pack_EP_learning_to_rap_as_dancers_and_the_future_of_the_craft\"><\/span>The footwork crew members Chief Manny and Litebulb talk their <i>Combo Pack<\/i> EP, learning to rap as dancers, and the future of the craft. <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"content_blocks\">\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265606\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left image\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_plyuqh\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"The Era vow to keep pushing the limits of footwork\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><\/p>\n<p>      Courtesy of The Era<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265591\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            There\u2019s a moment in Robert Townsend\u2019s Motown-inspired film <i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zpWDTYfq0Wk\">The Five Heartbeats<\/a><\/i> in which Sarge, the titular vocal group\u2019s newly <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ointed (and visibly drunk) choreographer, meets the group for the first time and im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely demands to see their \u201cbest combination.\u201d Dresser, the Heartbeat who\u2019d originally been devising their routines up until that point, answers the challenge, less than enthused about ceding his role. Sarge is unimpressed, tossing his cane and jacket to the side to bust out a wild combination of moves that spans the entire living room floor. It\u2019s clear he\u2019s suited for the job: Cue training montage.\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265592\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            This fictional exchange served as the primary inspiration for <i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/teklife.bandcamp.com\/album\/combo-pack\">Combo Pack<\/a><\/i>, the second EP by Chicago footwork supergroup The Era and their first official release on the Teklife label. The scene doesn\u2019t just appear as sampled dialogue on the record\u2019s final cut, \u201cWe Gone Step,\u201d priming listeners to let it all out on the dancefloor before time runs out; it\u2019s also referenced in the EP\u2019s greyscale cover art, which shows producer DJ Spinn coaching The Era\u2019s four members through their steps as dancers and rappers during the recording process.\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            \u201cWe were always telling each other, \u2018show us your best combination,\u2019\u201d Chief Manny tells The FADER over the phone. \u201cIt was this idea that people today don\u2019t really know how to put a combination together in footwork; they only have the foundation. We wanted to bring that same concept into the music and put a combo pack together.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265600\" class=\"content_block paragraph embed triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\">\n    <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Era Footwork Crew - We Gone Step feat. Tru Foe\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8rVd3-xrFAM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265593\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            Though vocals have always been an integral element of footwork music, they\u2019ve traditionally been used as raw material for beatcraft, with producers inserting sliced portions of sampled chants and phrases throughout their drum patterns. On <i>Combo Pack<\/i>, however, The Era apply a concrete narrative to their songs, using contemplative chord progressions and nervy 808 kicks as set-dressing to reminisce on the crew\u2019s 10th anniversary together. \u201cI remember it cost ten to get in,\u201d Litebulb raps on \u201cTime,\u201d which flashes back to the footwork battles of their youth. \u201cAt the party, cook his ass, still ain\u2019t guaranteed to win.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            When I hop on a video call with Chief Manny and Litebulb, it\u2019s clear that the sense of nostalgia persists. They\u2019re gearing up for the <i>Combo Pack<\/i> <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DCcEBR2OsxV\/\">release party<\/a> on November 26, set to take place at a to-be-announced secret location they\u2019ve dubbed \u201cGranny Crib.\u201d \u201cWe\u2019re recreating what it\u2019s like to be in your granny\u2019s crib,\u201d Litebulb says. \u201cThat\u2019s where we used to practice.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Ahead, Chief Manny and Litebulb look back on The Era\u2019s evolution as footwork polymaths, from their earliest mixtape releases to their efforts to garner respect as performers.\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265599\" class=\"content_block paragraph image triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/combo-pack-cover_ns9fys\/the-cover-of-the-era-s-i-combo-pack-i-ep.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"The Era vow to keep pushing the limits of footwork\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>    <span class=\"caption\"><br \/>\n      The cover of The Era&#8217;s <i>Combo Pack<\/i> EP.<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><br \/>\n      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      Spencer Hopkins\/ashes57<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265594\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            <b>The FADER: The Era started releasing music in 2016 with your <i>In the Wurkz<\/i> mixtape. What inspired you to start rapping as a group?<br \/><\/b><br \/><b>Litebulb<\/b>: I had already been <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>ing and touring with DJ Spinn and DJ Rashad for a couple years, and we ain\u2019t really had a planned-out set yet. We were just doing shit from the crib, like, they\u2019d be playing tracks while I just got up there and did what the fuck I do with no routine. But I got tired of doing that shit. We had to find a way to hold these crowds over for an hour without me having to dance the whole time; dancing for an hour straight just ain\u2019t it, especially with footwork, which is such a pulverizing dance.\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            [Chief] Manny was about to have a son, and me and him were thinking about how we could push our artistry to a different level. Manny said we should try to write music and really get into that shit. We not gonna be good when we start, of course, but we know who we want to aspire to be, like the Kendricks and J. Coles of the world. We kept working, and the goals started materializing and transforming.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            <b>Chief Manny<\/b>: Litebulb won a CDF [Chicago Dance Forum] Lab Artist Award in 2015, and we had to make a stage show for that. That was where we were first getting into music. We were also doing footwork music videos as another way to really engage audiences, not just with the battles. We did an <i>In the Wurkz<\/i> mixtape and an <i>In the Wurkz<\/i> stage show\u2026 Basically everything was <i>In the Wurkz<\/i>. We even did <i><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_new\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch\/?v=1453044281378716\">Windy City Live<\/a><\/i>.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Litebulb: Yeah, we did do that [<i>laughs<\/i>].\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Chief Manny: Everybody kept saying, \u201cY\u2019all ain\u2019t rappers,\u201d and we weren\u2019t really even trying to be rappers there. We were just trying to create another lane for ourselves and potentially for other people to push the artistry of footwork.\n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265601\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left pull_quote\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"pull_quote\"><p>\u201cPeople today don\u2019t really know how to put a combination together in footwork. They only have the foundation.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265595\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            <b>On those early releases, you were hopping on tracks by guys like DJ Manny, DJ Rashad, and DJ Earl. What was the collaboration like?<br \/><\/b><br \/>Litebulb: Footwork is one of those things that\u2019s evolved, so it\u2019s come from house to ghetto house, to juke, and then to footwork. At the time we were coming up, this was another evolution in the artistry. In all honesty, the DJ\u2019s weren\u2019t really\u2026\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Chief Manny: Nobody was fucking with us [<i>laughs<\/i>].\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Litebulb: This was a time where all the DJs were traveling and touring. They were the ones getting shows booked. So for us, pushing something different, they weren\u2019t ready for that. But we were going to do the music regardless. We paid the DJs to get us tracks to produce. We were going over to DJ Phil\u2019s crib and working with DJ Manny, trying to do this stuff seriously. It got to the point where we\u2019re like, \u201cLet\u2019s take tracks that\u2019s already been made, some unreleased, some already out, and nobody\u2019s gonna stop the train of us doing what we want to do.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            Chief Manny: Where would we be if we listened to people? Not where we are now. People know us for hardcore battling or being the top footworkers in the city, so hearing our voices on the track was fucking people up. DJ D-Man, who made that track \u201cDooky Booty,\u201d he fucked with us. He let us record in his crib and helped us get our music the best it could be. Even though it wasn&#8217;t us at our top level or us as the best writers, we still put together a solid project that had good artwork and a storyline. 90% of the footwork albums out there, it\u2019s just some random label \u2014 respect to the labels, though \u2014 that get artists to make tracks with no story behind them. We wanted our music to have a story behind it.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            People don\u2019t understand that footwork has a voice; they just don\u2019t get to hear it. We were broke as hell doing this, but we want people to understand that you can prevail. \n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265604\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left image\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1440,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:best\/A7S03642_j6vkxo\/dj-spinn.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"100vw\" alt=\"The Era vow to keep pushing the limits of footwork\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>    <span class=\"caption\"><br \/>\n      DJ Spinn<br \/>\n    <\/span><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><br \/>\n      \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>      Courtesy of The Era<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265605\" class=\"content_block diptych triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper half_gutter_right gutter_btm\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_760,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_7_2_gvp9sf\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 50vw\" alt=\"The Era vow to keep pushing the limits of footwork\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><\/p>\n<p>      Courtesy of The Era<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"media_wrapper half_gutter_left\" style=\"\">\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_760,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_220,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 220w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_300,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 300w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 400w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_600,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 600w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_750,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 750w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_840,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 840w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_960,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 960w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1260,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 1260w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_1800,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 1800w,https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/TekLifeParty_2_3_c4ay6a\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview.jpg 2400w,\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 50vw\" alt=\"The Era vow to keep pushing the limits of footwork\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"img_caption\"><\/p>\n<p>  <span class=\"credit\"><\/p>\n<p>      Courtesy of The Era<\/p>\n<p>  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265596\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            <b>That\u2019s what I found interesting about <i>Combo Pack<\/i>. Footwork traditionally has some sort of vocal in it, but by rapping you\u2019re able to go in depth with some biographical details. <br \/><\/b><br \/>Chief Manny: Usually, when you do have a dancer that makes music, it\u2019s a slide or, like, \u201cThis is the \u2018so and so\u2019 dance.\u201d  You don\u2019t get the hardcore dancers talking about hardcore battling.\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            <b>DJ Spinn produced the majority of this new EP. How\u2019d you get so connected with him?<br \/><\/b><br \/>Litebulb: We did this interesting-ass festival called Eaux Claires in Wisconsin with him. It was like some Kanye West in Wyoming type shit. They had this full base to work on whatever music we wanted to. All these people we knew like Noname and Peter CottonTale were there. Spinn was with us, too, so the music just came together.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Chief Manny: We had this idea of rapping on <i>Reasonable Doubt<\/i> samples, and we made this track called \u201cThe Come Up.\u201d The first solid track we made with Spinn, though, was \u201cShe Pick the Speed.\u201d\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Litebulb: When COVID happened and shut down our non-profit, we were gonna rebuild the entire organization and see where we\u2019re at in two years. That\u2019s when the first version of \u201cWe Gone Step\u201d with Spinn came, then \u201c160,\u201d then <i>Combo Pack<\/i>. It came in this relaunch phase of us redefining our sound and the way we write music.\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265597\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            <b>What makes Spinn\u2019s production style so special? <br \/><\/b><br \/>Litebulb: He knows how footwork is supposed to sound. Not even supposed to sound, but just <i>sounds<\/i>. He\u2019s got this soulful connection to music where he can find amazing sounds and put them together to make beautiful footwork. It takes a minute, but when he gets it, it\u2019s some of the best music you\u2019re gonna hear.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Chief Manny: He\u2019s a superfan of a lot of old-school music. He\u2019d put some shit on and give us a whole rundown on it. We got this knowledge from his generation and his mama\u2019s generation. In terms of his sound, he\u2019s got this smooth, player-ass energy.\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            <b>I really liked his interpolation of Nas\u2019 \u201cThe World Is Yours\u201d on \u201cWho Betta.\u201d I also liked the line, \u201cWrite some grants and make some racks.\u201d You don\u2019t often hear a bar about grant writing. <br \/><\/b><br \/>Litebulb: I think people fuck with what we\u2019re saying because it\u2019s different. People don\u2019t talk about grants, but as a dancer coming up, before you get to anything else you better learn how to write a grant. It ain\u2019t guaranteed you\u2019re gonna win it, and that\u2019s a struggle.  \n          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265602\" class=\"content_block breaker triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left pull_quote\">\n<div class=\"media_wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"pull_quote\"><p>\u201cPeople don\u2019t understand that footwork has a voice. They just don\u2019t get to hear it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"content_block paragraph triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<div id=\"content_block-265598\" class=\"content_block paragraph text triple_gutter_right triple_gutter_left center_align\">\n<div class=\"content_inner_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"paragraph_wrapper center_align\">\n<p>\n            <b>You\u2019ve mentioned the evolution of footwork a few times. Where do you think the art form is going in the future?<br \/><\/b><br \/>Chief Manny: It\u2019s already spreading around the world. The music really spread big first, and now the dance has spread into a lot of other states and countries. It\u2019s to the point where you\u2019ve got DJs making albums and doing club sets, and then you\u2019ve got dancers teaching and battling. What we want to do as artists is push the artistry to an audience who don\u2019t necessarily take straight to the music or don\u2019t want to battle.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            Litebulb: I\u2019m producing a whole art exhibition around the foundation of this [footwork] move [called] \u201cthe ghost.\u201d Manny\u2019s producing one of the first films about footworking and storytelling. Steelo\u2019s doing fashion. P-Top\u2019s putting a URL event together. Diving into music and storytelling on tracks is our way of trying to build a real fanbase again for footwork, which DJ Rashad and Spinn started to build, and continuing that trajectory. Footwork has never really had the resources or machines that other genres of art have, but over the past few years we\u2019ve made tremendous strides to get footwork seen and respected.\n          <\/p>\n<p>\n            <i>This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.<\/i>\n          <\/p>\n<div class=\"\" style=\"padding-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: left;\">\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"author\">\n    <span><br \/>\n      By <span class=\"credit_name\">Jude Noel<\/span><br \/>\n  <\/span><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/social-mediaa\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Social Media category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thefader.com\/2024\/11\/19\/the-era-combo-pack-ep-teklife-footwork-interview\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The footwork crew members Chief Manny and Litebulb talk their Combo Pack EP, learning to rap as dancers, and the future of the craft. Courtesy of The Era There\u2019s a moment in Robert Townsend\u2019s Motown-inspired film The Five Heartbeats in which Sarge, the titular vocal group\u2019s newly appointed (and visibly drunk) choreographer, meets the group&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":644711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefader-res.cloudinary.com\/private_images\/c_limit,w_1024\/c_crop,h_394,w_756,x_112,y_35,f_auto,q_auto:eco\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_bxbksc\/The_Era_July_24th_select_from_here-244_copy_1_bxbksc.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[126626,152767,152768],"class_list":["post-644710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-mediaa","tag-footwork","tag-teklife","tag-the-era"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=644710"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644710\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/644711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=644710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=644710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=644710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}