There has been much controversy surrounding the debut of breaking, a.k.a. breakdancing, at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Let's not waste any space here to describe the actions of one particular competitor from Australia. Instead, let's celebrate breaking’s roots–-an art form born from black and brown communities in the Bronx, New York-–through the lens of one of its pioneers.Many breakers globally, including some of this year’s Olympic competitors, share a common denominator: Alien Ness. An early member of the Mighty Zulu Kings, the first official breaking group to develop in the Bronx in the ‘70s, Ness made a name for himself touring the world with hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa and performing with legendary breaking group the Rock Steady Crew.Today he mentors b-boys and b-girls from Japan to France and has trained breakers on the USA’s Olympic team, notably bronze medalist b-boy Victor Montalvo."Children of the Zulu Kings", a short film narrated by Alien Ness, pays homage to his contributions to breaking’s past, present, and future. As the Mighty Zulu King’s impact on breaking culture’s creativity is undeniable.

The director Chantel Simpson shares: 'As a native New Yorker, I felt excited about breaking finally getting recognition on a global stage like the Olympics. But there lacked coverage of the art form's roots, particularly featuring the figures that pioneered it. I met Alien Ness and knew I wanted to raise his voice through much of the noise. Hence, "Children of the Zulu Kings" was born.'