TAGGED as the teen Hip Hop sensation of social media, Fil-American Kenneth San Jose is coming to Davao City on January 27, after giving Hip Hop workshops in Cebu (January 14), Manila (January 20), and Bacolod (January 21).
Kenneth is 15 years old and has a viewing following of over 500 thousand in Youtube, Instagram, and Facebook.
The next question is “What is Hip Hop?” The answer one hears would be “Hip Hop is a form of dance.” That answer would only be partially correct. Hip Hop is actually an art movement that encompasses music, visual arts, dance, fashion, and a political philosophy.
Hip Hop started in the Bronx, New York in the 70’s with music called Rap, which resulted from MCing or emceeing which evolved to the mixing of percussive music called DJing and beatboxing which enthused the audience to dance. And thus was born the Hip Hop dance.
Hip Hop events popped up in an effort to bridge the gap among the African Americans, the Hispanic, and the whites of the Bronx. Practiced by the youth, the beatboxing music and rapping along with the dancing spread into the streets of New York, into the streets all over the western hemisphere, into the studios and into social media…and into the Philippines.
Young and good-looking, the very talented Kenneth San Jose captured the interest of the teen-age girls and the admiration of the hip-hop generation of the Philippines. Kenneth has the moves and the passion for the dance form. Having worked with the several Hip Hop dance choreographers of Los Angeles, California, Kenneth has gained strength and dexterity for Hip Hop dance. Easing his way through the mixing of the Hip Hop styles (breaking, locking, krumping, popping, jookin, and turfing) with grace and confidence.
Another interesting element of the Kenneth San Jose persona is that Kenneth is the great grandson of Davao’s very own Carmen D. Locsin, founder of the Locsin Dance Workshop (LDW). Ken’s mother Claudine San Jose is the daughter of Bing Locsin, who is the daughter of the founder of LDW, the oldest known dance institution in the Philippines.
Not to be overlooked Davao choreographer Agnes Locsin hastily interjects, “Apo ko sya!”.
Yes, Kenneth is a Locsin, so one can say, it’s in the blood…wink-wink-wink.
It must be mentioned that Kenneth’s father Cres San Jose, an Ilonggo from Bacolod, and his brother Matthew are singers of the first caliber. They deserve an altogether different article for the future.
Kenneth may not be known to the older generation, but the millennials definitely know him, nay... they follow him on social media. So tell your kids, Kenneth San Jose will be giving a Hip Hop workshop on January 27, at Locsin-Lanang. For more information, reservations or registration call 222-5205 / 092392132 / 09258981008.