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Hick-hop and it Don't Stop
Britt's best week ever
You know VH1's show, Best Week Ever? Well, I think they would agree that my past hick-hopping week was one of the best. Check it: the hick -- Chris Cagle in concert at Mike Wallace's house -- and the hopping (popping and locking) -- an originator of hip-hop dance, Breakin' star Boogaloo Shrimp aka Turbo aka Michael Chambers.
I finally found a home for my cowboy boots: the private residence of NASCAR driver Mike Wallace. For his daughter Lindsey's 21st birthday party, daddy gave her a live performance from country star Chris Cagle.
Between interviews with country networks CMT and GAC, Cagle fit me in for some Q&A that turned into QT.
"I am happy to be able to come out here for a good friend and make him a hero in his daughter's eyes," Cagle said, regarding the shindig.
Besides his tour bus, Cagle calls both Nashville and Texas home, but says if Charlotte were more centrally located he would live here. He has a legitimate complaint. But his heart is deep in horse country: Texas.
"I want a woman as passionate about horses as I am, but now it's just me, my dog and my horses," he said. Actually, it's him, his dog, his trainer and his road manager. The fun and friendly nature of the two-person entourage converted the interview into conversations between the four us. Cagle looked up pictures of himself when he was a more hunky country star to show me. We MySpaced each other. And we joked around about choreographing a dance for his song "Chicks Dig It," since he emulates the country Elvis.
Show time rolled around, and we finally joined the party outside the bus. I felt like I was in an episode of My Super Sweet Sixteen -- except it was a 21st birthday party equipped with a margarita machine. You would've thought it was Cagle's birthday, the way he was drinking during his performance. "He's ours tonight," said a Wallace family member onstage to Cagle's trainer, who'd given the star strict orders not to drink. It was a NASCAR-slash-country concert, and a kinda good time until the neighbors complained. But Cagle wasn't finished singing to the birthday girl yet.
"Cut it off and you're fired," he shouted to his crew, as they tried to shut down the concert.
Post-show, I tried to get some closing remarks from a very drunk Cagle, but every question I asked was replied to with compliments. And then the interview was over when he silenced me by going in for a kiss. This chick didn't dig that! I was southbound on I-85 within five minutes. I may have sped out of there, but for all you Cagle fans, he'll be back in May for Loaf-sponsored Speed Street.
I then spent the weekend with Breakin' star Boogaloo Shrimp. He was on hand to serve as judge at the Breakfast Club's breakdance party and b-boy competition, as well as to recruit local talent for an upcoming film. The Breakfast Club event was like a scene out of the movie You Got Served. I sat Indian-style and wide-eyed on the front row, in complete awe of the dancing. Some extremely talented dancers, including Tom, the captain of the Bobcat Breakers, showed Boogaloo that the QC is a breathing hip-hop, pop-and-lock community.
Boogaloo's on a mission: He wants to remind the world of dancing's positive influence, bring back the user-friendly hip-hop. Due to his credentials, I signed up to join him on that campaign: He was the poster child for Nancy Reagan's anti-drug campaign, he has a VH1 special in the making, he's influenced everyone from Lionel Richie to Missy Elliot, and he busted the animated MC Skat Kat's moves in Paula Abdul's "Opposites Attract" video. Since Boogaloo also choreographed for the King of Pop (aka Michael Jackson), that makes him the King of Popping-and-locking. I don't have enough space to list all of his feet's feats, so peep his Web sites at www.boogalooshrimp2001.com or www.officialboogalooshrimp.com.
Boogaloo refers to himself as a body illusionist practicing robotic animation. He brings a science to the art of dancing, and he definitely laid it on Charlotte. He broke out a broom and showed us the live version of a famous scene from Breakin.' He said the reason he's still able to have a strong dance career is because -- despite nights spent at NYC's infamous Studio 54 -- he said no to drugs. His drug is dancing.
So last week I made a new friend and found a new idol ... I'm referring to Boogaloo Shrimp, not Chris Cagle.
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