Buddha Stretch: Hip Hop’s Foundation is Culture, Music & Community | Enculturation Podcast #18

A conversation with the legendary Buddha Stretch on the innerworkings of Hip Hop as a culture, dance, how music and community are foundational. We talked about the need to lose the murder mentality, the degradation of the artform without standards in place, the intersection of culture appropriation vs appreciation and who is a guest or resident in this culture. Other topics included his time working with Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Will Smith in the entertainment industry. He also shared insights into the complexities within dance battles. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Buddha Stretch was influenced by his dad Emilio Austin, Sr. His Dad danced as a youth and provided Stretch with discipline, inspiration, support and motivation, and remained by his side to guide him throughout his career. This foundation carries Stretch, a father himself, throughout his personal and professional career today. Stretch heavily impacted the dance world by bridging the gap between what was termed, Ol