A relatively new dance style, krump found its roots in southern California during the 1990s. With energetic, aggressive, expressive, hard-hitting moves, krumping takes inspiration from hip-hop, breakdancing, and clowning.
The krump style emerged in South Central, Los Angeles and is often linked to Thomas "Tommy the Clown" Johnson. Gaining popularity over the past decade,David LaChapelle released the documentary Rize based on the krump craze. Famous krumpers and krumping performances are regularly featured on the television dance show So You Think You Can Dance.
How Did Krump Originate?
The origin of krump is often attributed to Thomas Johnson, also known as Tommy the Clown. In 1992, Thomas Johnson was hired by a co-worker to perform at her child's birthday party as a clown. Johnson dressed as a clown and danced with exaggerated goofy movements to current music, turning a traditional birthday party into something extraordinary.