Breakdance: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

2015.263.4a: An audio cassette tape. The cassette is white plastic with black type on each side. Both sides have headers reading: [SIDE ONE: WHEELS OF STEEL…] on Side 1, and [SIDE TWO: ELECTRIC SHOCKS...] on Side 2. Each header has a list of the tracks on each side. The K-tel Record logo, name of the cassette, copyright information, and the cassette number [PNU 3364] are featured on both sides.

2015.263.4b: An audio cassette paper jacket. The jacket is a depiction of a cityscape with [BREAKDANCE] in yellow graffiti style type at the top, a brick wall with more graffiti on it at the bottom, and shadows of people breakdancing. Black and white type on the jacket reads: [THE BEST MUSIC FOR / BREAKING / Learn to Moonwalk / Electric Boogie, Footwork, / Headspin & Top-Rock]. Production and manufacturing information, a list of tracks, and a barcode are on the back of the jacket in white type on a purple background.

2015.263.4c: An audio cassette tape case made of clear plastic on the front and black plastic on the back. The case has interior holders to insert an audio cassette jacket.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1984
• Published by: K-tel, Canadian, founded 1962
• Subject of: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, American, 1978 - 1988
• Subject of: Twilight 22, American
• Subject of: Freeez, British, 1981 - 1985
• Subject of: B.T. & The City Slickers
• Subject of: Dazz Band, American, founded 1980
• Subject of: 10 Speed
• Subject of: Alex &The City Crew
• Type: audio cassettes
• Medium: plastic , magnetic tape , ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W x D (cassette): 2 1/2 × 4 × 1/2 in. (6.4 × 10.2 × 1.3 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (jacket): 4 × 5 1/2 in. (10.2 × 14 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (case): 2 3/4 × 4 5/16 × 11/16 in. (7 × 11 × 1.7 cm)
• Place made: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Break dancing
• Topic: Dance
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Object number: 2015.263.4abc
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Timothy Anne Burnside
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © 1984 K-tel International Inc Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.