Throughout the frigid winters of a time when Jim Crow laws were still in action, black people were not invited into warm restaurants, houses, hotels, and public buildings. They suffered a horrible life of cold, sickness, and boredom UNTIL ONE DAY they devised a way to eliminate these three problems that plagued their dark skinned lives.
These AfroAmericans soon realized jittering around near each other as if in a state of epileptic seizure solved all three of these issues. It not only provided warmth through rapid movement and shared body heat within a tight communal circle, but most importantly would attract the attention of moral, medical personnel to take them into the nearest hospital emergency rooms and allow them free healthcare. Soon enough, the young found great entertainment in painting their faces and escalating the game to receive free psychiatric evaluation.
This was before black people discovered fire.
These AfroAmericans soon realized jittering around near each other as if in a state of epileptic seizure solved all three of these issues. It not only provided warmth through rapid movement and shared body heat within a tight communal circle, but most importantly would attract the attention of moral, medical personnel to take them into the nearest hospital emergency rooms and allow them free healthcare. Soon enough, the young found great entertainment in painting their faces and escalating the game to receive free psychiatric evaluation.
This was before black people discovered fire.
by Professor of AfroAmerica July 14, 2009
The most undignified, retarded form of 'dancing' that exists. Resembles the 'krumper' possibly being electrocuted, convulsing like an epileptic or just looking like a complete twat.
Krumping: Wear some over-sized clothes, crap jewellery and try and act like the biggest fuckwit imaginable, and you are on the krump bandwagon.
by Your common sense. July 16, 2007
Krumping is a term that is used in place of seizure in order to not hurt peoples feelings and keep medical condition a secret. When someone is having a seizure the can just say "I was Krumping" and no one will be any the wiser or make fun of them.
Is Tyrese having a seizure? Yes, but he calls it krumping so that no one makes fun of him or finds out he has seizures.
by saharadryhumor March 16, 2015
by Gummy34 April 27, 2021
Krump is an acronym for Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise. It is a dance form that was pioneered by Tight Eyez aka Ceasare Willis and Lil C along with a group of others namely Big Mijo, Slayer, and Hurricane. It is an aggressive, and spiritual form of dance with christian roots. Its movements include Chest Pops, Stomps, Armswings, Syncs, Puzzles, Bangs, and Kill-Offs. There are supposedly 3 Levels to krumping. Krump, Buckness, and Ampness. While some (clowns) mistakingly claim that Tommy the Clown created krumping this is not the case.
by BigSkills01 July 06, 2006
Krumping (also clown dancing or clowning) is a style of dance that originated in the African-American community of South Central Los Angeles, California. It involves elaborate face-painting and freestyle dance moves usually performed in competition with other crews.
The first clown dancer was Thomas Johnson aka Tommy the Clown, a former spokesperson for Gray Davis. He began in 1992 by using the dance to enhance birthday party clown acts. Soon he had a crew of followers gathered around him, who called themselves the Hip Hop Clowns. The underground movement soon spread beyond its point of origin, South-Central L.A. and Compton, to the rest of California and beyond. Currently there are around 50 clown dancing groups. It has entered mainstream hip hop culture by the performance of krumping in various music videos.
Krumping is intended as an outlet for anger and as a nonviolent alternative to the street violence widespread in many of the areas where it is performed. Consequently, its dancing style is fast and aggressive. It usually involves physical contact between dancers, which can often look like a fight to outsiders. However, the participants understand this to be part of the dance. In this respect, there is a certain parallel with the mosh pit in rock music (at least the good natured pits that don't get violent). While reminiscent of sped-up breakdancing, it transcends that genre, bringing in influences from diverse sources, the predominant one being African dance. A competition structure has developed as dancers vie for championship belts at contests like the original Tommy the Clown's Battle Zone. The dancers are organized into cliques (or tribes) that engage in face-painting. The cultural significance of this painting has moved beyond the clown image to symbolize ceremonial African war or dance paint.
The first clown dancer was Thomas Johnson aka Tommy the Clown, a former spokesperson for Gray Davis. He began in 1992 by using the dance to enhance birthday party clown acts. Soon he had a crew of followers gathered around him, who called themselves the Hip Hop Clowns. The underground movement soon spread beyond its point of origin, South-Central L.A. and Compton, to the rest of California and beyond. Currently there are around 50 clown dancing groups. It has entered mainstream hip hop culture by the performance of krumping in various music videos.
Krumping is intended as an outlet for anger and as a nonviolent alternative to the street violence widespread in many of the areas where it is performed. Consequently, its dancing style is fast and aggressive. It usually involves physical contact between dancers, which can often look like a fight to outsiders. However, the participants understand this to be part of the dance. In this respect, there is a certain parallel with the mosh pit in rock music (at least the good natured pits that don't get violent). While reminiscent of sped-up breakdancing, it transcends that genre, bringing in influences from diverse sources, the predominant one being African dance. A competition structure has developed as dancers vie for championship belts at contests like the original Tommy the Clown's Battle Zone. The dancers are organized into cliques (or tribes) that engage in face-painting. The cultural significance of this painting has moved beyond the clown image to symbolize ceremonial African war or dance paint.
Filmmaker David LaChapelle's short film Rize, which offers an intimate portrayal of the clown dancing subculture, was featured at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. He says of the movement: "What Nirvana was to rock-and-roll in early '90s is what these kids are to hip hop. It's the alternative to the bling-bling, tie-in-with-a-designer corporate hip-hop thing."
by Gabo Guerra July 26, 2005
by ENTROPY PRINCESS OF CHAHOS June 05, 2019