B-BOY BEATDOWN returns to Uptown

Sara Quinn -

Last year, DJ Ruffcutt and Daniel Rojas brought an integrated hip-hop event to Richland.

“We have a huge presence in Tri-Cities, and hip-hop has always been rich here, but it doesn’t really get the love and representation,” DJ Ruffcutt said to Karlee Van de Venter in an interview.

This year, B-BOY BEATDOWN returns on May 17 at the Uptown Theatre!

The team includes Travis Rybarski, RuffCutt from the DJ scene, Daniel Rojas from the b-boy scene, Joey Armstrong from the graffiti scene, Vik Williamson, John Thomas, Jarrod Coffin, and more. B-BOY BEATDOWN is also partnering with neighboring businesses and doing murals on their buildings live during the show.

“It is really something,” says Rybarski. “There are B-boys from around the country, rap performances and battles, an opportunity for anyone to try out scratching vinyl, and more. [It’s] a very wholesome collaboration, and the only four-element hip-hop event in the Tri-Cities.”

The four elements Rybarski is referring to are the foundations of hip-hop culture: 

  1. Rappers/MCs (especially freestyle)
  2. DJs
  3. B-boys/B-girls (breakdancing)
  4. Graffiti artists

DJ Ruffcutt says that he and Rojas had been throwing jams like these for close to 20 years, and he is excited to make them more accessible to everyone in the Tri-Cities:

We want the community to understand and know there are no color lines or racial barriers for this art. Everyone is welcome to participate, no matter the age or skill level. Hip-hop is a community of teachers, of like-minded individuals, that want to showcase our talents and skills. 

This year’s B-BOY BEATDOWN will also be the Skratcher Tri-Cities chapter kickoff. Skratcher is a worldwide fraternity of Skratch DJs that teach the art of scratching on the turntables. Skratcher says they were “created to share and inspire existing and upcoming Turntable enthusiasts.”

DJ Ruffcutt mirrors this sentiment, saying he wants to “inspire the youth and motivate the next generation.”

Follow the B-BOY BEATDOWN on Instagram: @thebboybeatdown

All images from @‌djruffcutt on TikTok