Unity Radio and the Greater Manchester Hip Hop Archive pay tribute to Ossie, aka O.C. Rock, of Manchester’s Broken Glass Breakdancing Crew.
A pioneer of Hip Hop in Manchester, Ossie was a key member of the Breakin’ crew founded by DJ Greg Wilson. Greg was one of the first DJs to bring the electro-funk sound developing in New York to UK dance floors, curating a Wednesday night event at Legends basement nightclub on Princess Street. Legends became home to Manchester’s elite breakdance fraternities and party people alike, establishing an iconic event and helping to cement Manchester Broken Glass Street Crew, a name coined by MBGSC member Paul Leveridge, aka Kermit Le Freak.
As well as dancing at youth clubs and venues across Manchester, Ossie travelled across the UK and Europe with Broken Glass, competing in top-level dance competitions, representing the city, and helping to put UK Hip Hop on the map. It’s also said that Ossie was an exceptional dresser, ahead of his time in street fashion, and that it was Ossie’s mum who was to thank for the crew’s iconic Adidas tracksuits.
An outpouring of tributes from the community has been paid to Ossie by fellow Broken Glass members, including Kevin Morris, and other Manchester hip hop pioneers; from dancer and artist Benji Reid to Red Venom, who dedicated his recent Ain’t No Joke Rap Show on Unity Radio 92.8FM to Ossie, aka O.C. Rock, and to Manchester and Salford’s legendary Breakin’ crews, from Broken Glass to Street Machine.
Our thoughts are with Ossie’s friends and family, and we pay major respect to his contribution to Breakin’, Hip Hop, and Manchester.
BBOY4LIFE
Listen to the Ain’t No Joke Rap Show tribute to Ossie below.
