I must confess that I'm not easily impressed, however, I dare say that the first time I saw Jimbo breaking I was awestruck. I remember a young kid on crutches limping to the centre and as the beats hit he just mesmerized the audience with your magical skills. Let's meet Oliver Scicluna better known as Jimbo Thinlegz.
Sound Check: How did Hip Hop help you in your life?
Jimbo: I first started off by dancing way back when I was about 17 years old (today I'm 33 going into 34) without the knowledge that Breakdance has anything to do with something let alone the Hip Hop culture. I wanted to dance because I've seen friends doing it, because I wanted to impress at the time and because I loved the style. When I went into the scene I started meeting new people, firstly bboys and a few girls, then Graffiti Artists the likes of James Micallef Grimaud and rappers (MCs) the likes of Dave Leguesse, Rumbull and Jon Mallia. I was one of the founders of my breakdancing Crew, Underground Shadows at the time and through my Crew (family) we managed to go abroad and compete plus learn more about the Hip Hop culture. It was after my first trip to Germany (Battle of the Year) that I learned about Zulu Nation, the worldwide organization which founded Hip Hop in the Bronx back in the 1970's. I researched and managed to get in touch with a Zulu King from Seattle who is also a disabled person King Kazhm you helped me get in contact with the grass routes of Zulu Nation. To cut the long story short we formed Hip Hop Malta locally to promote more of the Hip Hop scene and managed to affiliate it with Zulu Nation, so it automatically became the local official chapter in Malta. Through that experience, I immediately learned that Hip Hop is not just an art form but a way of living, at a certain point it became my life and although I'm still not active in the scene I still feel that I'm an activist and this is thanks to the Hip Hop culture which taught me to fight for my principles, for what is right and to safeguard all those around me as much as possible. The Hip Hop phrase Peace, Love and Having Fun carries with it a deep understanding of the culture. We are here to create and fight for Peace, we are here on this earth to share the Love for each other through our actions and we are here living our daily lives to enjoy it and wish the same to others around us.
Sound Check: You took Hip Hop to a new level when you together with other friends founded an NGO promoting urban culture and inclusion. Can you explain further the transition?
Jimbo: After Hip Hop Malta I resigned and let other people lead it, I was engaged to give something to the disability sector as a disabled activist. Therefore together with a friend, Jon Mallia we kicked off Breaking Limits an NGO led by disabled people whose aim was to promote inclusion through sports, arts and culture. The same principles I had built during my time in Hip Hop Malta were of great benefit for me to be used in the disability sector. Whilst at Hip Hop Malta I wanted to teach more about the Hip Hop Culture, through Breaking Limits I wanted to use the Hip Hop Culture to promote inclusion and the rights of disabled people. I believe that for a while the Breaking Limits project worked superbly although unfortunately when I left because I was appointed Commissioner for the rights of persons with disability, the organization started to suffer from fatigue and lack of interest. That wasn't part of my plan but it happened.
Sound Check: What advice would like to have been given and wasn't?
Jimbo: During my breakdancing time I participated in international major events and also in local events. Obviously when competing abroad you are confronting mostly professional break dancers whilst my friends and I were just hobbyists although we practised a lot. On a local level, I rate myself as having a good level, since I always managed to get good results especially as part of my crew since I was an important element to my Crew due to my originality. My disability created a style in itself, this includes my body figure and the way I move. My short thin legs and upper body strength provided me with special powers which are rare in other breakdancers although yes it created certain limitations when it came to creating footwork. I feel that a dancer is an expressionist, s/he dances to express his feelings, to show himself, to speak about himself without speaking. One good advice I might share is that a dancer should always be him or herself, never try to be another dancer or another individual, especially in Hip Hop because that would lose the whole point of it all. Copying is a failure in the culture, on the other hand, being unique and original is success. It is not about winning or losing competitions.
Sound Check: Do you consider that Hip Hop and activism are directly linked?
Jimbo: Hip Hop was one major reason why today I'm an activist. Hip Hop teaches you to be a free spirit, to speak your own mind and to challenge perceptions and ideas. I'm that kind of person, I challenge people from those roaming in the streets to politicians. I challenge them to make it a point that what I believe is there to safeguard the rights of the minorities in my role as persons with disabilities. Yes sometimes I feel scared but I still do it as I like to ride the waves rather than letting them crush me.