Jerkin’ Jeneration
Music, fashion and social media fuel the internationalization of L.A.’s latest
homegrown movement
by SOPHIA KERCHER / photographs by HEDI SLIMANE
For those who haven’t caught on to the three-year-old West Coast swagger, jerkin’ is its own genre of hip-hop-infused dance, music and style. Like surf culture and gangsta rap before it, the movement—with its laptop-created beats and home-crafted dance moves—was pioneered on L.A.’s sunbaked streets. The phenomenon has now gone global, propelled at warp speed by YouTube and other social media. And it has caught the attention of culture prognosticators.
Celebrated fashion figure and photographer Hedi Slimane—perhaps best known for transforming the male silhouette with ultra-slim-fitting clothes during his reign as the designer at Dior Homme—loves the jerk look. The style incorporates hair streaked Kool-Aid colors, bleached flattops and fro-hawks, chromatic tees and thick-soled skateboard shoes. But most important, jerk kids rock skinny jeans—they are now the official garment of the movement.
“When I was designing, I had in mind Jimi Hendrix, and I could hardly find skinny indie black kids to wear my clothes,” Slimane says. “I remember one telling me he had to swap his skinny jeans for baggy ones in the subway before going home, so he wouldn’t get in trouble in his neighborhood.” After meeting the jerk crews, he was captivated by their fresh presence: “I loved that sense of individuality, a certain wit and cool. It’s also accelerating this mutation between the indie rock world and rap.”
In his photography series Jerkin’ Jeneration, which we sample here, Slimane depicts arresting images of Southern California’s spirited crews, including members of New Boyz, JINC, Kream Kidz, Team Dummy and UCLA Jerk Kings.
Seventeen-year-old Indigo Marie Ford has a shot of herself from Hedi’s shoot on her MySpace page. Not the norm for a high school girl, but “Indigo Unchained”—her hip-hop alias—is determined to prove she is not the average teen. Ford is part of the constellation of YouTube jerkin’ celebrities.
The high-profile shoot with Slimane initially came as a surprise, as Ford arrived at the studio expecting just another project documenting her fiercely creative, camera-obsessed community. Like most her age, Ford had no idea who the French designer was. So when Slimane showed up, she Googled him with a flick of her finger and saw he was one of the biggest names in fashion. “No way!” she told her friends.
“I didn’t even know jerkin’ would leave L.A.,” Ford says. “Like, when it first started, we were just doing it for fun, and now people everywhere are looking at the videos.”
Perhaps owing to its eyebrow-raising moniker, jerkin’ is all about youth, dance, sound and a truly distinctive look. Like so many other youth-culture movements, it started here. And if history is any guide, they’ll be jerkin’ everywhere—from the cornfields of the Midwest to the runways of Europe.
Categories: Dance / Fashion / Feature Story / Photos / Pictorials
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How could you not include Slash (from GNR) in "The 50 Greatest Guitarists Ever"?
Posted by: Meghan | 06/06/2010 at 02:37 PM
Hey.!!
I live in spain and i love jerkin', i'm the creator of the first crew of jerkin' in spain, but is so difficult 'cause nobody dance jerkin' in spain but the people saw me and they liked it. Now i'm trying to contact with the NJA but is difficult, i sent them messages but they don't answer me.. Bye =)
Posted by: Jose Miguel | 06/07/2010 at 11:08 AM
Nice article, but I think respectively The Rangers should have been mentioned just as New Boyz & Jinc were. They're pushing the movement around the world as well. Congrads Indigo!
Posted by: Dberry | 06/07/2010 at 11:11 AM
WHERES THE RANGERS AT NOW COME ON..
Posted by: ray | 06/07/2010 at 12:58 PM
Yay 4 indigo!!! buht even though the Rangers are slightly annoying,and they're beginning to disband they still need 2 be mentioned....and what about ALLLLL of the other groups??? Why don't they get a mention?? But it's still cool I'm happy that jerkin got this far...Can't wait to see it go further :D
Posted by: Thandii | 06/07/2010 at 02:09 PM
Ford is part of the constellation of YouTube jerkin’ celebrities.
Like so many other youth-culture movements, it started here...... EVERYBODY AND THEY MOMMA DOES THIS....SO WHY IS IT SO SPECIAL???OH WAIT ITS NOT ITS JUST ANOTHER PHASE...SOON 2 DIE OUT AND BE REPLACED BY SOMEOTHER QUICK GIMMICK!!! P.S. JERKIN IS E-A-S-Y MY GRANDMA DOES IT! lmfaooooo ;-P
Posted by: MISS KNOWITALL | 06/07/2010 at 04:02 PM
i agree the rangers should of been mention there like the top jerking crew an they made a huge movement for jerking and other jerking groups n there living up to there goals come on now u guys slacked it
Posted by: edith | 06/07/2010 at 05:09 PM
...Jerkin' originated in Chicago years ago...we call it footwork.
Posted by: Eric | 06/08/2010 at 03:21 AM
I just wish this cool new trend had a better, less snicker-inducing east of the Rockies name...
Posted by: pablo | 06/10/2010 at 05:52 PM
...of course y'know when it gets to Toronto it will be officially dead...
sigh - land of the last gasp of the fad...
Posted by: jdit | 06/12/2010 at 07:56 AM
I'm from Brazil n there are very few people who know bout Jerkin. I'm spreadin the movement, though.
I guess I'm the only one in my city that jerks, but it might go big soon.
Posted by: Vitor | 06/19/2010 at 09:23 PM
Hi please send me video music with down writhe and simple texts include: stories and daily events ...
I study english language. i know a little this language. please help me that صant to progress.
I thank you - Daryoush
Posted by: Daryoush | 06/20/2010 at 08:21 PM
I'm from India and I jerk :)
Posted by: Mohan | 06/23/2010 at 07:36 PM
I love this urban-inspired unifying dance. Music is about unity and I think the jerk movement really emphasizes this because it evolved from urban youth culture. Although it's hip hop it has rejected the "gangster" lyrics and fashion some hip hop artists glamorize. I really hope this sticks and spreads! :)
PS- It got past Europe because I'm from India and I jerk :)
Posted by: Mohan | 06/23/2010 at 07:39 PM
Jerkin is a dance & style but the bigger movement is this generation and the evolution of California youth culture. I support this from LA to the Bay, and even DayGo.
Posted by: daskreetzmasta | 08/04/2010 at 11:33 AM
Superjerks all day.
TheSuperJerkss's Channel at Youtube.com!!! Check emm outt!!!! Help em win for wisconsin!!!
Posted by: Robbie | 10/05/2010 at 12:58 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqnDATzyuTI
a really awesome jerkin crew
in new jeresy
Posted by: ashley | 10/11/2010 at 11:08 AM
wow i can't believe the jerk movement is all around the world(: India Spain Europe (: that is great it is spreading around quick...
(: ~ i support the jerk movement
Posted by: Tiara | 11/13/2010 at 12:45 AM
As an example, what exactly is the positive reaction to a terrible economic setback? In this circumstances would it not be the positive reaction to copout and runaway? Escape as a result of alcohol, drug, or suicide? No! These adverse reactions only make greater problems by promising a momentary resolution to the pressing trouble.
Posted by: Air Jordan | 12/03/2010 at 01:07 AM
Im from Fiji and we jerk!
Posted by: Blair Hunter | 02/10/2011 at 07:56 PM
Ray Ban
Posted by: Ray Ban | 04/28/2011 at 06:55 PM
Check out my hooot jerking track thoo.
Support Jamaican muzykk.
Irie Blesss.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsOGeg9Y9_4&feature=channel_video_title
Posted by: ikrissParkins | 06/05/2011 at 09:24 PM
jerkin is even in the caribbean.. i live in antigua &barbuda an we still jerkin all now
Posted by: leon | 06/24/2011 at 02:33 PM
im from antigua a small contry in the caribbean and i jerk and my crew goes hard..geting sponsered is very hard..and we need it cuz we are good
Posted by: shavorn | 06/24/2011 at 02:34 PM
Superb, The photos are fantastic to
Daniel Wozniak
http://danielwozniak.org/
Posted by: Daniel Wozniak | 11/10/2011 at 03:48 AM
for me no 1 beats Gilmour...
Posted by: Bop nam | 11/14/2011 at 01:50 AM