Fun Facts About Jailhouse Rock

Regional Manifestations: BCR (Brick City Rock)

BCR, a regional manifestation of Jailhouse Rock, originated in Newark, New Jersey, during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Trained in communal settings through informal sparring sessions known as “Rock Parties” and impromptu Slap-Boxing matches, BCR is characterized by footwork resembling improvised dance moves.

Insights from a Practitioner: Patrick Thrasybule

Patrick Thrasybule, a practitioner of Capoeira, Kalinda, Haitian Machete Fencing, and BCR, sheds light on the African-American version of “combat-boxing.” He emphasizes the cultural significance of Jailhouse Rock, suggesting its roots in African Diaspora Martial Arts (ADMA). These arts, stemming from the martial traditions of West Africa, have merged with Western boxing, creating a unique “africanized” street boxing style.

“Jail-house rock”, “52” or “rocking” as my daddy called it, is the African-Americans version of “combat- boxing” so to speak .

Taking the Marquis of Queensberry rules out of Boxing frees us to call upon movements and techniques that have cultural significance to us that the Marquis rules force out .

The “kings crown” is an empty hand version of an overhand stick block found in many central African stick systems and is also found in Kalinda/ Haitian machete.

“Skull & Crossbones” and “The Bank Robber” are both blocks found in Capoeira and Danmye.

Even the B.C.R. (Brick City Rock. ) Form of rocking my father taught me has a Ginga.

All of these moves are also seen in Uprocking (the precursor to break-dancing) and in break-dancing itself.

to say it was developed in prison is a bit of a misnomer, it’s more accurate to say it survived as a prison cultural norm for african american men. in fact, it was incubated in many different african american subcultures. african american boxing gyms in the north east are one such place where you’ll find old men showing young fighters how to sneakily “cheat” using the head, elbows knees and sweeps.

I myself study Capoeira, Kalinda, Haitian Machete Fencing and B.C.R. a form of “Jail-house rock”. there are others Muti, Trip and Flip or Leg Wrestling, Juego del Garrote and Damye ladja to name a few.

All of these arts are a part of the (African Diaspora Martial Arts) or “A.D.M.A.” this is a loose term used to describe the martial arts that were developed by the slaves brought to the Americas from the Congo, Nigeria, Angola, Ghana and Senegal roughly.

These people who were brought here as slave were generally the losers of tribal wars and therefore were well versed in warfare and personal combat. ADMA are arts that are a western regional synthesis of the martial arts in those countries of west Africa.

All of them are basically local variations on what you might call “Capoeira” and ”caribbean stick fighting” or at least follow the same general concept.

in the United states those concepts kind of merged with western boxing and created a kind of “africanized” street boxing that utilized alot of the hand positions and defence’s one would use to protect oneself from kicks or sticks…, and like caribbean stick fighting/Capoeira: rhythmic dance like motion is encouraged.

Patrick Thrasybule