Red Bull BC One USA 2009

B-Boy Lilou Proves Character Wins Over Power at Red Bull BC One

November 19, 2009 – (New York) – Last night a new chapter of B-Boy history was written in the birthplace of Hip Hop, New York City. The Red Bull BC One shook iconic music venue, Hammerstein ballroom, to its core. Sixteen B-Boys from eleven countries battled with pride in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 1600 enthusiastic fans. French B-Boy Lilou took home the honor of being "The One" for the second time, a first in Red Bull BC One's six year history. It was no easy task for Lilou, as all the night's competitors put their best foot forward or "up". He defeated USA's Cloud, who had a comeback after a four-year hiatus touring with Madonna, in a three-round intense finals face-off. In the end, Lilou’s character, style and confidence prevailed.

Lilou couldn’t lose his smile between sets of blowing the audience away with his clever style and combinations. In the first round, he defeated Ukrainian B-Boy Kolobok and in the quarterfinals, USA B-Boy Thesis. Then in a heated semi-final, Lilou showed another USA B-Boy, Morris, how it’s done.

“I was so afraid because when I got on stage, all the crowd was: U-S-A! U-S-A! but that just gave me more power,” said Lilou of his final battle.

Host of the night, KRS One stated, “He walked his way right up, it was crazy! Tokyo, I hope you are ready for this guy.”

USA had both East and West Coasts represented with Kid Glyde in his hometown of New York City, Thesis hailing from Seattle, Cloud from LA and Morris from Sacramento, CA. Wing from Korea, 2008’s champion, put up a strong fight to defend his title, but lost in the quarterfinals to Morris.

In the heart of New York City, Hammerstein Ballroom sits in the shadows of the Empire State Building in midtown Manhattan. As the city continued to buzz outside, inside, this iconic venue was shaken to its music-lovin’ roots.

Although the B-Boy battles were the highlight of an exciting night, tonight's talent also brought the crowd to its feet. KRS One literally shined as the night's emcee, but his bright shirt did not distract from the hype he gave to the crowd throughout the show. Hip Hop legend Talib Kweli, joined by partner Hi-Tek, rocked the house with his beats, both new and old. One of the most well known B-Boy crews, The Rock Steady Crew, gave a dramatic performance that reflected the evolution of B-Boying and Hip Hop in New York City. The audience also got a lively demonstration from jump roping group, the National Double Dutch League.

Over the last six years, Red Bull BC One has provided a spotlight for some of the world’s most talented dancers. The B-Boy growing fan base worldwide anxiously awaits the biggest one-on-one competition. This year, the US showcased strong talent and provided an opportunity for one-on-one style B-Boy battling to expand its reach to the US and the world.