RIP BRYAN “BILLY” BELL. VIDEO PIONEER IN THE BREAKING COMMUNITY

Ask anyone who came up in the breaking scene in the late 90’s – early 2000’s “Which are the best breaking vids ever?” and most answers will have one thing in common…’Edited by Billy Bell’. Billy Bell became a legend in the breaking community due to his work alongside Cros One and Freestyle Session.

15 years ago the term ‘breaking community’ didn’t even really exist. The breaking ‘scene’ was still very much discovering itself and no one knew what would come of it. Billy’s work gave our community a face, a representation of who we are and how we are. What Craig Stecyk did for skateboarding icons The Z Boys, what Plan B video’s did for street skateboarding, Billy Bell’s work did for breaking.

I remember Freestyle Session 3, 4, 6, & 7. Those of us who couldn’t attend the event could not wait for the VHS. In those days, there was no Youtube or no camera phones and truthfully most of us were too young and broke to own a video camera. Shit, many of us probably didn’t know how to work a video camera! Luckily, Billy Bell did and thanks to his vision the breaking community has a history that is very much
LIVE AND DIRECT.

We leave you with some of his work.

Freestyle Session 2000:

Freestyle Session 3 intro:
Sorry, Youtube took off the music!

Freestyle Session 4 Intro:

Freestyle Session 6 Intro:

Before Billy Bell documented Breakin events, he has has a name for himself
in the roller blade scene. Check out some of his work here:

THANK YOU BILLY BELL.
THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US HOW DOPE THE BREAKING COMMUNITY TRULY IS.

Share this article!