The Era are tired of footworkers like themselves being pigeonholed as background dancers to the rappers and DJs who’ve taken the breakneck tracks from the streets of Chicago to the mainstream. The four-man crew are pushing the culture forward through “footwork with words,” their attempt to bridge the gap between hip-hop and the 160-plus BPM homegrown tunes. And it works—their laid-back rhymes seamlessly lead listeners in and out of the adrenaline-pumping dance routines in the video for “Get U Some (Remix),” a track off their self-released debut EP So·lo (z). The Era’s ringleader, Litebulb, explains what the genre might be missing: “I’m pretty sure it’s a ton of dancers with stories that we just never hear about or won’t hear about. But this is a way for us to do that over music.” If you’re a fan of footwork or curious about the creative possibilities of the art form, don’t miss out. v
The Era crew attempt to bridge the gap between hip-hop and footwork
