Ur a Jerk. Photos by Mathew Scott
Over the past year, a new hip-hop subgenre has bubbled up from the streets of Los Angeles. Known as jerkin', the scene is largely populated by internet-savvy, skinny-jeans-wearing teens whose favorite artists are often like-minded young MCs and producers who operate almost exclusively on MySpace and only perform at raucous all-ages shows for throngs of wildingout fans. With a minimal, synth-driven sound reminiscent of Bay Area rappers The Pack, jerkin' has crept up and down
the West Coast, primarily on the back of underground hits like "You're a Jerk" by LA's New Boyz. But apart from the music, the jerkin' movement has gained just as much attention for its youthful exuberance, bright colors, skate-inspired style, and coordinated dance moves that often resemble the Running Man in reverse. With the help of Angeleno Sharriff Hassan—who's currently producing a jerkin' feature film— XLR8R brought together three different jerkin' crews—Team Dummy, Kream Kids, and
UCLA Jerks—on a Sunday afternoon at Stoner Park in West Los Angeles. Photographer Mathew Scott documented the crews doing what they do... and captured a bit of what being a jerk is all about. Shawn Reynaldo