The Mighty Zulu Kingz was established in 1973. They were to be the official bboy crew for the Zulu Nation. This concept came about due to the fact that the five brothers, who helped Afrika Bambaataa organize The Zulu Nation, WERE ALL BBOYS! They were known as the Zulu Kings. The “FOUNDING 5″ of Zulu Kings helped Afrika Bambaataa start a small movement in his tenement housing projects called “The Bronx River Organization”, which in time was changed to “The Organization”, and eventually renamed to “Zulu Nation”, which is the name the organization still uses today. The “FOUNDING 5″ members of Zulu Kings are: AMAD HENDERSON, AZIZ JACKSON, SHAKA REED, KUSA STOKES, and ZAMBU LANER. Amad Henderson still helps lead the Zulu Nation global organization, now refer to as “Universal Zulu Nation”. He is still a huge influence on MZK, and how the group operates today. Also, he is 1 of 2 consultants to Alien Ness, who is the current President of MZK.
As time went on, Zulu Kings became bigger with a household name for the BBoy dance style that was known by many terms; “Boi-yoing”, “Breaking”, “Go Off”, “BBoying”, or “Breakdancing” (media term). Eleven members of Zulu Kings made this possible; they were known as the “FIRST 11″. In 1975, they help create the B-Boy boom in the Bronx. The streets were buzzing about the new dance form that the Zulu Kings were doing. They were a force to be reckoned with in an era of social parties known in the streets as “Jams”. The “FIRST 11″ Zulu Kings are: BEAVER, ROBBIE ROB, CHOLLY ROCK, SWANE, POW WOW, MARCUS, JAZZY JAY, SUNDANCE, LITTLE KEITH, AFRIKA ISLAM, and G.L.O.B.E. Out of the “FIRST 11″, Beaver was the most well-known member, and became the first BBoy to get the Ghetto Celebrity status. Many of the original moves that create the blueprint for the BBoy dance style started with these 11 members, including SPORADIC FOOTWORK STYLE, HEAD SPINS, BACK SPINS, CHAIR FREEZE, BABY FREEZE, BASIC TOP ROCK STYLES, and the ever so popular and most imitated, AROUND THE WORLD SPINS & ZULU SPINS.
As the years went by, all the original Zulu Kings started to fade. Afrika Islam started to DJ, as well as Jazzy Jay. Pow Wow, G.L.O.B.E., and Biggs became The Soul Sonic Force. Sundance and Trouble maintained Chapter 2 of the Zulu Nation, and of course BBoy was getting “PLAYED OUT” by 1979.
In 1981, Zulu Kings have a new life in the form of “Rock Steady Crew” (the third generation of Zulu Kings, or “Generation 3″ as MZK refers to them). This came about in the winter of 1981, when leading members of the infamous “Rock Steady Crew” asked Afrika Bambaataa if they could be members of Zulu Kings. Afrika Bambaataa granted them their wish, and sweetened the pot by allowing all members of Rock Steady Crew to represent Zulu Kings. Many older pictures of Rock Steady Crew show them wearing sweat suits with the words “ROCK STEADY ZULU KINGS”. RSC were part of the first Hip Hop Tour with Afrika Bambaataa, and were given the honor of carrying the tradition of Zulu Kings as a bboy squad, but this time “Boogie Boys” were included. This generation was short lived, and by the mid 1990’s only 4 people were honorably representing Zulu Kings. Those dancers were Frosty Freeze (R.I.P.), Pop Master Fabel, Mr. Wiggles, and the newly added member Alien Ness, who eventually went on to be the President of MZK. Pop Master Fabel is the second consultant to Alien Ness, and is referred to as “GodFather” to the 4th generation of MZK.
