A new generation of hip-hop & popping

They’ve cemented their status as meteoric talents, not only by racking up battle wins and titles, but off the back of fierce creativity and style, the fearlessness to kick down doors, the ability to powerfully articulate their beliefs beyond the floor and a next-level tenacity. Each has flexed their talents and skillset by swerving into other genres while being masters of their own.

Known for his joyful presence on stage and infectious energy, MT Pop brings his whole heart to each battle and performance. His ultimate goal? To spread happiness and inspire others to fall in love with dance the way he did. Supported by family, friends and the global dance community, he views dance as his way of expressing emotion, telling stories and bringing people into the culture.

Born into a family where movement was second nature, French dancer Rubix took to his first battle floor at the age of just four. Raised in Paris with rhythm in his blood, he trained in classical, modern jazz, locking and popping before finding his true voice in hip-hop. But Rubix doesn’t just dance hip-hop – he reinvents it. Fusing strong musicality with influences from jazz, afro, breaking, krump and house, his style is daring, unpredictable and entirely his own.

As a teenager, Rubix built a fierce reputation in Paris’s competitive dance scene, earning the nickname ‘Rubix the Grizzly’ for his raw energy and fearless battle mentality. He’s the youngest member of the legendary Criminalz Crew, and alongside his brother Rochka, has taken home wins at Juste Debout, WDC and more. His creative spark led him beyond the battle world, landing gigs with Louis Vuitton, French pop icon Matt Pokora and performing on tour with Jason Derulo.

Rubix thrives both underground and on the big stage. His storytelling through movement and eclectic style have turned him into one of Europe’s most versatile dance artists. In 2024, he stunned at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final in India – starting as a wild card and dancing his way to the final battle, where he placed second behind MT Pop.

The D SoraKi was born into the dance world – literally – as his mother went into labour on the way to his sister’s dance contest. Inspired by Japan’s legendary street battle DANCE ALIVE, he began dancing at four years old and was competing alongside his sister by the time he turned five. Trained in soul, hip-hop and freestyle, SoraKi learned early on how to blend styles while still striving to keep his own unique identity.

Dance became his lifeline through tough times. SoraKi battled school bullying, legal fights with his father and a string of losses on the battle scene. At his lowest, he felt like a “lost cause” – until dance pulled him back. His breakthrough came in 2022 when he won the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final in Johannesburg, performing to iconic tracks that helped him get through his hardest years.

Diablo is a long-standing member of Criminalz Crew, La Clique and Genesis, but it’s his work as part of duo Los Diablos De La Muerte with partner in crime Stylez’C, aka StalaMuerte, that’s propelled him to higher levels. Together the duo won The Fusion Concept World Final and Juste Debout.

The French dancer contorts in and out of position, then switches his flow with intricate hand isolations and footwork to hard-hitting hip-hop – sometimes all within a matter of bars.

When it comes to offering up the unexpected Diablo’s only just getting started. Stepping into 2021, StalaMuerte and Diablo are busy cooking up a full-length production in the studio among a long list of other exciting projects in the works.

When pressed to comment on his journey thus far, Diablo says: “If you ask me when I became famous as a dancer, or if I thought I would have a career as a dancer, it just never entered my head. Dance isn’t a sport, or about being good, because whether or not people think your dancing is ‘good’ is just an opinion.

“Being successful, good or famous as a dancer isn’t down to technique and skill, it’s about knowing and loving yourself and putting that into it, because dance isn’t going to lie.

“It’s hard for female dancers to dance powerfully and be respected for that, so my goal with hip-hop is to be very powerful and shut down the stereotypes,” says Kyoka.

Kyoka was introverted and shy as a child, and had problems getting her point across. That was until she stepped into the studio. “I realised dancing shows your personality and emotion like a mirror,” says Kyoka. The advice of her teacher to give in to the beat, let herself go and be free, awoke a confidence in Kyoka that changed her forever.

“Dance is my only way of expression,” he says. “When I dance, it’s the only time I can let my feelings out. It’s my therapy. All of my emotions, I put into my dance.”

Growing up in Lausanne, Poppin’C knew he wanted to follow in his mother’s footsteps. She was a dancer and after accompanying her to a class, he hit the studio hard and wasted no time honing his skills and setting his goals to the maximum.

A decade later, Poppin’C has won over 150 battles. He put his country on the dance map last summer by winning the Dance Your Style qualifier and securing a place at the World Finals. All while taking the scene in his own country to new levels with his own flavour.

“Some of the new-gen can be too focused on technique and moves, moves, moves,” Poppin’C says. “You have poppers now who are like machines. They kill the beat. Don’t get me wrong, I respect those type of poppers a lot.

But all this didn’t come with overnight clout or battle wins. In the beginning, Majid found it as hard to win approval from dancers, judges and veteran hip-hop heads as he did to build a following of fans. He continued training and trusting in his style and eventually managed to shrug off the naysayers in favour of following his passion.

Fast forward to 2021 and with two decades under his belt, the German dancer is more fiercely determined to stay on his own path than ever. He’s clocked up a global fanbase, has become a studio owner and Juste Debout champ, alongside a string of other titles. Majid’s a member of Raw Sushi Gang, organiser of the hip-hop dance festival Summer Week‘47 and is currently making inroads into becoming an actor. Catch him in the cinema this year as well as playing the bad guy in German series Crews & Gangs.

“I don’t have idols because I feel like it gives you a tunnel view,” Majid says. “I prefer to follow my own vision and dance hip-hop the way I see and feel it – not the way someone else dances it or thinks hip-hop should look.”