By Timothy Mclaughlin
Although the exact origins of the jerkin’ movement are a bit unclear, the story seems to go something like this: Late last year, the high school court yards and parking lots of Los Angeles and the outlying areas began to spawn a style of music, dance and dress uniquely their own. Through various social networking sites and YouTube, what many wrote off as a passing fad, snowballed into its own independent movement. The music was high pitched and sped up with basic beats. Overlaid with rap verses and catchy hooks, the songs were simple, even a bit repetitive, but so catchy you couldn’t help but find yourself singing them under your breath.
AGENT: “Did you get the photo release signed?”
TALENT: “Naw, I had to get my parents to sign it.”
At the Candor TV studios on Fairfax one thing becomes blantantly clear when you enter the sleek offices: you are old and the driving forces behind Southern California’s jerkin’ movement are young, really young.
The style element was a hybrid, caught somewhere between Williamsburg hipster and Nu-rave London, a sort of urban wear meets Steve Urkel. The trademark of the movement without a doubt was the skinny jeans with shades of turquoise and purple dominating the color spectrum, a far cry from the baggy, low riding denims associated with the L.A. urbanscape. The accessories and t-shirts carry a bit of nostalgia to them. A Dan Marino hat, a pair of vintage Nikes, there is homage to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s that is unmistakable—despite the generation gap. Marino took his last snap under center in 1999, when most of the artists behind the jerkin’ movement were barely hitting double digits in age.
Then there is the dance. All elbows and knees, it seems perfectly suited for the lanky teenager, embracing the awkwardness of the age with a big middle finger to all those who once labeled them geeky and weird. The outsiders have become the cool kids and their break-dance meets Irish jig is the chosen weapon of expression.
Back at Candor, the producers, PR reps, parents, handlers and entourage members all look wildly dated as they watch the jerkin’ crews, who have assembled for a new web series titled “Skinny Jeans: The Movement,” break into a spontaneous dance battle punctuated with the occasional explosions of “Oooohs” as one crew ups the ante.
Amongst them is the proverbial who’s who of the jerkin’ scene. Two all-female groups are present: The Pink Dollaz, five women from Inglewood’s Hamilton High who talk over each other with infectious enthusiasm, and The Bangz, who fill the role as elder stateswomen at the gathering, although the duo look hardly a day over 19. There are also two dance crews, the UCLA Jerk Kings, not yet college age, and Team Dummy. But there is no doubt that most people are here to see the New Boyz, the duo made up of 17 year olds Legacy and Ben J, who sent jerkin’ from a viral video phenomenon to the radio waves and the mainstream with their song “You’re A Jerk.”
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