Growing up in Brooklyn and spending quite a few weekends and a couple of short stints on Rikers, holding cells and the bookings, I’ve been involved in and seen many a fights that are far from your average. Taken from the Jailhouse 52 Blocks Razor Fighting documentary, the above video shows the fighting style of Jailhouse Rock, 52 Blocks and the “art” of handling a razor. Created in the late 60’s to early 70’s on Rikers Island, Jailhouse Rock or “Jailhouse” was a style mainly used by 5 Percenters from Brooklyn who were nice with their hands by using movement, rhythm, deception, footwork, feints, slips, ducks, blocks, interceptions and down right natural ability.
Meanwhile in the Bronx and places like the Spofford Juvenile Detention Center, a style that would later become known as 52 Blocks or “52″ as we call it was being created that incorporated a defensive system of blocking punches with your forearm and elbows and using it to your offensive advantage via counter punches.
However it is the evolution & combination of both styles that once met on Rikers Island during the 80’s made the art even more popular as the addition of spittin out razors from ones mouth and handing out buck 50’s came into play. A technique so violent and effective that those who were proficient were forced to wear mittens once outside their cells and even placed in 5 point restraints like an urban Hanibal Lecter. Slap boxing and dances like uprocking (break dance style seen in the 0:46 clip) also were added to the form. Now I know ya buggin like “break dancing in a fight?” But remember, Jailhouse & 52 was more or less created in the hood & the Island during the 70’s & 80’s when break dancing was choice in NY. besides, us NY niggas do everything with style, walk, talk, dress, fuck (at least I do) and fight.
Jailhouse & 52 become the only way to fight especially in certain areas like Brownsville & Crown Heights Brooklyn and created legends like Mother Dear, Justice, Duffy, Dead Arm Ro, Big K, Spark, Pop, Glass Man, Divine Knowledge, King Saladin, Big T amongst other whose name rang bells throughout the 80’s for all the dudes they mollywhopped and the faces they carved like pumpkins. Boxers like Pernell Whitaker, Mike Tyson and Zab Judah at times have even used the style, the defensive and technical parts of course minus the razors and dancing. Other notable prison styles were the Comstock Shuffle which you don’t ever want to see trust me. For information on the Jailhouse 52 Blocks Razor Fighting documentary visit 52films.eventbrite.com. – ICE
