Krumping is a relatively new addition to the hip-hop culture. Less rigid and rule-oriented than traditional hip-hop, Krumping is a freestyle dance form that culminates into an aggressive, confrontational adrenalin-fest. The dancers interact with each other, and feed off each other's energy, through physical confrontations and weight-sharing.

Krumping first grabbed the spotlight in David LaChappelle's recent documentary "Krumped". Viewers had a chance to experience this new, high-energy, frenzied style of dance that exploded out of South Central Los Angeles. In the early 90s, a hip-hop persona named Tommy the Clown ran a traveling entertainment crew and dance academy in the Compton area of L.A. It became an essential part of the neighborhood, providing a much-needed outlet for unprivileged children. He also re-instated the old hip-hop tradition; the dance battles. Krumping grew out of these battles and in the last two years became a dance genre of its own.

Since Krumping is a more aggressive, less structured form of hip-hop, it attracts younger people who might not necessarily have the money for professional dance lessons. The interaction between the dancers and the audience creates a sense of unity and boosts the confidence of the young kids, sometimes turning into an almost therapeutic experience. As Dragon, a dancer featured in "Krumped" said; "Krumpness is an abstraction of your inner being." While most of the current participants of the Krump craze are still in high school, they aspire to be professional dancers and choreographers someday.

Will Krumping become the "next big thing" and then slowly fade away from mainstream consciousness? It certainly got a flashy welcome; less than a couple years old, and already it was featured in two documentaries: LaChappelle's "Krumped"(2004) and Shake City 101 (2003), directed by Mark St. Juste. LaChappelle became introduced to Krumping when shooting a Christina Aguilera video. He became intrigued with the passion and uniqueness of the style, calling it something that "must be seen". Famous musical acts like Missy Elliot and Black Eyed Peas have also featured Krumping in their videos. So perhaps this rebellious brand of hip-hop, dubbed by some as "hip-hop's punk rock" is here to stay, at least for a while.