Documenting The Confusion Between The Late 1980s Hip Hop Dances The Cabbage Patch & The Reebox (videos & comments)

Reebok vs. Cabbage Patch • Hip Hop Dance • Feat. Buddha Stretch

Versa-Style Street Dance Company, Jul 8, 2025

In this video, Buddha Stretch shares with us the history and difference  between the Reebok and the Cabbage Patch!

Dance With VS: Online Street Dance Tutorials

VS Member BeastBoi featuring Hip Hop and Street Dance Pioneer Buddha Stretch!

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a three part pancocojams series about the 1980s Hip Hop dance called "The Cabbage Patch" and some other 1980s Hip Hop dances.

This post showcases YouTube videos of certain 1980s Hip Hop dances that are often confused with each other, particularly "The Cabbage Patch", "The Reebok", "The Wop" and The Prep.  

This pancocojams post also includes an AI Overview about The Cabbage Patch & The Reebok Dance as well as a few comments from some of those YouTube videos' discussion threads.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/06/tennas-dance-in-2025-deltarune-chapter.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents some information about The Cabbage Patch dance and showcases two videos of that dance. One of those featured videos is a 2025 demonstration of "The Reebok dance". That Hip Hop dance came shortly after The Cabbage Patch dance and is often confused with that earlier dance.

Part I of this series also presents information about the 2025 Deltarune video game character Tenna and its "Tenna Boogie" This post also showcases two videos of the Tenna Boogie which r eminds some people of the 1980s Cabbage Patch dance. 

Click __ for Part III of this pancocojams series. That post presents some examples of African American children's recreational rhymes that include references to The Cabbage Patch dance.    

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the creators and early popularizers of these Hip Hop dances. Thanks to all those who are featured in these embedded YouTube videos and all the producers and publishers of these videos. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
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An upcoming pancocojams post about video games, race, and ethnicity will be published ASAP and its link will be added to the posts in this series.  

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AI OVERVIEW ABOUT THE CABAGE PATCH AND THE REEBOK (also known as "THE TROOP"  / SKELETOR) HIP HOP DANCES

This write-up is the result of my query: "Which Hip Hop dance came first- The Cabbage Patch of The Reebok?

AI Overview
"The Cabbage Patch came first. It emerged in the mid-1980s, gaining massive mainstream popularity alongside the iconic Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and songs by groups like Gucci Crew II.

The Reebok dance emerged shortly afterward in the late 1980s. It was directly inspired by the booming popularity of the Reebok sneaker brand and was heavily influenced by marching bands at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which needed to adapt the Cabbage Patch into a side-to-side shoulder move so musicians could still play their instruments."

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR SHOWCASE VIDEO #1

(given at the top of this pancocojams post)

Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - How to do the Cabbage Patch | Hip Hop Club Dance Moves

DanceKizombaTV, Jun 27, 2014

Awesome demo of Hip Hop Club Dance Move Cabbage Patch by legends Buddha Stretch (go to his workshops), Terry Link & Caleaf Sellers. Watch, Learn and Enjoy!
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Unfortunately, this 2014 video added to the confusion about how The Cabbage Patch or The Reebok were (are) performed. Most of the commenters in this video wrote that the dance that Buddha Stretch demonstrated in that video was The Reebok (also known as "The Troop" or "Skeletor") and not "The Cabbage Patch". It appears to me that in his 2025 video that is given as #1 in this pancocojams post  (without mentioning this 2014 video) Buddha Stretch corrects the record that the dance he did in  2014 was The Reebok and not a version of The Cabbage Patch. 

Here are a few comments from this video's discussion thread. (Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.)

1. @mobus1603, 2016
"That looks like the Reebok to me."

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2.@James_Carter_K, 2017
"this is the real cabbage patch"

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3. @vergon666, 2019
"The Reebok"

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4. @michaeltruthson6262, 2021
"Not the cabbage patch but he's rocking whatever dance that is.""

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5. @HighSpeedNoDrag, 2026
"Outstanding observation but a Variant of the Cab at best."

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6. @Queen-bj1ou, 2024
"We called this dance the Troop  and/or Skeletor back in the day.🤷🏾‍♀️"

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7. @christopherdieudonne, 2024
"Where I come from that was called The Reebok.  The cabbage patch was still a shoulder dance but not done like this."

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8. @stoplookinent4791, 2025
"Your correct that's the reebok"

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9. @MichaelJones-co3df, 2025
"This was the cabbage patch, you go side to side, I don't know what that other thing is they do but you want to look like a cabbage patch kid so I don't know what the other thing is on the internet with the circles but  these guys are the best......."

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #3: DANCIN' ON AIR ON FUSE TV - OLD SKOOL FRESH PRINCE WILL SMITH JAZZY JEFF -  BLOOPERS

Dancin' On Air, Feb 21, 2016  #DANCINONAIR #SMFONFUSE

DANCIN' ON AIR Season 2016 On-Demand 24/7/365, on FUSE TV. Also watch SATURDAY MORNING FEVER, on FUSE TV & HULU, the behind the scenes reality series about DANCIN' ON AIR
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In response to the question "What year was this [filmed], one commenter in this video's discussion thread wrote "1986" while another commenter wrote "1987?"

Most of the comments in this discussion thread refer to the "Dancin' On Air"  television series or to (old school) Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Here are a few comments from this video's discussion thread. (Numbers are added for referencing purposes only).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLr2uKRT3JE

1. @cravingspopcorn, 2020
"That cabbage patch was hard. The transformer dance too. I love it, but good thing the internet didn't exist then."

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2. @Oldskol81, 2025
"Exactly"

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3. @Jess2012rocha, 2022
"Was this before fresh prince of bell air?? Was he tryna become a hiphop rap artist back then and decided to be a comedian"
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In this comment the words "Fresh prince" and "he" refer to rapper/actor Will Smith who later starred in the television sit-com The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.

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5. @GL_FAB, 2023
"Way before his tv show 🎤🔥🎶👍"

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6. @rahtaylor7651, 2023
"He was a popular rapper before actor. First rapper to get a Grammy too"

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7. @IceManLikeGervin, 2023
"His first song came out in 1986 "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble". And this song "The Magnificent Jazzy Jeff" is from 1986 as well. His NBC sitcom came out in 1990. He released three full albums: Rock The House (1987), He's The DJ, I'm The Rapper (1988), And In This Corner... (1989), as well as won two Grammy awards before he even began his NBC sitcom."

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8. @jaigriggs3878, 2025
"And he was never a comedian he was a rapper before anything else he did."

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9. @destinmosby734, 2025
"Wills cabbage patch is ss god mode 😂"

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10. @jordonvazquez7620, 2025
"I love his cabbage patch."

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11. @justjonesy, 2025
"Who is the guy in the blue? He hitting that ish!! ❤ #JazzytheGenuis"
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12. @billyjacc, 2026
"Ready Rock C...The Human Beat Box"

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13.@PrinceSupreme-y8x, 2025

"You're taking me back to the old school days of hip-hop!

 DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, consisting of Jeff Townes and Will Smith, were indeed part of the West Philadelphia Crew and the larger Philadelphia hip-hop community.

 As you mentioned, they were affiliated with the Philly Crew, a collective of MCs, DJs, and breakdancers who were known for their lyrical dexterity, musical innovation, and cultural expression.

 Regarding their "knowledge of self" and "righteous names," it's true that many members of the Philly Crew and other early hip-hop groups adopted aliases or stage names that reflected their African American heritage, cultural identity, and personal values.

 

Some notable examples from the Philly Crew include:

 

- DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jeff Townes)

- The Fresh Prince (Will Smith)

- MC Parlay (Paris Williams)

- MC Ready Rock C (Clarence * Bobbit)

 

These righteous names often signified a connection to African culture, Islamic or Afrocentric spirituality, and a commitment to self-empowerment and community upliftment."
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*This name was given in that comment as "Charles", but was corrected by another commenter.

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14. @PrinceSupreme-y8x, 2025
"You're highlighting the connection between DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, the West Philly Crew, and the Five Percent Nation.

Indeed, some members of the Philly Crew, including DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, were influenced by the Five Percent Nation's teachings and adopted righteous names that reflected their connection to the Nation.

The Five Percent Nation, founded by Clarence 13X, emphasized the importance of knowledge of self, African identity, and spiritual growth. The Nation's teachings resonated with many young African Americans in Philadelphia and beyond.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's affiliation with the Five Percent Nation and the Philly Crew reflects the complex and dynamic cultural landscape of 1980s Philadelphia, where hip-hop, Afrocentrism, and Islamic spirituality intersected."

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #4 - Will Smith doing the Cabbage Patch (1980s)

@DJDAVINCI, May 1, 2025
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This is a clip of the video given as #3 in this pancocojams post.


Here are a few comments from this video's discussion thread. (Numbers are added for referencing purposes only). All of these comments are from 2025.

1. @ShabazztheGreaterTaker
"Dance Party USA!"

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2. @DarkTitanX
"I remember watching that episode of Dance Party USA."

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3. @Ynaffit_76
"My favorite era of Will..I appreciate these memories of him most youngsters wouldn't understand"

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4. @G.O.A.TGemini
"Will doing the Philly version"

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5. @Tha1isay
"That’s crazy, he Called it “dumb dancing” it doing a dance hard with a serious face.. real talk no joking. Look it up"

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6. @jawannwomack1950
"You right my uncle told me that years ago 😂"

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7. @MarsDK88
"Y’all forget that this man was a dancing fool back in the day."

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8. @irisshalurhad7901
"The dude in the back in the blue is doing the Biz Markie  harder than I’ve ever seen it done.  😂"

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9. @auracle9231
"You was supposed to look stupid when you did these dance moves.. Biz Markie would approve..Will was just chillin"

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10.  @sadetwizelve
"Cabbage Patch…The Wop"

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11. @studivan
"Somehow I don’t think that’s the was the dance went and I lived through that era, don’t know what he’s doing but that’s not the cabbage patch."

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12. @kenoyount6758
"Cabbage patch?😂

Looks like he's doing the Brussel sprouts"

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13. @fairassesment
"That ain’t the cabbage patch that’s the collard green. It seems painful."

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14. @Kekebusinessmogul
"😂😂😂"

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15. @gd97folk
"Definitely not the cabbage patch"

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16. @paulantonio10
"i.. i dont think thats how we used to do it. i dont remember it looking so thrash an jerky. (LOL)  Janet Jackson did it best."

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17. @j.smoov7220
"Actually cabbage patch crossed with the prep."
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/12/memories-of-1980s-wop-dance-other.html for the 2023 pancocojams post entitled "Memories Of The 1980s Wop Dance & Other Comments From Two YouTube Videos' Discussion Threads."

The first showcase video in that post is "Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew's Hip Hop rap "All The Way To Heaven" . That video was released in 1986 are scenes of African American women and men people dancing the Wop.

The second video in that pancocojams post is a Howcast tutorial of the Wop and the third video in that post is
"Tony - The Wop, The Cabbage Patch & The Prep", published by DJ Tony Vito, Apr 20, 2007
"Yes, that's me, kickin' old school moves .... 80's lives on!  The third step in this video is a dance we used to call the Raindance at Bentleys on 40th and Madison;  I've since found out that it is better known as The Prep."
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The first dance in that video is The Wop. The second dance is The Cabbage Patch, and the third dance is The Prep.

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18. @Blu-om
"I love how he background dancers look like the inflatable, flailing figures outside car dealerships. I think they're called 'air dancers' lol"

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19. @jasmyionsellers6755
"Oh you mean whacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men ? 💀"

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20. @richardmccall7479
"Real Philly in the house 💯"

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21. @dianejohnson4601
"Flavor flav was known for this dance also.  Will Smith help so many cultural generations to update and better themselves."

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22. @DonnaFrazier-eb3ez
"I NEVER SEEN IT DONE QUIET LIKE THAT BUT WILL IS DAMN SHO KILLING IT 😂"
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"Quiet" is a probably a typo here for the word "quite".

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #5 -Reebok vs Cabbage Patch (Which is Which??) | Hip Hop Dance Steps

The Shed, Jan 3, 2026
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Here' s the very beginning of the auto-generated English language transcript of this video (0.01-0.16 and from 1:00-1:32 in this video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8OdqTcpuj8

"Today, we're going to be breaking down two separate hip-hop steps and sort of
trying to settle a debate that surrounds them within the hip-hop community. These
two steps often get mistaken for each other.  So, we're going to break each of them down today
and really try to highlight the differences between them  so that there's less confusion around
these two steps.

[...]

These two steps are highlighted in the video * that I have linked in the top of the description by hip-hop's own Buddha Stretch. If you don't know who Buddha Stretch is, he is an iconic member of hip-hop culture and he has been around since the creation of the dance and even played a very important role in the formulation of the style. So, the info that I am laying out in this video is not sourced from me. This
is sourced from him and sourced from numerous other individuals who are far more credible when it comes to this sort of thing than I am and who have a lot more personal experience with the origins of hip-hop and with the origins of these steps."
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There are only a few comments in this video's discussion thread. Most of those comments compliment and thank The Shed for this video.

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This concludes Part II of this three part pancocojams series.

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