2 Legit

Dancer Patrick ‘TwoFace’ Williams and three musicians from the transcultural Babylon ORCHESTRA explore the values and virtues of youth culture in their new work 2 Legit. ‘Legit’ is borrowed from ‘legitimate’ and is a slang word used mainly in the hip-hop scene – for example in 2 Legit 2 Quit (1991), one of MC Hammer’s biggest hits. If something is “legit”, it has authenticity and “realness”.

What does it mean for young people today to be truthful, straightforward and real – especially in a world where permanent self-promotion on social media plays a central role? Do virtues like sincerity and honesty have the same value in different cultures? What sounds authentic, what looks ‘fake’ and how quickly can one disguise reality?

The artists interpret their personal relationship to the virtues through music and dance. Dance styles such as popping, tutting or waving meet the sounds of Arabic instruments, Japanese harmonies and electronic beats. The encounter of music and dance on an equal level and the artists’ joint exploration of the theme stimulates completely new forms of movement and interplay. Dance and music form an exciting exploration of the coexistence of different cultures and value systems in our society.

2 Legit is the second joint work by Mischa Tangian, composer and founder of the Babylon ORCHESTRA, and the Japanese choreographer Takao Baba, who has his artistic roots in hip-hop. Dance soloist Patrick Williams a.k.a. Two Face is a member of the world-renowned contemporary dance company East Man under the direction of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. An active TikToker, he has more than 170,000 followers.