White and in his '60s, Roger Pollard—a.k.a. OG Pollard—may not look like your average hip-hop fan, but he certainly knows how to get down. This was evident after a bunch of Vine clips surfaced online of him dancing to Bobby Shmurda, 2 Chainz, and Dr. Dre at The End Up day party in San Francisco, like the one above. There's a reason why he calls himself "That 'Old White Man' taking over every dance floor in the Bay Area."
Pollard has since become somewhat of a viral sensation, as more and more video clips continue to spread, including some from his own Instagram account. It's gotten to the point that even Big Sean has shouted Pollard out for dancing to "I Don't Fuck With You." We expect Drake and OG Maco to do the same. When time permits, of course.
Earlier this week, we spoke with Pollard via email and asked him about his dance background, his favorite artists, and tips on killing it on the dance floor. Learn something from a true OG.
Interview by Edwin Ortiz (@iTunesEra)
How old are you, and what do you do for a living?
61, construction management for Pollard Unlimited, Inc.
Have you always been a fan of hip-hop music?
Since about 2000. I have danced all my life but started hip-hop dancing in 2009.
Who are some of your favorite artists?
Eminem, Everlast, Usher, Chris Brown, CloeyDntLove, and Jill Scott.
How long have you been attending The End Up?
First time was August 3. Been every Sunday since.
What was your initial reaction when you saw people posting Vine clips of you dancing online?
I take it as a compliment. People have been filming me for years. Every night 20 or so people video me on their phones. I use to have to search YouTube to see some of them. Most were too dark to see much. It wasn’t until I was filmed at Oakland Live that a good quality video was posted for the public.
Who are the friends you regularly hang out with at these events?
Claudia Williams, Khalifa Wiz, CloeyDntLove, Jhamel Robinson (Milli Ali), Remi Woods, Ayana Brumfield, and Young Shorty Doowop.
How did you meet them?
I met all of them on different dance floors. From San Francisco to Modesto, Monterey to Sacramento.
We called you the yiking king. Do you agree with this statement?
Yiking is part of the dance, but I have all the steps.
For someone who may not have your skills and swag on the dance floor (like me), what tips would you give them for stepping their game up?
Get out of the chair and have fun! You are not going to get better sitting down. Some people watch videos. I never seem to have time for that.
