Most people on the subway know us as the Showtime Kids.
But the crew I dance with is called We Live This.
You know, I just had it.
Yo, bring that battery 'cause this battery just dropped,like, like, two minutes ago
and it was dead, like, definitely valid to, like, use.
I think I just messed it up.
I just wanna know when.
And when, like, I'm very determined to get famous.
Or at least a little bit of money or something.
I see it coming some way or somehow. I'm just, I just can't wait.
After I smoke is not, like,
I lay down and be lazy.
I get up, my brother plays music for me
and I dance.
I dance until it's time for me to go. Then I go out hit the streets.
Make this money.
I like the spotlight 'cause before I used to be very shy, so,
to break out my silence
and then be out in the open is very,
very, very a-- hard times for me.
I guess you can say I'm the quiet one of the group.
Because, I don't
interact a lot. I just stay in the shell.
In my own little shell.
Get up, Kahlil.
Time for school. Get up.
Kahlil.
Alright A-Jay.
Some people, some people just, like,
they just like to pick on small people.
And they don't know that every small person has something big in them.
My father was, um, arrested when I was ten years old for murder.
I know now that I will probably never see him again.
My Pops, my Pops was, he was a good, a good guy.
Now my father's, um, locked-up.
Why I gotta change my life around 'cause nobody is not gonna help me,
but myself.
The train.
It's a way out for me.
My situation right now is hard.
It -- basically what's going on is
I'm homeless.
I knew about hunger since,
basically, a cub.
I knew about the hustle. I knew about surviving.
I'm begging without words.
I'm begging with a smile.
I'm not begging with a frown.
Because this is panhandling.
Oh my god people! It's Showtime. Showtime, what time is it?
Showtime!
Here we go a bunch of brothas getting along.
We're not that good. Watch us.
Safe show is a great show.
Here we go.
When I'm dancing
I feel powerful.
I feel like I'm free.
The sky's the limit.
- Alright, everybody see that? - Don't say that!
- I will fuck you up! I will fuck you up! Bitch! - Wanna say that shit and fuck with me nigga!
- Have to be a man to fight. That's your man.
- Josh! Shut the fuck up! - God! No!
- How he supposed to think I'm gonna be cool?! - Exactly!
Why you talking girl? Oh, you're a pussy.
That plays a big role.
People, there's a lot of negativity out there.
And there's always a day where you could run into people that
hates on you.
And do, they'll do things to stop you from
continuing your hustle.
You've gotta show your professional side at all times.
The crowd shouldn't know what you're going through.
Your show shouldn't reflect on your day.
Sooner or later the police will find a way to stop us.
They have new posters now where
they're showing "No Showtime."
So, now they're making it like it's a bad thing when it's really New York tradition.
It's been going on for years and now they're, like,
stopping what people come to New York to see.
I wannna have a team where they want to live the life of adventures.
I want to see things, want to do things bigger than what is in
the atmosphere around them now.
I need to go back and grind. I need to go back and show my team that I
can't give up on them, you know.
I'm here. I'm doing it.
I'm not gonna give up.
Because if I give up, then what?
Back to streets back to being a certified hustler.
I can't, I can't do that.
As I'm dancing on the train,
I think about;
Where am I sleeping at night?
Who should I call? Who's gonna pick up?
What if they don't answer?
People have their own problems.
People live their own lives.
I don't wanna cut into peoples lives because mine's, is, unfortunate.
But I feel like, I wanna do this, I should do this, I need to do this.
This is what's gonna help me get better.
This is what's gonna take me
farther than underground.
Farther than a dollar in a hat.
Farther than the Showtime.
It's like a Sunday. I got school tomorrow and my Mom, she's strict during these times.
So, I can't crash at your crib?
Nah, bro, not tonight.
Damn, Bro, I'm gonna just have to --
Wish we could bro.
I'm going to just find out --
I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm just keep riding the trains.
I'm a holla a you bro.
- Let me know if anything. - Alright.
I'll just hold you down. I can try.
Alright bro. See you on Monday.
Alright.
We love this.
You see for some, dancing on the train is a way out.
But for me
It's a way in.