Bones, The Machine: Sculpting a Life Beyond Limits

Brooklyn has birthed countless visionaries, but few embody the intersection of raw authenticity, relentless creativity, and boundless evolution like Steven Le’Bone Hill, better known as Bones The Machine.

His journey from the streets of Brooklyn to international stages alongside icons like Madonna and Missy Elliott is not just a testament to talent but to the art of becoming; a process of continuous self-sculpting.

Steven Le’Bone Hill was born and raised in East New York, Brooklyn. From a young age, his artistic instincts were undeniable. As a child, he loved drawing his teachers in elementary school and redesigning his own clothes. While other kids played with toys, Bones was drawn to clay: sculpting, shaping, and experimenting. He also spent hours playing video games like Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Resident Evil, which taught him lessons about visuals, problem-solving, and perseverance. “If it’s anything complicated, I love trying to figure it out,” he recalls. Those early fascinations with color, challenge, and creativity would become the foundation of a multidisciplinary artist in the making.

Bones’ first major accomplishment came when he won a local drawing contest, earning not just a prize but a newspaper feature, his first taste of public recognition for his artistry. By 2002, his creativity had evolved from sketches to movement. After seeing Flex N Brooklyn on BCAT, a local channel, Bones joined “The Next Level Squad” (NLS), a collective of talented Brooklyn youth.

Together with DJ Aaron, he pioneered the now-iconic art of bonebreaking, an intricate dance form blending contortion and rhythm. His machine-like movements, combined with unmatched precision, quickly made him a neighborhood legend and later, an internet sensation.

“Growing up in Brooklyn has always been nothing less than risky,” Bones reflects, his words painting a vivid picture of navigating life while Black in an environment as vibrant as it is challenging.

“Doing anything while being Black is always the first challenge. I was born an artist from my mom and environment. I always felt like I didn’t fit in and actually enjoyed being different.” That difference became his superpower, manifesting in every creative outlet he could find, from drawing to sculpting, and eventually, dance.

Long before he was known for his machine-like movements, Bones was immersed in the pixelated worlds of Zelda and Sonic the Hedgehog. “Video games taught me some of my earliest lessons in life,” he shares. “There’s always a passion, a goal, and obstacles in the way. Zelda had some of the craziest problems to solve, approaching the biggest bosses before completing your goals. The visuals were sick. While Sonic was moving fast, collecting rings and emeralds to raise his consciousness, freeing animals from traps in the process.”

These games didn’t just entertain; they laid the groundwork for a philosophy that sees life as an epic quest with challenges designed to elevate rather than deter.

Bones' transition from visual to kinetic art was seamless. “Dance is another art form. But for the body and music for the mind and spirit,” he says. Known for pioneering the Bonebreaking movement, Bones developed his signature style by deconstructing movement itself, focusing on each part of the body individually and mastering technique. “I developed Bones The Machine style by simply focusing on each part of the body individually and mastering technique. Dance began to take over my life, but realizing everything in life is a dance for balance is what drew me to dance in the first place.”

His collaboration with DJ Aaron and the formation of The Next Level Squad (NLS) wasn’t just about choreography; it was about brotherhood. “My collaboration with DJ Aaron is the foundation of Next Level Squad. It’s about brotherhood, and Next Level Squad is the result. That team impacted my life and showed me we create art to communicate with people by giving them something to feel.”

In 2009, Bones and Aaron led NLS to victory as Bones won the coveted “King of the Streets” title, a competition that awarded him prize money and a trip to Paris. “I won a trip to Paris, met some of the greatest dancers, collaborated with the best videographers, and promoted myself on the internet in ways that shaped the way I think about branding and marketing. These things opened doors into fashion, modeling, acting... touring, and overall character development!”

The win catapulted him to global recognition. Soon after, he began collaborating with Yak Films, appeared in a McDonald’s commercial directed by the legendary Director X, and was booked by Herman Flores and Dave from World of Dance. His style, equal parts bonebreaking, robotics, and storytelling, redefined what performance art could look like on a mainstream stage.

While dance propelled him into the spotlight, fashion and design were always parallel passions. “I did these things while being a dancer, giving us a unique style while saving money,” Bones laughs, recalling how he designed clothes for his dance group using fabric paint and glitter. His creations became highly sought-after in Brooklyn, with dancers and fans alike wanting his one-of-a-kind pieces.

“I view the relationship [between art forms] as moving parts to a vehicle, that being the brand. To get to the top, you can tell the story, but you also have to be the story.” For him, storytelling isn’t confined to a single medium; it’s a multifaceted narrative where movement, fabric, and form converge.

Bones’ music career is the natural culmination of his artistic evolution. “As I navigate through life, I began seeing my life as a story and brand. I have to package it in a way everyone can understand. If not, people can see it as me being confused about what I want to do with myself.”

His music videos, known for their extreme visuals and elaborate set designs, are deeply informed by his background in sculpture and dance. “My process is inspiration daily, voice recording, photos, and screenshots of things that inspire me every day. Sculpting and dance play a huge role as a performer. I might not want to dance all the time, but as a performer, I can communicate that same feeling in sculpting, paintings, and background, keeping the audience tuned in.”

Working with artists like Madonna, Missy Elliott, and Skrillex expanded Bones’ horizons. “The most memorable collaboration has to be Madonna because she was the first huge artist, and Missy second. They work so hard to continue to push their brands and be great. It's truly inspiring to be a part, giving me the confidence I need for my own career.”

Despite global recognition, Bones remains grounded. “After winning 'King of the Streets' and gaining international recognition, it didn’t change [my artistic approach] to be honest. I became more of myself. Doing more. Giving more. Allowing myself to become more.”

As he looks to the future, Bones is deeply focused on art and music. “Right now, I'm heavily focused on art and music. I'm painting on canvas, sculpting more, and writing so much music because this is what the industry needs. I want to be my greatest self.”

His legacy is clear: to be your authentic self. You are never too much, and your ideas are never too big to come true. For aspiring multidisciplinary artists, his advice is both practical and profound:

“Take your time, watch how the greats have done it, and take note. It's not going to happen overnight, and people will try to steer you in a different direction. But trust your process.”

Bones, The Machine is more than an artist; he’s a living testament to the power of embracing one’s full spectrum of creativity. Whether he's bonebreaking on stage, sculpting from found objects, or layering sounds in a studio, his work embodies the beautiful chaos of creation, where perfection is not the goal but the byproduct of fearless expression. In his world, art isn’t just something you do; it’s who you become.