Kemayoran popular artist associated with Kemayoran theater is Benyamin Sueb. Pencak silat, a martial art of the Betawi people, also flourished in Kemayoran. Styles of pencak silat developed in Kemayoran area are "Beksi", "Cingkrik", "Si tembak", "Sin lam ba", and "Kolong meja". Until late 80's, it is a common routine for children to practice pencak silat after the Isha prayers. During the 1990s, many of the traditional art and culture of Betawi characteristic of Kemayoran slowly disappeared. There are many folklore associated with Kemayoran area, usually involving the conflict between the indigenous people of Kemayoran and the Dutch "kompeni" (local term
Pencak Silat ("sikut"), knees ("dengkul" or "lutut"), shoulders ("bahu"), or the fingers ("jari"). Even basic attacks may vary depending on style, lineage, and regional origin. Some systems may favour punching with the clenched fist, while others might prefer slapping with the palm of the hand. Other common tactics include feints ("tipuan") or deceptive blows used as distraction, sweeping ("sapuan") to knock the opponent down, and the scissors takedown ("guntingan") which grips the legs around the opponent. Defense in pencak silat consists of blocking, dodging, deflecting, and countering. Blocks or "tangkisan" are the most basic form of defense. Because pencak silat may target