If Hip-Hop culture has turned thirty years old then someone needs to seriously sit down with Hip-Hop and discuss it’s plans for the future. After three decades of making some people ridiculously wealthy we find that Hip-Hop is about to evicted from it’s home. Hip-Hop was too busy partying and having fun to think about securing a stake in the ownership of it’s history.
Peep this story via Nah’Right Lite…
Will Gentrification Spoil the Birthplace of Hip-Hop?
It’s not just in the Bronx where Hip-Hop’s landmarks are being assailed by greedy land developers, but here in the boro of Brooklyn where thanks to frontman SHAWN CARTER, Forest City Ratner Corp. is determined to change the Brooklyn skyline forever. Everybody already knows about the Atlantic Yards project that will host a sports arena and hundreds of residential units.
There’s also a project in downtown Brooklyn called MetroTech that is also spearheaded by the same former slumlord turned developer BRUCE RATNER. In this project RATNER has decided to transform Brooklyn into a technology hub. Corporations like Chase and Verizon have already leased tens of thousands of square feet of office space. One of the buildings in the second phase of MetroTech’s footprint is a legendary Brooklyn landmark. The Albee Square Mall.
Albee Square Mall (courtesy of UnKut.Com)
Immortalized by the classic Juice Crew anthem of the same name, the Albee Square Mall is where many Brooklynites bought their first sneakers. It’s where I bought my 18k gold toothcap. That shit was so gangsta. Shouts to the Jews from Lebanon. If you are ever in the ‘hood and you need to copp some shit you should fucks with them. All the other Jews and the Sikh Indians are for the fucking birds. They show you contempt even when you are spending your hard earned money with them.
Anyhoo, Albee Square Mall was a hotspot in the eighties. You had to roll through there deep or on the low solo creep. After school the mall was on smash with kids from Westinghouse high school. Cats from Farragut and Walt Whitman Houses(Fort Greene) would patrol the mall as well. No place was more alive with danger and excitement every day. Those days are long past but Albee Square and Fulton Mall still remain. It’s one of the areas that Disney never corrupted with it’s clandestine supremacy motifs. There’s no Target or IKEA yet but if RATNER has his way the Fulton Mall will become upscale and unaffordable, just like Manhattan.
The Hip-Hop generation needs to grow up and reclaim the places where the culture was born inside of them. Don’t waste the intellectual equity that has been rendered by so many artists and creative peoples. Holler at your local politicians and tell them that affordable housing is a must now. Not now, right now.
You already know that I am going to refute that, where should I begin
Great post and props for using my people’s shirt!!! It was defintely inspired by the “old” Brooklyn, shopping there, and that Biz record in the background!
I don’t wish to sound defeatist, but we, we as the regular paupers, are powerless to alter the viewpoints of big business, especially in regards to to big money issues such as land and urban gentrification.
For every hundred people who suffer there are another hundred who’ll benefit, it’s hard to stop an event that appears inevitable.
I NEEDS THAT SHIRT!!!!! WHERE AND HOW MUCH!!!!
People need to understand that the glory days of the eighties are long gone, we can either grow and change with the times or grow stagnant
CJ – Let me see if they got any left in stock. That shirt dropped in ’04…
Got to become lords of our slums and then collectively emulate Ratner — in quantity, if not quality, of his growth. We have to be open to shunning the individualist society, even as owners.
humm “does the shirt come in a v-neck” no homo …………….Yo I watched the game last night and Tim Duncan might be boring but a pussy he is not, in the history of basketball name me a bona-fide star who lead his team to a ‘chip and was a pussy, Tim Duncan will Fock someone up on the real ask Karl Malone a true pussy……….ohh and Co-sign Nigeria …….Thanks D for the disc, I might have to shoot you something in the future. 1 hundred
^ Co-sign LM,
I think people under estimate the power they yield. I don’t conform to the common ideology of win or lose. If I don’t try in my opinion I already lost.
Will the Ultra Capitalist turn NY to a place where only the rich and wealthy live, perhaps but you fight anyway.
I remember reading somewhere on the internets that “one has to be rich in order to be poor in New York”. One of the best lines ever!!!
I think it was “I’m rich enough to be poor in New york.” I like that one too.
If New York is only for the rich, then I dare say “get rich or die trying” it just means we all have to step up our individual games, not conform, but elevate
^Misha….easy to say if everyone is starting off on a level playing field.
If Olde English goes over $3 I’m killin’ someone.
It’s everywhere. I remember when you could rent here for less the $500…no longer. Lofts going up everywhere and half the city will be owned by either Johns Hopkins or University of MD.
Nigeria – I don’t wish to sound defeatist, but we, we as the regular paupers…. Change that POV DUN we attract our realities…and hey if NYC’s too pricey for you invest in Newark…I bought a two family and am in the process of flipping that unit.
goal is to eventually buy tracts of land subdivide and sell for development…swalla
Candice
The fact that the field is not level is what shows the measure of a man or woman. Immigrants are taking over ( and I can say that cause I am one) they come here and work five jobs to survive, and then bring their folks over and stack even more paper, if they can do it so can we
I agree that we can play the game as well, but it is important to fight the power while you play the game.
I’m sure you have read the updated reports that African Americans pay more average interest on mortgages. Instiutionalized supremacy has to be targeted. It just so happens that people inside some of these institutions are wary about toppling the towers of Satan. The status quo remains and su;remacy keeps their foot on the necks of the disenfranchised.
I am all for working hard and elevating status but I am not blind to the fact that for some of our folks it is not that easy. I am an immigrant and came to this country with a strong work ethic instilled in me by my parents who saw this land as a land of opportunity. I went to the best high school, went to a top university and worked hard to provide for me and mine.
In this country, hard work and determination does not always equate to success. It doesn’t mean we have to stop fighting the good fight to overtake our peers…..it’s just a fact.
There is much to be done for lower income people, especially in NYC. I can’t accept that the answer to the lack of affordable housing is work harder so you can afford it….especially when the system has held people captive for so long. If we can’t get our people to the starting line, how can they win the race?
Yo i remember those days! Cant come up in the mall fall cause if you was soft you was getting you goods taken!
Black folk really need to start thinking about themselves and eachother on a higher level. A good start to get us on the starting line would be if we can acknowledge eachother as part of the same community, our lack of respect for ourselves our environment and community is the main reason we at where we at now, and always will be unless we wake the fuck up. it’s 2007 for pete’s sake. Major world changes were done due to lower ‘rankin’ folk who got sick of the big wigs takin advantage of them and they stepped up, it takes courage but hey who has time for all that. Cry me a fuckin river.
What it basically boils down to is we know shit is fucked up, but half of us dont vote, dont attend council meetings, dont protest, dont start a letter writing campaign, these are the ways to get stuff done. Just ask the Jews! Ever since I came to this country (from Panama), I’ve lived in a VERY Jewish area of Queens (Forest HillsIf a street ligth was out, they called and complained, garbage trucks were too loud, they called and complained. They put their time and money into bettering their surroundings, and not just bitching about the man having his foot on their neck
And please excuse my typos, (Dallas, you need spellcheck in this piece!)
@ Dallas: true about where the power structure puts it feet. Hence, a reason to take advantage of every available franchise, from rabble-rousing to voting to ownership and all else. Those that do have a decent chance to lose the disenfranchised tag. Power will always have to be fought; let’s make the stakes higher.
@ sangano: good for you, seriously. What thought have you given to the after-effects of your individual real estate success? When you sell to get your profits, are you selling to Ratner et al. or to the non-profit organization that intends to provide affordable housing? Not picking on you, this is what I wish everyone would consider. (And, yes, this is also something to take to politicians re: zoning rules and enforcement, city planning, etc.)
—-
Where there are cohesive neighborhoods of renters, to me no question co-ops (formal and informal) need to build up some purchasing power that can keep the communities together. The short-term downside in many cases would be less space, since a lot of people are paying old rent prices and can’t afford to buy their own places — so the co-op would be buying less space (lets say buy half the units and subdivide) and people would have to downsize. Long-term, though, this gives rise to financial and political power.
Cohesive?
Downsize?
Am I crazy?
This is the next salvo in the big city experiments going on nationally to make social Darwinism the cause and effect of unchecked capitalism. Manhattan, San Fran, large parts of Miami, LA are completely unaffordable by the vast majority of the populace and it becomes moreso daily.
I also want to know where all of these monied folks are coming from to snap up the real estate in the big cities. You can only have so many residences in so many locations before there’s a glut of unused properties.
Quite the self-perpetuating myth amongst the richest. Welcome to the new recession.
Misha,
Don’t sweat the typos sister, if y’all can get thru my writing with all of it’s inadequacies then we can read just about anyone elses comments.
Ownership is a magic word in some provinces, and the truth is that Misha, Candice, LM, Amadeo and Nerditry are all right. Ownership must first begin with the one individual. Whether you rent your residential space or pay a mortgage you must invest some time in your community. Even an act as ridiculously small as picking up litter (or putting it down – I’ll explain this later).
Voting is so crucial to maintaining a community’s infrastructure services. Roadway repair and rubbish removal follow this mantra… Closed mouths never get fed.
The next step is to target a community that will accept us as homeowners. Here in New York City I am looking at Queensbridge, East New York and Hunts Point as areas to relocate my residential investment. These neighborhoods are still underdeveloped and crime ridden but thats what makes them affordable.
LM makes the best point of all. How about forming a cooperative and buying a tenement building?
I want someone to pick up litter off Utica and Church. Looking forward to that drop, pun intended.
There are a lot of good points being made, but at the end of the day, affordable housing COULD be provide for a lot of families for the price of one chain, or one Bentley, or one yacht, but those of us granted access and wealth on this level seem content to continue shilling foolishness to their own people and calling it a “lifestyle.” In the current playing field, level or not, our new black leaders (sit down and take a breather Al and Jesse) have to be wealthy b/c its obvious thats the only way you can have and say. We have the wealth. Where’s the leadership?
We all continue to fight the good fight, but we need a modern day leader to establish a workable agenda for those of us who clearly know enough to know theres more to it than money, hoes and clothes.
I cosign alot of the views on here, but reality dictates that a lot of this is all talk. No to pick on anyone in particular person, but your real estate game is what is effing NY (and all the other big cities). Do you know that my mothers house which she bought 20 years ago for 185,00 can now sell for over 500,000? I know it seems great that her house has appreciated in value, but who could she sell to? It’s still the same small, old as hell house with a sinking fooundation. Who could afford those prices?
The land grab has made it even more difficult for the poor to own homes or even live for that matter. On average the averge working person s salary has remained in mid 20’s to mid 40’s. Im sorry but nearly impossible to own a decent home on that income. I say decent because there are junk houses being built that won’t last your 30 year mortgage.
We are tearing down more homes to replace them with junk on the beleif that helps communities, but in alot them it doesn’t. especailly in the ‘poor’ neighborhoods where they will tear down one house and put maybe three in place. None wihich have any true footprint, so it’s worthless.
Rambling, gonna stop now…..
Co-sign Deuce.
@ Lion XL: you make some good points, especially about a lot of crap housing on the market. The question if your mother is selling is not who will buy her place but where will she go that makes sense financially and otherwise.
Your mother’s place appreciated at an average 5 percent rate (roughly) over the last 20 years — nothing special except for the fact that the bulk of that probably happened in the last six years or so.
Not meaning to spout trivia here… my point is that 1) real estate isn’t this crazy all the time, meaning we have to be ready to pounce when opportunities strike, and 2) if we don’t own, we won’t profit.
All the other obstacles remain — stagnant wage growth for those who need it the most, etc. But there are shifts to take advantage of, even if you’re scraping by, and that’s reason for everyone to get educated on this stuff.
jus tmy 2 cents. someone once told me that it doesnt make sense to own property in ny cuz u dont know own the land that it is on. if someone wanted to do something with the land that your prop is on, there is nothing you can do about it. so…i dont know.
Black folks need to start thinking a little more outside the box. Perhaps no one person could afford your mom’s house Lion XL, but what about five? What if five people each scraped up 10Gs each for the 10% down payment?
The cards have always been stacked against black people in this country. It is much more difficult to compete individually with whites, but collectively may be possible. Also, I think it’s a fallacy that white people are all so individually rich that they can afford this shit on their own. They keep their money in the family. Black people should try doing the same. It’s a question of priorities.