I saw something so scary this weekend that I’m just not sure how to handle it. It rocked me to my core. It was so scary that I can’t even write a 1500 word post about it. In fact, it scared me 300wordor-less.
I was in New York on Saturday visiting friends. I was live from Bedford-Stuyvesant…hmm, I was with the livest one, my man Francis M.H. In fact, we were representin’ BK to the fullest.
That’s when it happened.
I saw white people…in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn.
On Fulton Avenue, chillin’.
At Kingston Avenue, whistlin’.
This might not mean much to some of you outside of New York City or Brooklyn for that matter. But picture this if you will…
…big ass black community. The hood so to speak. Actually, the “hood” hood.
The one you think of when black folks say the hood. Hmmm…kind of like the one that some black folks disown and refuse to return too.
Yeah…it’s like that.
And they’ve moved in.
WE’RE LOSING HARLEM ALREADY.
Bed-Stuy is the largest African-American community in America and home of the late great Notorious B.I.G. and the lady killer Mos Def.
I’m telling you, if we lose Bed-Stuy it’s only a matter of time before MLK Blvd in Yocity, Yostate, becomes George W. Bush Avenue.
I’m scared.
Hold me.
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Check out We The Voices for some interesting articles about some interesting things. For instance, one writer explains why white folks need not rate black music. One writer discusses the problem with smaller bootied black women. Is it an epidemic?? Who knew they needed an interest group?? Would you be able to make it as a member of Destiny’s Child??? All things to think about…come on over…don’t be shy…we won’t bite…
…unless you ask!!!
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And lest us not forget that if you’re in DC this weekend to come out to the Throwdown in Blogtown at the Left Bank in Adam’s Morgan, Washington, DC on this Friday, May 20, 2005. We are SO finna get gully.
MAN you should have called me. You know I live in NYC.
Yeah they’re taking over like freaking ants Panama and there isn’t much we can do about it.
Question:
What happens to the suburbs when all the white folk move out of them?
Nothing…they still own their houses there. They call them weekend homes, or summer homes, or wealth. They aren’t moving out homie…they’re just buying up more stuff. I can’t knock the hustle, I’m just saying when I see a Starbucks on Fulton and Kingston or Fulton and Nostrand…I’m gonna be ready to riot!!!!
Who’s with me????
I am equally shocked. One of my friends and his lover (white) just purchased a $700K brownstone in Brooklyn. They’re definitely moving in and taking over. Starbucks is on the way
.
I’m surprised that Francis to M.H. didn’t fill you in more. Yeah, it always happens that way…the brownstones are selling for more than your one poster already named. And you know w/ dem white peeplzes, they can’t just move in…they gotta change shit. Just like they call their part of Harlem “Morningside Heights”, welcom to “Stuyvesant Heights”…no bullshit, you can look it up.
Man oh man say it ain’t so. Growing up in Crown Heights I was scared of Bed-Sty..I remember getting on the bus at the corner of Fulton and Franklin St and thinking please god don’t let a crack head get me. Too bad I can no longer use IM at work I’d tell you about the transformation that has taken place on my end of Eastern Parkway.
Yeah Brownstone’s in Brooklyn start at about 600K. You’re getting a good deal if you find something that’s under a million.
I believe the whole Morningside Heights thing is related to the proximity of Columbia University and Harlem.
Columbia is right smack dab in the middle of Harlem.
We complained when they moved out of the inner city in the 60’s and 70’s (remember white flight) and now we complain when they move back.
What’s wrong with us? YT got us that shook?
There, there Panama.
That sh*t is shocking… the neighborhoods you felt the MOST comfortable in, like comfortable that it was JUST US in… *shaking head* the times they are a-changing.
But it happens in stages… before you see the actual PEOPLE… the first sign is usually a Starbucks… or a GAP… or some other such Yuppie shit. You crinkle your brow past the “GAP COMING SOON!!!” sign and keep pressing on, wondering why they’d put a GAP in the hood. Then comes HMV Records and The Body Shop… and a new movie theater and you’re looking side to side like, “WTF is going on?” By the time you can actually find an ATM in the neighborhood it’s official. They have almost completed their take-over.
It is scary to witness… and I’ve heard they are making their way to the BRONX!! THE BRONX PEOPLE!!!! I heard they’re already in Inwood… INWOOD!!! Do you know the gravity of them moving to INWOOD??? They have no fear!!! I wouldn’t have moved to Inwood!!! LMAO *shaking head*
Soon Co-op City’s co-ops will be selling for $200,000. I’m up in arms about this…
I swear if I see a Starbucks on Castle Hill Ave. or Gun Hill Rd… I’m burning that bitch down to the ground. LOL
Oh and about “Morningside Heights” it was called that before they came back to Harlem… I mean there’s a Morningside Park and a Morningside Drive that fall within Morningside Heights… I had two friends who are from there and that’s what they called it… from way back before the Ben & Jerry’s, The Body Shop and the GAP came to 125th street. LOL
oh my….:( stealin harlem out from under us…..
See X, that’s what I’m talkin’ bout. It’s time to get the riot gear ready. Doc, they left and too the resources with them…ALL OF THEM. So our cities went to hell. In FACT, I’m sure some of neighborhoods would be equivalent to hell. now they comin’ back and pushin’ us out. And it’s great for them, yada yada yada…but what about us dammit??? Why I got to leave cuz i don’t own nothing, cuz my name is ethnic and i sent it to employers and they aint call me back.
AND WHY DIDN’T THAT DAMN STUDY GET MORE ATTENTION??????
They finna make me load up on Bic lighters bitches.
they should have never let this nigga right here (me) learn how to read between the lines…
I live in NYC too, and I noticed white people were moving back uptown when I saw them stay on the train past the “good” neighborhoods. Usually after 96th street, there are NO white people on the train…But slowly, there were still white faces present at 110th street, 116th street, and then good God at 125th street, the center of Harlem! That’s when I knew they were here to stay, lol.
I guess you just hit the nail on the head. Ownership. I’m lucky to know someone that owns some sjit in Harlem.
But I guess that’s the lesson from all this. WE HAVE TO LEARN TO OWN SOME SJIT. So this kind of thing won’t happen.
i got coworkers up in the 140s in Harlem…british, at that. So, yeah, give it up, bitches, we done lost the hood.
I don’t think we’ve lost the hood. We’re just being displaced. Because best believe, the “Us” they are moving out have to go somewhere. Where they go is where the hood will go.
Interesting point Kajuana. I can’t help but to agree with you.
Kajuana said it.
Reminds me of some parts of Los Angeles…back when Carson, Compton, Inglewood, Watts, etc, were all white (back in the 70’s)…but black folk soon came in and straight kicked them out and made it hood. However, only difference is, I don’t expect THEIR white people to ever come back. lol.
I’m living in it right now. My neighborhood in BK went from a cracked out, run down area with your traditional bullet proof glass at the chinese spot to day spas, organic supermarkets and cafes with soy mochas in less than two years. There was an article about this in New York magazine not too long ago…
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/realestate/neighborhoods/features/11775/index.html
X said it well, where you seen Yuppie stores…they are not to far behind. I actually live in the area called “Morningside Heights” and you should see my neighbors (one being Marcia Gay Harden, the actress.). They just walk down the street with no fear in their hearts right by the drug dealers at all times of the night.
Some are so sick of living in the ‘burbs they want to make their commute to work more easy. For example, I live near 125th St. I have acess to everybus that runs down the main streets (5th, 8th and Broadway) and there are only 3 train stops to my job…which I get to in 15 minutes. When you compare that to their travel time, up to an hour on Metro-North, who has it easier? This colored girl. But we all knew, after they saw the revitalization of the communities, they weren’t going to stay away long.
And last thought….a 600K house is hella cheap now. Houses in the community where I grew up (Mt. Morris Park Area) are going for over 1 million dollars. They will pay anything to be back in the city.