Dumbo NYC, Brooklyn » Archive » Weekend Event: 2008 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (DumboNYC.com)

Weekend Event: 2008 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival

July 11th, 2008

The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, Featuring KRS-ONE and Primo on July 12th @ Powerhouse Arena, Dumbo and Empire Fulton-Ferry State Park

Date: 7/11/08-7/12/08
Admission: Free – July 11th
Admission: $10 – July 12th

Friday, July 11, 6:00-9:00 pm
Highwater Music Presents…brooklyn Keeps On Taking It
Live performances by Fresh Daily, Sputnik Brown, P.Casso + More! Plus DJ Sucio Smash

Admission: Free – No Tickets Required.
Complimentary drinks from Brooklyn Brewery

powerHouse Arena, 37 Main Street, Brooklyn

Saturday, July 12, 12:00-3:00 pm
Brooklyn Bodega & F.O.K.U.S. Present Brooklyn Family Day

Family, Fun, Community, Beats & Rhymes for all ages! Families and kids of all ages are invited for free giveaways, diabetes and asthma screenings, music, food, activities, demonstrations and more. Their mission this year is to use Hip Hop music and culture to bring attention to the issue of childhood obesity and associated diseases including diabetes and asthma. Please make a donation for tickets here.

Empire Fulton-Ferry State Park
12-3pm , Corner of Plymouth & Main Streets, Dumbo, Brooklyn

Saturday, July 12, 4:00-8:00 pm
Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival Main Performance Day
Live Performances From: KRS ONE (7pm), Buckshot (6:30pm), DJ Premier (6:10pm), J.Period (5:45pm), Blu & Exile (5:30pm), Mickey Factz (5:15pm), 88-Keys (4:45pm), Fresh Daily (4:30pm), Zaki Ibrahim (4:10pm), Homeboy Sandman (4:00pm), Jared Evans aka Freelance (Our Spit 16 Contest Winner) (3:50), DJ Kevin Sakoda (3:00pm), DJ MissBehavior (12pm) and Special Guests! Hosted by Uncle Ralph McDaniels

Empire Fulton-Ferry State Park, 4-8pm
Corner of Plymouth & Main Streets, Dumbo, Brooklyn

Schedule of Events

View Comments

P.CASSO

This was a great argument. I had to revisit it months later. I'm glad that the residents of DUMBO posted postivie comments. Long live HipHop!
cracky

Help me out with a little change? God bless you anyway, dear.
Eli

Anon, it would be different if the people who didn't want the event in their community simply said so. But those same people chose to rant about how much they hate hip hop. It was obvious to many of the others who responded, that those folks were speaking about hip hop from a point of ignorance. They simply didn't know what they were talking about. You, unfortunately fall in the same category. For you to say that hip hop is racist because it "has rhymed about how bad white people are (public enemy) or how bad all cops are (n.w.a. / ice t)" obviously shows how little you understand hip hop and the experience from which it came.

Why is it that when it comes to hip hop, many people choose to judge it solely on what they see on TV, read in the newspapers and hear on the radio? How many art forms can someone truly understand only by these three mediums? NONE! Art, just like life, is full of different cultures, experiences, viewpoints and opinions. People like you, Tiger and Joe don't seem to have any desire to understand this.

Racism comes from 3 things: ignorance, fear, and a lack of desire to understand someone else's experience as valid and human. The three of you have shown all these parts in your statements. That's why you all were labled racist. Not because your opinions were different.

If you or anyone wants to learn more about hip hop, start with some reading material. There is a huge body of literature on hip hop culture, written by academics who have taught at many major universities. One of my favorites is -Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation, by Jeff Chang. If you're really sincere about learning something new, start there.
Old Dame in DUMBO

I’m a pushing fifty years old white woman in DUMBO who brought her over-the-hill, Hip-Hop hating husband to the Hip Hop festival over the weekend. We both absolutely had a wonderful time and were not “eye-balled” or “threatened” in any way. The whole event we felt created a positive vibe in the Nabe and there was not any garbage strewn in front of our apartment door. Both Front Street Pizza and Rice seemed to be turning a good buck with their food booths set up at the festival. The music just makes you feel good whether you become a fan of it or not.

Our only complaint was, why did the 84th precinct suddenly have enough police officers to spare to put three cops on every corner in DUMBO during the Hip-Hop festival but can’t seem to spare the police man power dollars in the budget to give us enough police presence everyday when our cars are getting their windows smashed, there are a series of muggings in the area and our businesses are getting robbed? This seemed to be a racist statement on the part of the precinct that the festival would invariably cause trouble. I understand that large outdoor events require extra protection, but we did not even see this much police presence during the 4th of July holiday and we live right near the park. The next time there are reports of muggings, etc., in the area I hope we don’t get the excuse that the 84th precinct is stretched too thin to patrol DUMBO and we get that ridiculous police tower instead of the show of force of police presence that was here in the area during the Hip-Hop festival.
Luke C

Having got my 2¢ in early, I'm thrilled to see a lively debate ensued. Yeah, it does suck to have loudness in your neighborhood but if we couldn't tolerate noise, the subways would drive you out long before the festival.

I would place hip-hop in contention with Elizabethan theater for offering the greatest evolution in English since William the Conqueror. The Bard and his ilk were considered low art at their time but posterity honored their creative use and invention of language. Hip-hop may or may not speak to universal humanity, but it is crafts with language like no music form has before. And that is art: creating, evolving, infusing. And DUMBO is Brooklyn's nexus of art. Q.E.D.
lee

I'm just curious, as an actual resident of this neighborhood, where these other "residents" like joe and "anon"(pathetic)get off deciding who they think should and should not use a public park. That's the problem with these forums... cowardly, closed minded people who assume identities that correspond with their narrow social views speak as representatives of groups that they most likely don't even belong to. This neighborhood definitely has it's share of annoying residents, but I refuse to believe that it has sunk to this level. And another thing- when you make ignorant, prejudicial statements, don't cry about being called out for what they really mean.
duck the howard

I think for the most part the people in this neighborhood enjoyed the festival. it’s only a few coprophiliacs on this blog who have protested. I suspect its more about dick envy than anything else. I know the guy who is “tiger” and he is half Irish and half Jewish, with small feet to boot. God knows how many times this Joe guy has been corn holed at Rikers.
Gold

"Money, hoes & clothes is all a brotha knows" (R.I.P. Notorious BIG)...
anon

Call me crazy but I think it's perfectly ok for a community to voice their opinions whether they are in favor or against any event. Just because the community in DUMBO would rather have the Hip Hop Festival away from their neighborhood is not rascist. I'll tell you what's racist, all these years that Hip Hip has rhymed about how bad white people are (public enemy) or how bad all cops are (n.w.a. / ice t) now that's racist. Let's be honest hip hop has never carried any sense of well being or goodness to it. It's based on narcissism and selfishness. That's not something I would want in any neighborhood.
Binary Star

Some of the comments from you guys are absolutely disgusting and elitist. No one is suggesting that you have to like hip-hop music at all but a lot of you come off like over-privileged spoiled brats that think just because you don't like something it shouldn't exist.

There are a few very important points to be made here:

1) The festival is the BROOKLYN Hip-Hop festival. Not the all of Brooklyn but Dumbo hip-hop festival so when people make statements like "I suggest holding it in a neighborhood that is perhaps more Hip Hop friendly" that really does smack of a racist comment. How do you determine if a neighborhood is "more Hip Hop friendly"?

2) the park is called Empire Fulton Ferry STATE PARK. It's not your backyard.

3) "I don’t know anyone (of my circle of neighbors and friends) in the neighborhood who is planning to attend."

That statement is pretty indicative of your state of mind. Thankfully, the world doesn't revolve around you and your friends and neighbors. Incidentally, do you sound off on the internet about every event you and your friends will not be attending? I'm guessing that answer is no so in that case you really should ask yourself why this is such a big deal for you.

I know people that lived in DUMBO 15 years ago that didn't want a bunch of elitist snob douchebags moving in and trying to dictate what belongs in DUMBO and what doesn't.
Peter

I'll say what's on everyone's mind.
there is to much shit going on in this
tiny area.I personally don't mind hip hop music
,but I'm sick and tired of all the photo shoots,
movie shoots,limos,and winabagos parked in front of my building.DUMBO is not Disneyland! where is the revenue for this Hip Hop festival ?
howard the duck

Provocateur hired by paper tiger and little joe
thank goodness

Thank goodness.
Only 15 more mins until this rap show is over. Then I can move freely around the neighborhood and the park.
100 Jay

I'm white, live in the nabe, and I'm heading over to the park now to enjoy some wonderful music. Looking forward to hearing you drop some wonderful gems P.CASSO, along with KRS and all the others. Keep doing what you do and know that not all residents of this neighborhood share the same ignorance of others!
Tiger

Yawn. What a bunch of wankers.
dumbonyc

Thanks P.Casso. Looking forward to listening to your music.

Brian, Lindsay, you're right, everyone's opinions are valid. I don't think we need to resort to verbally attacking eachother. Let's just chill and enjoy the music. If you don't like hip-hop, that's no problem; there are other things to do. That's one of the beauties of this neighborhood.
lindsay

honestly, most of these comments on this blog are so immature. i'm 22 years old and you would think that most of you people would just CHILL out and act like adults. i read this blog everyday and i am absolutely blown away by what people are saying in here. for real. you people need to go travel, read books, or go back to college and learn about diversity.

yes everyone has a right to their own opinion, but honestly i had NO idea i lived in a neighborhood of immature 25 year olds in 17 year old brains, racists, and people who feel so gosh darn entitled. you are not living in the upper west side or even in manhattan! this is BROOKLYN. you gotta get it through your head! while there are luxury condos in the area it doesn't mean that you have some kind of upper hand on everyone else around you. oh boo hoo i have all my furniture from bo concept and get starbucks and brunch every sunday. so what! treat your neighbors with respect! you live there and you chose to do so.

my own definition of a neighborhood is getting along with everyone who lives there black white homeless hip hoppers, hipsters, hippes, yuppies whatever. shit happens! my dad's car was broken into and we got over it, yeah its annoying as hell but for real this is what you deal with even in areas of manhattan and oh mah god even parts of the suburbs...and oh my sometimes white people smash windows too! ever think of that?!!

most of you people are just a bunch of whiners and complainers. just be lucky you live in such nice buildings and have AWESOME stores and fun events happening right out your door. thats what makes DUMBO such an awesome place to live. if you can't appreciate that jesus christ move back to the burbs or don't purchase real estate in a semi-run down area in hopes for it to change in 10 days because it won't.
Stephanie

I grew up in a home where I was not allowed to listen to the radio. I guess my mom was afraid it would currupt my mind. Besides that my church would also condemn listening to rap music. While I was in college I had a friend tell that instead of going to medical school he wants to venture into his passion and love of hip hop and become a rap artist. Instantly i told him that he is not that type and that I cannot picture him singing about money, cars and sex. Instead of continuing to tell him why I can't picture him doing it and being successful at it, I chose listened to his reasons and I listened to his music. HIP HOP is a true art form. Each time I go to show I am so impressed by the talent and creativety that goes into writting the songs and producing the music. I am also always in awe at the extensive vocabulary and the stories some HIP-Hop artist tell with words. Sometimes i get goosebumps at the feelings that some words envoke. It is truely an experience. One that each person should try to learn for themselves instead of judging. Its not something that you can experience just by listening to the radio. True HIP HOP is poetry in motion, its about passion, love and being around people who feel the same about music. Once a artist drop a good beat the crowd is entranced. Yes its like that. check it out today.
P.CASSO

Joe and Tiger:

I am an artist who is performing at the Hip Hop festival this year. I do not feel that you are racist, just horribly ignorant to HipHop and the festival itself. I am not going to try and convince you that HipHop is a an art form, despite it's 20 year history and obvious influence in pop culture, film, and clothing. The fact that you denounce the entire genre as being "crappy" tells me that no one has ever sat you down and played real HipHop for you. The fact that you say that we don't know how to play instruments tells me that you've never been to a Roots show. Many HipHop artists perform with live bands nowadays. Also, there is a plethora of HipHop producers who don't sample other people's music.

I don't think many of you have actually BEEN to the HipHop festival before. It's a very peaceful event. There aren't mass shootings and fights, the last couple of years the event has go on without a hitch. Even Brooklyn Boro President Marty Markowitz comes out and shows his support. I encourage you to stop by to this free event for a half hour or so. Your jaded opinion may be changed when you see hundreds of people of different ages and races peaceully hanging out under the sun and listening to music that you view as ignorant. I have a college degree and I rhyme about varying intellectual topics so I think you will have a problem finding the ignorance in my music.
educate

From reading this thread my only conclusion can be that hip hop fans are dumb and of low IQ. Only idiots would dig so deep to justify a jester's act that tries to legitimize itself as an artform. KRS one did try and start the "stop the violence" movement. A lot of good that did. In hindsight the movement didn't amount to anything. The "don't snitch" campaign quickly took that over. Ha.
loose stool

the outdoor movie festival should be cancelled. i hate films and people litter.
Leroy

Man, Joe had it coming.
Why would you write about how much you hate hiphop, on a website pushing a hiphop festival? Most of the readers are gonna be hiphop fans!
I know people like you. You're too afraid to share your non-PC opinions in person so you do it on the internet
Brian

I've been to this festival in the past. I was there all day last year and did not see one negative event. Unlike some of the heavy metal shows with the mosh pits, fights, or the folk shows with the marijuana smoke so thick you can't see the stage. I agree that there is some pretty crappy hip hop music, but this event has very intelligent artists, not the typical nursery rhyme songs that you would hear on the radio. I invite you to come to the show, sit on the grass, and listen to the positive lyrics from KRS One, or the musical mastermind DJ Premier putting a beat together. Or just talk to some of the fans who are very polite and passionate about this art form.

to denounce a whole musical genre is wrong, there's good hip hop, there's bad hip hop, just like there's good and bad rock/country/folk/pop or any other genre you can think of.

As far as making money on these shows. I work in the music industry and like every other genre it depends on the act if the show is going to be financially rewarding. This show however is a CHARITABLE EVENT....

There will be no more/no less garbage from this event then any other similar event, regardless of musical style.

So before judging, research. I respect everyone's opinion, but an opinion without knowledge is indeed ignorance. Research KRS One, find out about the charity events he organizes, or the stop the violence movement he started.

Hip Hop IS an art form, from the songs (poetry) to the breaking (dancing), to the graf (painting), the human voice is an instrument, the turntables are instruments, or take The Roots for example and all the instruments that they play, or the RZA playing guitar and piano with dhani harrison, or El Michaels Affair

Educate yourself....
nfiniti

well i'm a young 31 year old man who will be attending the festival with his wife and 9 friends.. Die hard Hip Hop fan who will not disrespect other's property, will not start fights, will smoke some pot (every music genre has their drug of choice), won't get drunk, may make some noise as I rap along to a verse out loud, etc.. Any event of this size has its problems.. I repeat any event of this size will have its problems. The fact that SOME act rowdy, does not mean ALL act rowdy. It is the organizer's responsibility to assure the security and clean up of the event. I will be having a good time tomorrow, hopefully will hear some good hip hop.. oh, not all hip hop music samples past recordings, & there are artists that play their own instruments live while rapping.. good night
I agree with I agree

It is absolutely ridiculous to assume someone is racist just because they don't like hip hop and are against a hip hop festival being held in their neighborhood. While many, even most, hip hop "artists" might be minorities, hip hop does not represent the culture of all minority people. Therefore, someone's dislike of hip hop does not represent their dislike of all minorities (or one specific minority group). Furthermore, just because someone does not like a certain type of music (or food or film or art, etc) does not mean he automatically hates all people from that culture/race/nationality. It actually speaks to the problems of the people accusing Joe (and others) of racism. Maybe you should examine why you jump to that conclusion?

Whether or not I agree with him, Joe is entitled to his opinion and it is no less valid than anyone else's. He is not uneducated or small-minded. He is simply speaking from his own experience. Give the guy a break, people.
music

the promoters of this event should look into making this a "music" festival. then there would be such an uproar of controversy.
?

you're welcome. it's a nice night out there, try to get out and enjoy it!
?

wow, saw modsquad's post after i wrote my garbled post. here is a less incomprehensible version of it again:

just walked by tonight’s performance at powerhouse. the music sounded so good. everyone looked like they were having a great time. and it seemed like a nice crowd. doesn’t seem like there’s much to worry about here, at least tonight.

for those of you who are concerned, there were two parked squad cars and about 7 cops standing outside further down by the starbucks keeping an eye on everything.

and, modsquad, whatever man, you don't me. dumbo sales prices can, and may fall, but i'm not going to sit silent when people start claiming that this neighborhood is slipping simply because they were in denial about brooklyn or the projects, or would perhaps be better suited to a gated community. there are problems here, no doubt, but it's hard to take a lot of the nonsense on this blog seriously. people are up in arms about *crackey* & *smokey*. if they were our worst problem, then we would be living in disneyland.
mod squad

Thanks "?". Sorry about the pimpy remark about your HD. Also sorry about those plunging sales in Brooklyn.
?

just walked by tonight's performance at powerhouse. the music sounded so good. everyone looked like there were having a great time. and it seemed nice crowd. doesn't seem like there's much to worry about here, at least tonight.

for those of you who are concerned, there were two parked squad cars and about 7 cops standing outside further down by the starbucks keeping an eye on everything.
I agree with Joe

Why can't anyone just respect Joe's opinion of the Hip Hip Festival and understand that this event is a total shitshow. Has anyone ever attended a hip hop festival? It's f-ing mayhem with drunk, pot smoking youths that are fueled by hatred from all these rap lyrics running wild everywhere. Females are constantly groped and fights happen everywhere. The brave policemen will have their hands full this weekend. I've been reading this thread and it's funny how people go out of their way to paint someone a racist if they don't like something that represents black culture. It's totally ridiculous to assume that. This is an event that only brings trouble to this area. I doubt any messages of peace or unity will come from this event.
mod squad

Hey "?", I know you're out there snickering in the glow of your HD. Did you see this headline over at GL? "Brooklyn Sales Plunge: North Brooklyn Edition". Are you in a quandary over the Hip Hop Festival? Are you amassing crime stats as we type? Let us know.
mod squad

Hey Tiger isn't that the point? Dumbo has lots of projects nearby. Dumbo is a "destination neighborhood" and will always be subjected to events that are for the city as a whole and not the Dumbo neighborhood. Like it or not a Hip Hop festival is not considered detrimental to the well being of NYC. You and your inbred brother/father Joe are what we upperclass white folk call provincial.
Tiger

Hmm. I wonder how much influence all the white racist property and business owners have in this swanky little hood. Guess we'll find out next year...

Let them do their thing this weekend...they'll make a big mess, a lot of arrests will be made, the park will be a shit hole afterwards, we'll say I told you so, and then us "racists" will have plenty of fodder for an official anti-hoodlum petition for next time.

Again, why not Prospect Park? Or aren't there any projects nearby?
Eli

it!
Eli

Again, don't have to deal with it, because these events will keep happening. They've been happening since way before dumbo was even considered a neighborhood. The complaints from you and yours won't change it. Outside of your precious little neighborhood, there are lots of people who do want it to happen.

Just admit it, Joe. You don't like black people. There's no crime in that. I bet that if you just admitted it, people would respect that, whether they liked it or not.

Here, let me go first. I DON'T LIKE WHITE PEOPLE! Well, lemme be specific. I DON'T LIKE WHITE WOMEN! Most of them look down their nose at you.

There, I said it. Wow, I feel much better. Now your turn, Joe. C'mon you can do!
Joe

Maybe if the majority of people who attend hip hop events like this could act civilized, instead of constantly demonstrating a complete lack of respect for other people, other people's property and public property, then there wouldn't be concern about events like this. So far that hasn't happened, so the view that these events aren't wanted will continue. Deal with that.
Eli

Jeez, if all you're concerned about is garbage and loud noise, just wear some earplugs and bring your ass outside to help the cleanup crew.
Eli

Joe, I'm raising the issue because you're too much of a punk to do it yourself. And yes, race is very much connected to this topic.

"Run for the hills! Those crazy hip hoppers are going to mess up the neighborhood. You can sugar coat it if you want to, but that's what it boils down to. White folks have been saying or thinking this for years. Jim Crowism, white flight, restrictive covenants all came from some fear that hip hop (read: BLACK PEOPLE) will somehow destroy your precious neighborhood. Well guess what? We're here to stay, this event will happen, and people will call you racist whether you like it or not. You HAVE to deal with that

Or you could move to Long Island like KRS said....
Joe

What a ridiculous comparison. While I think the numerous films shot in Dumbo lately is excessive and it does create some inconveniences, the filming leaves behind very little garbage or damage. Which is the complete opposite of what the neighborhood, and in particular the parks, look like after this festival. Regardless of who the attendees at the festival are.
dumbopainter

So now all events in any given neighborhood must contribute something to the neighborhood? I suppose you think the filming of Ugly Betty this week added something to the neighborhood...
Face it, you don't want young minorities, who will be the majority of the fan base for the hip hop fest, in your neighborhood.
Joe

Isn't it amusing that the people accusing others of being racist are the only ones raising the issue. Paranoid much?
Eli

Well said, dumbopainter. That's good advice for Joe.

Hey Joe, did you know that Black people can smell racism? Especially the young, (how did Tiger put it) loudmouthed hoodlum types, roving around in packs, making a lot of noise, breaking things, eyeballing you (eyeballing you! That's classic Klan talk, Tiger). It might be best for you to just move before you get eyeballed.
Joe

Painter - I can't describe it any better than Tiger did so I won't. The crowds, mess and noise associated with the fans that attend this festival aren't worth it. I could care less whether the people involved are minority or not. If I felt the event contributed in any way to making the neighborhood more enjoyable I would be willing to overlook these things. But this event doesn't add anything to the neighborhood.
Eli

Joe- The beauty of this forum is that I don't HAVE to deal with you or your opinion. I CHOOSE to. I'm having fun calling a spade a spade, you spade, you.
Eli

Well Tiger, it seems you're fairly knowledgable about these kinds of events. It also seems that you're fairly comfortable with your racism. No joke, that's comendable, because I'm damn sure comfortable with my racism. I am of the opinion that when accusations of racism are thrown about, the accuser is usually right. Most people don't understand how racism works (I mean modern racism, not 1960's stuff), so they would understand it within themselves. And of course there is no real way to prove that someone is racist, but hey, that's the world we live in.

Remember the good old days, when a white man would call you a nigger to your face and not care what you thought or did?

Good old days. That's funny. At least there's no more strange fruit hanging about
dumbopainter

Joe, really what is it about the festival that will detract from the neighborhood as you suggest. Do you really think people will up and move, or businesses will close, or films won't continue to be filmed, or fashion shoots won't continue to happen nearly every day in Dumbo? I think your comments come off as racist because everyone and their mama knows that hip hop music is dominated by minority musicians, and you basically implied that these "type" of musicians weren't welcome to perform in your neighborhood. Didn't you generalize the whole genre and say that "they" have no talent, "they" can't write, and that "they" can't play instruments??? Didn't you imply that "they" would trash the place and leave garbage everywhere? Now really, honestly, who were you talking about, all the white hip hop artists out there....really? Maybe you should consider getting out of town this weekend with your friends before all the young black people show up.
Joe

Eli - wrong again. I simply decided that you and I have differing opinions of the worth of hip hop, and continuing to go back and forth over it was a waste of time. You continue to type nonsense about someone being ignorant or spewing garbage because they don't agree with your opinion. I stick by everything I've said. I don't like hip hop and don't consider it art. Deal with it.
Joe

Thanks for the racist poetry.
Eli

LOL
Good one Mod Squad. I gotta write that down
Tiger

I've lived here for years and worked in the music business for a long time...personally, I can't stand rap or hip hop and am damn sure not looking forward to the crowds, mess, and noise.

With regards to the comment "By the way, this is the 4th annual festival, so obviously someone in your precious neighborhood wants it to happen. You might wanna find out who they are if you really want to stop this event"....if I recall someone did try to stop the event, oh excuse me - "had a scheduling conflict..." which caused a big uproar with DUMBO accused of being racist, of course, and someone had to kiss someone's ass and make it happen to diffuse the situation.

Everyone in the music business knows these type of events are extremely problematic for a number of reasons and a lot of managers, agents, etc won't even touch these acts because the money isn't worth the trouble. If not wanting a bunch of loudmouthed hoodlum types running rampant everywhere makes me racist, then so be it.

If I walked down the street and saw well behaved non threatening individuals conducting themselves at a normal volume level, I probably wouldn't notice them. But when they are roving around in packs, making a lot of noise, breaking things, eyeballing you, etc, etc - yeah, I notice and it pisses me off and as a resident I'd rather it NOT be here. This is a tiny neighborhood. Why can't they have it in Prospect Park which is much larger?
Eli

So, after spewing all that hot garbage now you wanna go back to your initial point. You were so unnerved by being called recist you felt the need to run your mouth about things you don't even want to understand. Why were you so concerned about being called racist? Is it because deep down you know it's true? Hey, don't feel too bad about it, Joe. Most people in the world are racist or prejudiced about something. What the smart man does, is seek to understand and analyze his own beliefs in order to elevate his thought process. What the not so smart man does is believe in his own opinion so whole heartedly that he's unwilling to admit that he may not know all there is to know about a thing. I'm sure you have enough intelligence to understand that.

Even though what you wrote wasn't very smart, you were smart enough to do it anonymously. That's gotta count for something, right?
mod squad

a hiaku for Joe

dumbo is a pit
surrounded by black mango
spit out the center
Joe

I feel fine about myself. I'm thinking quite clearly about what I write. Are you? My initial point was that I don't think this event is worth the inconvenience to the neighborhood. (Mod - if you're not sure what neighborhood I'm referring to you might want to check the name of this website). I got sidetracked into my opinion of hip hop after being labeled a racist by Mike. Probably shouldn't have done that. I hope you all enjoy the show.
Eli

I wonder if Joe feels some kind of way about himself right now
mod squad

PS as to being art "in your opinion" that is totally irrelevant. Call it what you like it will attract an appreciative crowd.
mod squad

What is this "neighborhood" you speak of Joe. Seems to me if you draw a walking distance circle around Empire State Park you end up with mostly Black People. I know this is a stretch but I'd be willing to bet a lot of those people are fans of Hip Hop. I don't know what businesses you are bleating about, one of the bigger ones is cosponsoring this event. We have no more right at what goes in that park as a Fifth Avenue neighborhood association has in trying to stop the annual Puerto Rican day parade.
Eli

I just realized what kind of person I'll writing to. You don't really think before you speak (or write, in this case), do you? I guessed that you were older, but I was very wrong. Maybe when you get older you'll learn about thinking
Joe

Having my own opinion doesn't make me ignorant or small-minded. It is my opinion. You are pathetic because all you can do is call people names because they don't share your opinion.
Eli

Joe Says:
I guess that is where we differ. I don’t consider it art.

Eli Says: And there in lies your ignorance and small mindedness. People kill me with how quick they are with judging others, and how slow they are with judging themselves
Eli

KRS makes a good point. There used to be a time when if a person didn't like something about they're neighborhood they would work to change it or move. Nowadays people just complain over the internet
Joe

I guess that is where we differ. I don't consider it art.
Eli

And you've done nothing but disrespect a valid art form you know little about. Having an opinion without anything substantial to back it up does not free you from criticism. You can agree to disagree with anyone, but stating your opinion about something you are ignorant of shows small mindedness. I call them like I see them. You don't seem to see much outside of your own experience. I personally would never completely disrespect someone's art. By definition, art is something people should investigate if they want to understand it. But that ain't you, Joe, apparently.
Joe

Very impressed KRS. But where is this "Long I Lyn" place you speak of?
KRS One

Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Joe just wants his neighborhood clean. Sorry Joe but this is Brooklyn if you want trees go back to Long I Lyn.

Word to your mother.

-KRS
Joe

The fact that it has been held 4 times does nothing to prove that the residents in the neighborhood want the event here. Nice try.
Joe

Eli - this story is about an event in the neighborhood where I live. I've stated my reasons for believing it isn't good for the neighborhood. You've done nothing but call me names because I don't agree with you. Who's small-minded here?
Eli

By the way, this is the 4th annual festival, so obviously someone in your precious neighborhood wants it to happen. You might wanna find out who they are if you really want to stop this event
Joe

I've never been called a gardening tool ("hoe") before, but thanks KRS. I'm amazed you could actually count to 8. Can't go any higher?
Eli

Well Joe, some people are more interested in letting the world know how ignorant & small minded they can be instead of trying to educate themselves. So I'm gonna leave you to stew in your own version of reality. See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya
KRS ONE

Joe is hoe. Joe don't know how to flow. What what what? One two three four go home and do your mommy's chore. Five six seven eight, don't hate but educate.

BIATCH!
Joe

Hey Eli, not that it is any of your business, but I'm 25. So you attempt to imply that I think hip hop is worthless because I am old fails miserably. And sampling the background music from a song written decades ago while spewing incoherent nonsense does not constitute writing music.

I'll continue to give my opinion whenever I like. Whether you like it or not. If you don't like my opinion, don't bother to read it or respond.

As for this weekend's event, as I previously said, the disruptions and problems it will cause for the neighborhood are far greater than the interest of most people in the neighborhood and any value it could bring to the neighborhood. This will inconvenience the people living in the neighborhood, and I'm willing to be the majority of businesses in the neighborhood will not see any increased sales.
Eli

Joe, how old are you? I'm guessing that you've seen a few birthdays. See, some (not all) older folks have a tendency to judge a thing in its entirety based on very little experience and information. Your blanket statements about the value of this art form point to the possibility that you have very little knowledge about hip-hop and its various incarnations. Am I wrong?

"It is a bunch of no-talent clowns ripping off other people’s music while blurting out a bunch of unintelligible nonsense. They can’t write music, they can’t play an instrument. They just sample real artists’ work and destroy it."

This is what you wrote. But do you really know what you're talking about? They can't write music? They can't play an instrument? See Joe, the fact is, Hip Hop is a global art form whose fans and practitioners come from many walks of life, many cultures, many races, nationalities and experiences. You obviously don't understand this. Instead of spending all morning giving everyone your opinion, why don't you do some research? This is going on in your neighborhood, so find out who the artists are. Find out what they stand for, what they believe in. Make an effort to understand what they are talking about. Find out what kind of fan base these artists have. At the end of the day, you might be proud to have spent the time learning something rather than sharing your opinion. Your opinion may also gain some validity as well.

P.S. You'll have to forgive Mike. Ignorance and racism often look alike.
mod squad

I was going to say something pimpy but I went on some of these artists webs, tubes etc. Some of the stuff is pretty mild more like jazz fusion.Your objections are not well founded in this case. Its hardly the kind of shit you hear blasting out of some white kids Rav4 in the burbs.
I agree with Joe

It's trash music. I'm tired of these no talent nursery rhymer's who can't even string together an intelligent sentence. I hope there will be extra police in the neighborhood because this event warrants that.
Joe

Ramona's comment goes to what I'm trying to get at. There are other events held in the neighborhood that also create a mess, e.g., the Arts Under the Bridge festival. But these events relate to the neighborhood, which is filled with art galleries. This is not a hip hop club neighborhood, and this event should be moved somewhere else. My comments have nothing to do with race. I'm simply saying that this event does not improve, but only detracts from the neighborhood. On top of not having any neighbors that plan to attend, I actually know a few people who are intentionally getting out of town this weekend to avoid this mess.
Ramona

Sorry, I meant I agree with JOE!
Ramona

I also agree with Josh. We live very close to this and its nothing but trouble, not to mention everything in my apartment shakes because all you can hear is the G*ddamn bass. I suggest holding it in a neighborhood that is perhaps more Hip Hop friendly. I don't know anyone (of my circle of neighbors and friends) in the neighborhood who is planning to attend. Come on and get ME for the racist comments you read into my entry! Btw, that's called reverse racism!
I agree with Joe

If this is anything like the hip hop festival in South beach, Miami then I suggest "lock your doors".
Joe

Mike - I said nothing dealing with race. You reading that into my comments says more about your problems. I simply think hip hop is rotting garbage and this event brings nothing of value to the neighborhood. That is my opinion and you don't have to agree. But don't start calling me a racist when I made no racist comments.
dumbonyc

Despite the increased traffic to the park, they do a great job with cleanup after events such as these. Along the lines with what Mike and Luke said, we should be thankful for all these great events in the neighborhood that promote positivity. The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival's goal is to fundraise to support health awareness, support artists, and young families. The organizers of the event have done a lot to support our neighborhood. Let's celebrate them as well.
LoLo

I agree with Mike - this is really embarrassing that people think like this.
step 1 - check yourself
step 2 - rent the movie crash
step 3 - flippin' chill out
Mike

Some of you people are seriously racist assholes. Instead of embracing diversity and a great event that aims to be positive you complain about garbage and rubbing shoulders with the "wrong type" of people. I'm ashamed to call you people my neighbor.
doogooder

I think it's a chance to join hands with our Farragut neighbors and sing Kumbiya with a Hip Hop Beat. Personally I'm looking forward to it.
Joe

All of the things you point out are fine for the neighborhood, but hip-hop is none of the above. It is a bunch of no-talent clowns ripping off other people's music while blurting out a bunch of unintelligible nonsense. They can't write music, they can't play an instrument. They just sample real artists' work and destroy it.
Luke C

Joe - I'll take the inconvenience of temporary garbage over living somewhere where nothing ever happens in the community to bring people, culture, diversity and, of course, revenue.
Joe

Great. So the neighborhood and parks should be sufficiently covered in garbage by Sunday morning.

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Dumbo NYC

Weekend Event: 2008 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival

July 11th, 2008

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