Sedgwick Avenue - 1520 Sedgwick Ave, Bronx NY(1973): This is 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, more commonly known as the birthplace of Hip Hop. Constructed in 1967, by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the building complex housed some of the working class families displaced by Robert Moses’ creation of the infamous Cross Bronx Expressway which displaced countless working class families by slamming through their neighborhoods and demolishing their houses. Robert Moses was NYC's "master builder" from the 1930s though 1960s, as result of his positions as the Long Island State Parks Commissioner, Chairman of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, NYC Parks Commissioner, NYC Construction Coordinator, and Chairman of the NYC Planning Commission. In these roles, he was the primary engine for highway and public housing construction, responsible for the demolition of thousands of homes and the destabilization of the the South Bronx. 1520 Sedgwick is a prime example of the “tower in a park” style of post war public housing that was created by Robert Moses and NYCHA through the problematic policy of “slum clearance,” displacing thousands of families and demolishing numerous neighborhoods. There is a direct connection between the destabilizing effects of Moses' projects and the conditions that led to the birth of Hip Hop. “Why is this building known as the birthplace of Hip Hop?” you might ask. Well, this NYCHA building once held a historic party in its recreation room. Here, in this building's rec-room, is where Clive Campbell (though we’ll come to know him as DJ Kool Herc) held a birthday party for his sister Cindy Campbell, on August 11th 1973. Herc is credited at this party for creating the “breakbeat,” which you'll likely recognize from most other DJs, as it’s a commonly used technique and wormed its way into the pop-culture image of DJs. The party is also recognized for popularizing the MCing aspect of Hip Hop, as Herc’s friend, Coke La Rock, rapped over his friends' beats. This is one case of Hip Hop history in New York City being recognized in a more substantial manner, as a small plaque can be found on the premises, which, though minimal, acknowledges Herc's historic party and its impact. However, the building has recently been affected by the current housing affordability crisis. 1520 Sedgwick was constructed under the Mitchell Lama program, which uses public subsidy to make rents affordable for low and middle income residents. In the early 200s, NYCHA officials announced plans to open up the historic building for market rate housing, in flagrant opposition not only to the goals of public housing, but also to the spirit of Hip Hop, for which the building had become mainly known. This problematic decision understandably led to a large public outcry. DJ Kool Herc himself came out against this move saying, “1520 Sedgwick is the Betlehem of Hip Hop culture” in a rally to preserve the building. Residents and supporters waged a multi-year battle against the eager landlord, and it appeared that the battle would be lost. But as a result of tenant opposition and advocacy, the new owners of 1520 Sedgwick, Workforce Housing Advisors are renovating the building and working to recognize its historical significance, pursuing a National Register of Historic Places listing. The recent story of 1520 Sedgwick is seen by some as a victory in the struggle to preserve affordable housing in New York City, but it is also a story of the precariousness of affordability. Keeping1520 Sedgwick affordable was the result of a sustained organizing campaign by tenants and housing advocacy groups, fighting for 5 years against speculative landlords. In the saga of 1520 Sedgwick, we see the ways in which the profit motive, particularly in real estate, can easily override concerns for affordable housing, as well as for cultural history. In this case, the story appears to have a happy ending, at least in part due to the iconic nature of the building. QUESTIONS How can city agencies or community organizations take steps to preserve historical sites such as these, along with the important messages they contain? Why do you think that historical locations like these are less cared for than others? ACTIVITY Think about the cultures or groups you consider yourself a part of, write down what you would consider to be the “Bethlehem” of each of them, as Herc called 1520 Sedgwick. Are they preserved? Why/Why not? How would you preserve them?

Bronx River Houses - Bronx NY (1977) This is the Bronx River Houses. Built in 1951 for lower income families, this nine-building complex contains a total of 3,025 residents. These projects were impacted by "white flight," a term used to describe the migration by white people from diversifying urban areas to ones that are less diverse, and often suburban. This took place in the Bronx and Harlem, and was mainly due to the "push factors" of racism, urban renewal and the fear of dropping property values due to redlining, and the "pull factors" of highway mobility and FHA loans for the suburbs, all supported by postwar federal subsidy. The complex is made up of Puerto Rican, African American and Dominican residents. This neighborhood is famous for being a secondary birthplace of Hip Hop, comparable to the significance of 1520 Sedgwick Ave and Cedar Playground. Bronx River Houses were home to a vast array of Hip Hop's earliest figures who established the genre’s early fame and eventual success, such as DJ Red Alert, Afrika Islam, DJ Jazzy Jay, and the Soul Sonic force among many others. One of the most interesting figures from these houses to talk about, though, would have to be Afrika Baambataa. Born on April 17, 1957, Lance Taylor, or Afrika Baambataa, had a tremendous influence on the progression of the Hip Hop genre and the culture as a whole. One of his most famous accomplishments would be forming the “Zulu Nation,” a popular consciousness raising and cultural awareness group that spread its positive messages through Hip Hop. The movement has received recognition from countless influential and top tier rappers such as Q Tip, Ice Cube, Lil Wayne, Big Boi and Freddie Gibbs among others. Baambataa formed The Zulu Nation in the 1970’s out of the street gang, the Black Spades. He had seen the 1964 film, Zulu, and was impressed by the solidarity and leadership that one of the chiefs in the films displayed. This inspired him to change his name to that of a Zulu chief and swore to spread the Zulu Nation to keep kids out of gangs and crime for good. In the end, his movement was incredibly influential and helpful to his community, therefore fulfilling its goal, at least somewhat. Baambataa also founded the Soul Sonic Force, a collection of Hip Hop groups and musicians that would collaborate on records and perform with one another. This group also received moderate success and recognition for Baambataa’s work and hometown and still remained influential as well. He was a major figure of the genre in his own right and a tremendous booster of his hometown as well. In retrospect, his story is similar to that of the 5 Pointz, making a haven for those with a love for Hip Hop rather than graffiti, with the goal of keeping gangs and their associations out of the genre and movement. Only this time, it was much more successful in improving the community, as well as the genre’s imagery, and it is remembered more fondly than that of the 5 Pointz. QUESTION Baambataa was accused of sexual abuse of children in 2016 by activist Ronald Savage and later by multiple others. While he did deny the allegations, Baambataa later stepped down from Zulu Nation which proceeded to distance themselves from him, later issuing a letter to all alleged victims and signed by about three thousand Zulu Nation members, apologizing for his actions and their poor management of the situation. My question is, does this compromise what he did? Does Zulu Nation seem less inspiring with these allegations and potential crimes? Can it be solved by just acknowledging the leaders actions both good and bad, while distancing themselves from him? Or not? ACTIVITY Think about a problem or cause that you believe in, and make a group with a solution, just like that of Zulu Nation for gang activity and support for African Americans. Make a name, cause, method, rules and beliefs and go as deep as you’d like with the allotted time.

Cedar Playground (1977) - 1890 Cedar Ave Bronx NY: It might sound unbelievable that this little playground is quite possibly an incredibly historic place for Hip Hop, one that birthed the genre, creating a massive boom of overnight growth that was crucial in expanding and furthering it, but it's true. This is Cedar Playground, opened in 1935 (also a result of the work of Robert Moses, but this time in his more popular role as Parks Commissioner) and located just off Sedgwick Avenue, an interesting connection to our first stop. Most of the playground’s history is mundane, but this playground was home to DJ Kool Herc’s parties once they got so popular that they needed more space. Herc’s jams in Cedar Playground influenced the spread of what became known as “Park Jams” which became a staple of Hip Hop culture in the late 1970s and 1980s, and continuing into the present. Many parks still host park jam-like events, which still have healthy attendance numbers despite the evolution of the culture and current challenges from Covid-19. However, the biggest reason why this spot holds such value in Hip Hop’s history wouldn’t become known until the late 70’s What began as complications from lightning damage to numerous Con Edison locations and structures, resulted in a large-scale power outage that came to be known as the “New York City Blackout of 1977.” The only unaffected areas in New York City were Queens (as it was covered by the Long Island Lighting Company rather than Con Ed), Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute, and a few select apartment complexes which had their own generators. So most of the city was in a complete blackout; "But what does that have to do with Hip Hop?” You might ask. Well, once residents realized that the power outage was not local but city-wide, and recognized that this left storefronts unprotected; some of them, spurred by a large economic downturn and East Coast heatwave, decided to take advantage of this opportunity. A vast number of stores were looted in 31 different neighboorhoods (others were burned down in arson attacks) to the point that the Carter administration gave the city 11 million dollars to recoup their losses from the damages caused during the incident. This is where the Hip Hop lore comes from. The myth goes that during the blackout, a large amount of DJ equipment, (turntables, mixing boards etc…) were taken from some stores, which led to an overnight explosion in DJ'ing, much of which could be heard around the Cedar Playground area, and expanding the emerging sound that would eventually take the form of Hip Hop as we know it today. This mythology is generally accepted by most DJ’s and Hip Hop experts, though there are definitely some detractors who claim the blackout in no way aided Hip Hop’s explosion of popularity. The reason that I question this connection, and consider it more popular myth than actual history, is that it was used as a means of disparaging this emerging art form through connection to criminal activity. The story itself was first confirmed in a recording by two of Hip Hop's earliest Deejays, DJ Disco Wiz and Curtis Fisher. The tale was then popularized in a book, newspaper articles and other media, further legitimizing it in its journey from rumor to legend. QUESTIONS Official recognition of this playground in relation to Hip Hop has been based on DJ Kool Herc’s parties on the premises. Should the looting of the equipment stores be acknowledged as part of the story of the playground and the origins of Hip Hop, considering that official recognition of Hip Hop has been either sparse or negative, and an association with stealing could be used to disparage the art form and limit its public acknowledgement? Do you accept this legend as a part of Hip Hop, considering its anecdotal support from numerous DJs and lack of written confirmation in the mainstream media (newspapers, writings, letters etc..)? ACTIVITY Free write on the prompt: “Imagine this space at the time of Hip Hop’s emergence. Put yourself in this space and describe in detail what you see, hear, feel. What are you doing? Who is here? What’s happening?

Writers Bench/ Grand Concourse Station - 149 St, Grand Concourse, Bronx NY (1970’s - 1980’s) Up until now, we have focused on the musical aspect of Hip Hop, Rap. But Hip Hop actually includes 5 aspects or attributes. The Hip Hop Museum identifies the "Five Pillars of Hip-Hop” as: MC'ing (oral), DJ'ing (aural), breakdancing (physical), graffiti (visual) and knowledge (mental/spiritual). While Rap has become the most financial successful aspect of Hip Hop, it is really part of a much larger cultural phenomenon. The 149th Street Grand Concourse Station and the bench we’ll discuss in a minute, embody the “graffiti” section of our Hip Hop tour While the station is mostly devoid of the art nowadays, it holds a significant place in Hip Hop history as a historic vehicle of the art form that we know as graffiti today. Through the 1970’s and 80’s, when graffiti began to have a more widespread presence and impact (as compared to the art form’s early years in the 20’s and 30’s), the station became an important hub for the practice and the exchange of techniques for a large number of artists, who would meet up here to sign each other's books, share art and view the tagged trains going by. Many of these exchanges happened on the nearby Writers Bench found along the train tracks in the station. Here, protected from the elements and with a clear view of passing trains, artists would meet up on the bench and critique the graffiti they saw moving by; sometimes chasing the train or the artist if one artist's work was particularly special, in order to get their name. It got so popular that the process became slang and would be referred to as “benching.” The scene quickly became competitive, to the point that even critiquing the art became tremendously popular, which later drew attention from outsiders to the graffiti and Hip Hop scene. Some non-artists came to admire the artwork and, more importantly, a few of the pieces were photographed. I draw attention to this because it shows one of the first times that graffiti was considered “art” by those outside of the graffiti world. Graffiti was beginning to be recognized for its artistry and merit, and deserving of remembrance and preservation, rather than as an act of vandalism that must be washed away. The vocal fight to make the Writers Bench a New York landmark is a crucial turning point in the appreciation of graffiti and Hip Hop becoming valued as a central part of New York City’s culture. However, all good things come to an end. In the 1980’s, under the mayoralties of Ed Koch and Rudolph Guiliani, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority began a crackdown on illegal art, and all of the original graffiti found in the station and on the trains was wiped away and nearly erased from memory. This shows the disrespect, indeed antagonism, that the leaders of NYC have shown to graffiti since the art form’s inception. Unfortunately, some of New York’s residents and leaders still view graffiti as vandalism, even as the inheritors of the graffiti tradition are being shown in museums. Graffiti artists and their audience did not forget the impact that the station had. Even now, you are likely to see a few people at the Writers’ Bench, paying homage to what once was. QUESTIONS Should the Writers Bench be instated as a landmark and if so, why? Does landmarking compromise graffiti's transgressive origins? Should we start anew and graffiti the trains and station again? What happens to graffiti once it's in a museum? Does art need to be transgressive to fully be graffiti? ACTIVITY: Draw a graffiti piece, or your own tag, as you would design it were it to go on one of the subway cars .

Prospect Park (1983) - Brooklyn NY: I’m discussing this location to tell a story, a personal story, but first, I’ll set the background: Prospect Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, the designers of Central Park, was opened in 1867 and became a popular picnic spot. Olmsted argued that this was his masterpiece, even more than Central Park. Much later, Prospect Park’s bandshell, constructed in the late 1930’s, hosted a diverse variety of musical events for its Celebrate Brooklyn concerts that were held seasonally by and in the park during the summer months. The shows all received a healthy attendance and were well regarded community events in general. The lively events sparked the aspiration of Lawrence Parker, better known later as KRS 1, then homeless and sleeping outside the venue. KRS 1 is now an extremely talented rapper and producer best known for his work on Boogie Down Productions with partner Scott La Rock, as well as his solo career following his partner’s murder. He then went on to make well remembered albums, such as Return of the Boom Bap and By All Means Necessary. After having the epiphany that he wanted to be a rapper when he was twelve he ran away from home and spent his nights sleeping in Prospect Park from ages 18-21, taking in the performances and making a wish to himself that he, too, could one day be up on that very same stage, performing for the nightly crowd. And in 2007, 21 years later, there he was. KRS 1 performed for an adoring crowd at the Prospect Park's bandshell, just as he had dreamed. During the show, he even pointed out the very spot where he once slept, all those years ago, to the crowd; back when he was just inspired by the performers on stage and before he went to tent city, where he met fellow writers and thinkers, and his career truly began. This is where the less wondrous side of the story comes in, sadly. Prospect Park has had a less than a stellar record in accommodating its homeless population. Despite a few attempts to support and empower the unhoused, much of the news coverage of Prospect Park is of forcible clearance and evictions of the park's homeless population. This is what caused KRS 1 to leave for a tent village, and it shows the ambivalent relationship that the NYC Parks Department has with the city’s homeless population. They produce less litter than the average bandshell concerts revelry, so there is no discernable reason for clearance besides the image of the park that would be supposedly soured just by their presence. Hip hop shared the same treatment, being disregarded by the mainstream, at least until commercial success made Rap hard to ignore It is not hard to find (especially a few years in the past, or from more traditional outlets) articles and news segments that discuss Hip Hop in terms of how it “promotes drugs and violence” and “is bad for children,” calling rappers thugs and their art dangerous. The story of KRS 1 helps us to understand how stigma can drive our popular discourse, irrespective of the facts. QUESTION KRS 1 achieving his dream of playing at the park's bandshell is inspiring, but his leaving due to the park's treatment of the homeless would likely be excluded from the narratives of the park. How should we treat these stories? ACTIVITY Write what you think the park should have done in response to the large homeless population. Do you agree with the clearance of the unhoused from the park? if yes, why? If no, what do you think would be a better response?

Weinstein Hall - 5 University Pl, NY (1984) This is Weinstein Hall, a dormitory (out of 21) of New York University (NYU) that houses 600 of the University’s first-years annually. You might be wondering why it’s a part of this tour. Well… in one of these cramped dorm rooms, two young men made Hip Hop history. Even if you've barely interacted with Hip Hop, you're likely to have heard of at least one of them. These two men were Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin, now an established record executive and legendary producer, respectively. In one of these dorm rooms, these two created Def Jam Records. Rick Rubin is one of Hip Hop’s true architects. While most discuss his role as manager and producer for artists such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Johnny Cash, I know him more for his heavy involvement throughout the 1980s in early Hip Hop, where he worked with historic Hip Hop artists such as Run DMC, LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys and Public Enemy. These are all huge names in Hip Hop, the partners in a career which Rubin continued for decades, with collaborations with mega-stars such as Eminem and Kanye West. Def Jam first drew the eye of the public with LL Cool J’s album, I Need a Beat (Rubin also makes an appearance in the artist’s recent documentary). The company then built on that success with the subsequent Beastie Boys’ hit single Rock Hard (both were released in 1984) which had immense appeal due to how it blended genres, appealing to many more people than a Hip Hop album would normally. In its fledgling years in 1987, Def Jam was in collaboration with artists such as Public Enemy and Flavor Flav, figures that the public still wasn’t entirely ready to accept yet. Eventually in 2004, the president of the record company became Jay Z, one of Hip Hop's most influential artists (though he has now been replaced by Eminem’s longtime manager, Paul Rosenberg). Relatively recently in 2011, the company partnered with Kanye West’s GOOD Music. In 2014, Rubin visited his old room again after 30 years. He had a few words on his story that are interesting, “Make it yours. That’s the thing that can change the world,” Inspiring words from one of the pioneers of Hip Hop. QUESTION What branch of Hip Hop (MC, graffiti artist, DJ etc…) do you think is the most important to Hip Hop and its history? ACTIVITY Think about a music genre you love or know a lot about and write down who the pioneers or architects of that genre are to you.

Tribe Called Quest Mural - 19210 Linden Blvd, Jamaica, NY (1991) The classic red, green and black imagery in this photo will probably be familiar. The pattern itself is a symbol for the iconic rap group, A Tribe Called Quest. Below the four faces read “represent, represent” a reference to the group's song Steve Biko (Stir it Up), off one of their most classic albums, Midnight Marauders. The faces you see are those of Q-Tip, Phife Dawg (rest In peace), Jarobi White and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, all core members of the group. The building this is painted on is that of Nuclear Dry Cleaners found on Linden Boulevard in Queens, an area mentioned many times by the group. The reason this is significant is because this is where the group shot their classic music video for Check The Rhime (1991), one of the group’s most iconic (and best, if I may add) songs throughout the entirety of their critically acclaimed discography. The group has had a tremendous impact on the genre. For one, they pioneered a genre known as “conscious Hip Hop,” a style characterized by its tilt toward more positive lyrics, and its focus on a larger array of topics than what was common in Hip Hop, including gender, social justice and religion, among others. Each of the group's members, especially Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, have tremendous respect among Hip Hop artists and audiences for their numerous and significant contributions to the culture. Their discography too is full of critical hits, including the two standouts, The Low End Theory (released in 1991), and Midnight Marauders (in 1993), both considered classics by just about any Hip Hop fan. The mural was done by a longtime fan of the group, Vince Ballentine, in 2019. His obvious love for the group, and his reference to them as a cornerstone in Hip Hop, shows the influence and difference they made to the Hip Hop scene with their jazzy, optimistic sound and style. QUESTION How do you feel about the term ”conscious Hip Hop,” does it do a disservice to the rest of the genre for example or does it fit the specific sub-genre? ACTIVITY Write down what the style of the mural, and the Tribe Called Quest symbols evoke in your mind in list form.

226 St James Place - Brooklyn NY (1994): We are standing in front of the childhood home of one of Hip Hop’s most legendary artists and MCs, possibly the genre’s most important pioneer and architect. His name was Christopher George Latore Wallace, but we know him as the Notorious B.I.G or “Biggie," one of the kings of Hip Hop. We all know Biggie. His two albums, “Ready to Die” (his 1994 debut), and “Life After Death” (released in 1997), set the music industry on fire. He waged a beef across the United States against his former friend, turned rival, Tupac Shakur, another legendary rapper, and his influence can be felt long after his unfortunate death in an LA shooting, by almost every rapper that has come after him He’s one of the greats, a true legend of the medium. But while Biggie’s plastic, $6 crown garners enough respect to have been sold in September of 2020 for $600,000, his home, an arguably much more important part of his life and a historical landmark in a sense, certainly isn't being treated as such. If you're looking for an apartment and conversation piece… then I’ve got good news for you. You can now rent Notorious B.I.G’s childhood home apartment for only $4,000 a month. That’s right, it's being modified for market rates and consumer use. This shows blatant disrespect for the artist and his impact on the culture and world in general. Ernest Hemingway’s summer home has been preserved in its entirety but the birthplace of a musical pioneer gets hollowed out and rented, using the title of his childhood home as a selling point. Everything in the abode has been modernized and spruced up for potential buyers with almost nothing but the streets it's located on to remember him by. It's not Biggie's home anymore, it's just another apartment building devoid of character, being utilized as an instrument for already rampant gentrification. QUESTIONS Can this spot be considered a Hip Hop landmark considering how it flagrantly disrespects the genre and one of its biggest icons? Can/should this disregard towards Biggie and Hip Hop be rectified with a plaque or designating the apartment as a landmark? ACTIVITY This may be a bit too morbid for some, but, I’d like you to think about your life after death. What would happen to you, your belongings and your image afterwards. What do you think should be preserved, and do you think any of it will be much the same as Biggie? Take some time to write this all down for a free-write session.

5 Pointz - 22-44 Jackson Ave, Queens(Early 1970’s - 2013): Near where you stand is, or was, one of graffiti's true monuments. While it is unfortunately gone now, the tale of the 5 Pointz is a story that's definitely worth hearing about. The building itself was first constructed in 1892 and was used by the company Neptune Meter, as a factory to manufacture water meters. Later, it was leased by Jerry Wolkoff to make the “Phun Factory.” Established by Pat DiLillo in 1993, the space was meant as a safe space for artists to be able to express themselves through their graffiti. Except, it wasn't graffiti. Indeed, DiLillo was firm in his statement that the art made and displayed at his space was not graffiti. This was because graffiti had a long standing association with danger and crime, which made him want to legitimize the art form so it could be free of those negative connotations. This sounds like a smart, or at least sympathetic, rule to permit the advancement of the Street Art form; but his execution of this rule was possibly a few steps too far. Dilillo would become increasingly strict with regulating the art featured in the building. If a tag (as opposed to bubble writing or other forms of graffiti) could be found nearby or anywhere close to the building, he would have it erased. If a particular piece had any symbols or allusions to gangs, it would be removed. All of this was done in the name of advancing and legitimizing the art form in a city which saw it as vandalism. However, in doing so, Dillilo had in a way robbed the art form of what makes graffiti and street art so special, personal, and sometimes political, expression that disregards conventional rules. Spaces for street art gain more respect when they allow more expression for the artist and the medium. All in all, most plans for the 5 Pointz had stellar intentions, but, some might argue, flawed executions. In 2002, a graffiti artist by the name of Jonathan Cohen came to manage the art. He brought a new sensibility, asking for a sample or layout of an artist’s work beforehand. He was also the man who gave the place its iconic name, calling it the 5 Pointz, referring back to a historic NYC location (5 Points in the Lower East Side), and making it a centerpiece of New York City’s five boroughs. It is important to mention just how magnificent the building looked. With its exterior crammed full of unique graffiti pieces, it was truly a spectacle to behold, and its uniqueness only bolstered the movement to legitimize the graffiti art form. Unfortunately, it didn't last. The beginning of the end started when inspections found numerous deficiencies in the building, such as the partitions (spaces that the artists were given access to for artistic purposes) not having permits. It reached a literal breaking point in August 2009 when a large piece of concrete from one of the building's fire escapes collapsed and, tragically, fell on one of the artists, injuring them in the process. This paved the way for the 5 Pointz to end in 2013, when the City Planning Commission unanimously voted for a plan that would allow condos to be built on the property instead. 5 Pointz was denied landmark status because the art was less than 30 years old. There was an intense wave of protest in response to the planned demolition of the 5 Pointz. “Art murder” was sprayed all over the building, and, most interestingly, Cohen made a plea to Banksy in an interview with The Guardian where he asked the artist to voice support for the 5 Pointz in hopes that his influence could help reverse the decision. Banksy eventually put a brief message on his website right before the period of residency ended that read, “Thanks for your patience. It’s been fun. Save 5Pointz. Bye.” This was a minimal effort in my eyes, and one that clearly didn't do anything to reverse the building’s demolition. In the end, one of graffiti’s most historic locations was destroyed because of an unwillingness to accept the art form as what it simply is, art, and the pressures created in a gentrifying neighborhood. QUESTIONS How do you feel about the closure of the 5 Pointz and the refusal to recognize it as a landmark? Do you agree with the decision or think that the reasoning was honest? ACTIVITY Imagine that you are the curator of this space, write down how you would filter the art. What restrictions would you impose or what themes and styles would you support?

Marcy Houses - Brooklyn NY (1996): This is Marcy Houses, a NYCHA housing complex, comprised of 27, six story high buildings, housing a total of 1705 residences on the property. You're likely to find that among outsiders, this space is always unfortunately defined by two common buzzwords, “dangerous” and “violent.” This is the birthplace of one of Hip Hop’s most popular MCs, Shawn Carter, better known as Jay Z. He has had a wildly successful Hip Hop career since his first album, Reasonable Doubt, was released in 1996 inception. He is largely credited for popularizing the genre. Virtually all of his albums have attained massive success. He became Hip Hop’s first billionaire and even went on to create his own streaming service. More recently, you've likely seen him in the news for a Super Bowl performance. Needless to say, Jay Z is iconic not only in Hip Hop culture but also in the global perception as well. So how does he see his childhood home? While, for the most part, Carter hasn't been too personal or vulnerable in his music, he has still managed to discuss his personal life and home on multiple occasions. He’s talked about the shooting of his own brother, by his hand, over drugs and jewelry. He has said that his shift in focus towards financial success came from having survived three close range shootings in his younger years and how assault rifles could be seen almost anywhere in Marcy during his time living there. Jay-Z’s narrative may sound spiteful or negative towards his childhood home,but overall, Jay speaks with sympathy for his home and its residents, and declares a desire to support his neighbors and to help them be in a better situation. We may see this in the lyrics of one of his newest tracks “Marcy Me,” in which Jay Z says, “I’m from Marcy Houses where the boys die by the thousands.” This track and the album as a whole shows a softer, more vulnerable take on his home, showing him focus a bit less on the rough conditions that the houses have been defined by and take a small shift towards showing how they are still a part of him and his determination to still represent them and Brooklyn as a whole. This can be seen in the song’s title being a play on the phrase “mercy me” as well as lines like “Streets is my artery, vein of my existence” and “Shoutout to Nostrand Ave, Flushing Ave, Myrtle. All the county of kings, may your ground stay fertile” show Jay Z’s newfound love and sympathy for the places that raised him. In interviews too, Jay has talked about the community aspect of Marcy and his relationships with his family and friends while in the projects. In the story about his brother, for example, later disclosing how his brother forgave him, apologized for his addictions and grew closer alongside him from the whole ordeal. From Jay Z’s thoughts, we can likely gleam that Marcy Houses isn't either all violence or community, as they are but two sides of the same coin, and discussing it with a lack of nuance, as some commentators are wont to do, does nothing but spoil Marcy’s image for others and changes nothing. Question(s): Jay Z was recently accepted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Do you think it was for the quality of his music or for his impact on the culture? What makes an icon or figurehead for a genre (talk about what makes a classic album)? Activity: Write a poem about your hometown with rhymes at each sequence, how you feel about it, the neighborhood’s benefits and issues, what it means to you, etc...