FU Urban Studies Grad Sets the Record Straight: Hip-Hop Born in the BoogieDown

The above video was sent to BoogieDowner via Dr. Mark Naison's ("Notorious PhD") Fordham University listserv, and we thought y'all might be interested in checking it out.

According to the Notorious PhD, it is an "amazing video which recaputures the early days of hip hop in the Bronx through the experience of Danny 'Beat Mann' Martinez. The video was done by Fordham Urban studies grad Charlie Johnson (aka DJ Charlie Hustle) who came to the Bronx all the way from Milwaukee."

Enjoy!

~ErLu

Ivy League Pays Homage to the BoogieDown

The BoogieDown is getting its due from the Ivy League...

Cornell University hosted two-day conference this weekend (10/31 & 11/1) celebrating its library’s acquisition of “Born in the Bronx: The Legacy and Evolution of Hip Hop,” a collection that documents the early days of hip hop with recordings, photographs, posters and more.

Guest speakers included such hip hop pioneers as: Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Caz, Grandwizzard Theodore, Popmaster Fable, Tony Tone, Disco Wiz and Kool Lady Blue.

The below excerpt is from Cornell's press release on the conference:

"We want the community at large to celebrate hip hop's contributions to American culture through a better understanding of its origins, which are the focus of this unique collection,” said Katherine Reagan, curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts at Cornell University Library.

Much of the collection is made up of the work of Johan Kugelberg from materials he used in his book "Born in the Bronx," which chronicles the evolution of hip-hop in the South Bronx. The collection also features the archives of Bronx photographer Joe Conzo, co-author of "Born in the Bronx."

*Photo courtesy of www.cornell.edu*

~ErLu

If It Wasn't for the Bronx...

"...This rap s**t probably wouldn't be goin' on." -Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz.

Just a reminder to Chuck D of Public Enemy. Apparently, there is a Long Island Music Hall of Fame, and Roosevelt's own Public Enemy has been inducted. This is all great.

If you want to read the whole Newsday Article click here.

The reason we're covering this is two-fold:

1) the weekends are really light in the blogosphere, AND
2) Chuck D seemed to disparage the Bronx (or at least Bronx rappers) in some of his comments.

In the lead paragraph Chuck states:

"People used to come from the Bronx and from Brooklyn with a chip on their shoulders, thinking that just because rap started there that they'd be better," the Public Enemy leader says, with a laugh. "I destroyed them, man. I would tell people when they were coming into Adelphi, from the Bronx or from Brooklyn or other parts of New York City, 'The vibe is in the Bronx and Manhattan, but you ain't got the vibe. You ain't fly with all the jive. Don't come here thinking you're all this.' They definitely called me 'country bumpkin,' but I was gonna bust their --. They're not gonna sound louder or stronger. That's just not gonna happen." [Newsday]

Listen Chuck, we're not saying the Public Enemy isn't the best rap group to come out of Roosevelt, we're just saying that the Bronx has produced many more (and better) hip-hop artists than the entirety of Nassau and Suffolk Counties. A little respect for the origins of your craft would be nice too.

We have a deep respect for hip-hop. In fact, if you didn't know our name is derived from KRS-one's famous BoogieDown productions. BoogieDowner wants to drive home the fact that the BoogieDown is the Bethlehem of Hip-hop. A global movement all started in a humble abode, namely 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. That's kinda like a manger, no? Maybe the Bronx could have its own hip-hop hall of fame? Maybe house it at 1520 Sedgwick? We'd be able to fill that thing just with rappers from TerrorSquad.

By the way, does anybody really think Flavor Flav would have been able to hang on St. Anne's Avenue in the 80s without getting clowned? Just wondering...

And if you ever forget the status of the Bronx in the rap world remember Fat Joe's lyric:

"The Bronx mothered this rap shit."

*pic of Chuck D courtesy of www.s9.com, pic of Fat Joe courtesy of www.hiphoprx.com*

~ErLu