Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Hip hop history

Hip-hop was born in the west Bronx. Not the South Bronx, not Harlem and most definitely not Queens. Just ask anybody at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue — an otherwise unremarkable high-rise just north of the Cross Bronx and hard along the Major Deegan.

Will Gentrification Spoil the Birthplace of Hip-Hop?

Mr. Campbell thinks the building should be declared a landmark in recognition of its role in American popular culture. Its residents agree, but for more practical reasons. They want to have the building placed on the National Register of Historic Places so that it might be protected from any change that would affect its character — in this case, a building for poor and working-class families.

Oh my, have you guys been misinformed about the National Register! Who told you that having the building listed on the register means that it can't be altered or, for that matter, demolished?

Photo from NY Times

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now you will start to understand that community preservation is not for the 'community', but only those with 'connections'.

The entire movement is suffering politically because they never expanded their base from a tiny minority.

Anonymous said...

Hip-Hop was born in the Bronx, but it grew up in Queens with Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons "Def Jam" records, and its artists Run DMC, LL Cool J, Jazzy Jay, etc.