P.S.87 Gang

A few days ago, I come across this picture with me in it and it really blew my mind. Along with this picture came another treat and that was a chance to connect with 2 friends from 3rd grade who I thought I would never talk to again. In the past all I have been writing about is me and how shitty things have been, but now Ima bout to take it back. 1986 fresh out the foster care system & finally back with my mom. It was a whole new world for me. When I was in all these different homes, there were all in the sticks so I had no clue about NYC at that time and all the shit going on in the streets. I was a fragile lil boy scared to death. When I moved back to my hood, the UWS, it was bugged. Things was real good. My mom was good and I was happy. My zone school was P.S.87 & what a dope school it was. It had a huge wood park and a big open school yard. The thing that was so fresh was after school you could find a lot of us from the immediate neighborhood there playing, riding bikes or just chilling with some of the older local kids that have shaped me into the man I am to day. Shouts to the whole 80th st. block. Jonny, Cynthia, Keith & Law, Pops, Amo and many more, But to my best best friend at that time Dee Lynch. This is his picture Im rocking with so thanks Dee for the treat. Through these older kids I became the artist I am today. The one's in the picture was the only kids that let me play games and was cool with me. Dee, Ronnie, Tyson, Chris and Desmond. The kid with the glasses I have no clue. Dee and my self use to hang out all the time and chill. we would ride bikes and I would go to his house. Him and his mother were real cool to me in a time where people were real mean and fucked up about my personal life with my momz. I cant tell you how much that meant to me then and even now. Thanks Dee. As for Ronnie, I remember my first day of school being crazy and then after lunch when we were going into the building from the school yard, I dont remember why, but he punched me in the gutz! Its all good Ronnie we were kids then and you have been forgiven a loooong time ago. Chris was a laid back cat who could really draw well. I remember him drawing Optomus Prime and all the other transformers to the Tee. This kid was nasty with it. Ronnie use to like the graffiti shit I would draw, that was my thing more so. The other kid Desmond, he never really was in school. Why? I dont know, but he was quiet from what I remember. All I know is that we had a blast as kids then growing up in NYC. We were in the streets playing and being a kid. It was the best. Whats crazy to me, is that the streets were worst then, then now and we ran them. Today its just not the same. Times are safer, but I wouldnt let my child in the streets to play alone. Its just not the same as then. Oh well! I would give anything to go back in time and live those days over. Yo Dee, your the last one I know that knew my moms and that she use to call me "Spunky". I hated that name with a passion and on top of it all, my moms had all the kids in the hood calling me that shit and now I miss it. Where did all that time go? Enjoy your life as much as you can & value the friends you have because nothing is for ever. This picture is the dopest Dee. Good looking on leaking it to the world. Much love to the P.S.87 gang.

Who Gets A Pass To Ride?

From what I know about New York City, is that it is composed of many types of people from all walks of life. Some are born here, some travel across the globe and others have moved here from not so far away. I can remember NYC growing up as a place to come and make something of your self with nothing more then ambitions & dreams. If you worked hard and had that drive then you made it. Ol' Blue Eye's said it best "if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere". What I love about the OLD NYC is that people brought there own way of life here to NYC and did not bother people with it, or at least not like now. What I mean is when these people came here they formed communities that can be enjoyed by all and not like the outta towners now who have made it impossible to enjoy what us true New Yorkers enjoy most. That is the big melting pot of NYC. This breed of new comers have really messed things up by not respecting whats already here. They tear every thing down and build the ugliest shit I've ever seen. Its all about money at the end of the day. Playgrounds & parks are gone and kids cant play in the streets like we use to growing up. NYC has become the dullest knife in the draw and has lost a lot of its driving force. That driving force is the people who are the Old New Yorkers who have a deep understanding of the balance that was created. It may seem like we are rude, loud and obnoxious, but its all for a reason. When it counts, we help one another and hold are communities together with a common bond & love we all share for this town full of nuts, assholes and crazies. Id rather deal with the crazy Jewish people, the loud Hispanics and all the different nut job communities there are in NYC then the outta towners who just dont get it. The different communities keep to them selves going about there business and not spilling over into my life. I might hate some of the shit they do, but at there the end of the day. They stay in there part of town doing them as I do me in my part of town. I believe, no matter how tough you are, there are places you just dont belong. 15 years ago I never thought I would see a white women walking a dog on 116 Lenox ave. 10pm at night in Harlem. They just didnt belong up there. Now they are every where. Fuck man! Go home. Its not just women, its men and its not just white people also. So the question is this, Who gets a pass and who does not? Well, I will tell you. Do you belong in that community? Do you know people that live there or have family there? Probably not, right? Your taking up space in a place you dont belong. Did you open up a Starbucks in the hood and why? Now your taking business away from the local mom & pop stores that support the communities and help the local people. I really hate all you fuckers for this! True story so you get no pass. Be out son! Because you have forced your way in to our communities, you have weakened them thus forth stripping my city of choice & individuality. And for the record, YES this is my motha fuck'n city. I have put the time in, blood sweat & and tears as well. Look im not saying I dont want people to come here or your not allowed and you are. Old New York was built by people with passion and preservation and the fact is most of then came here from some where else, but with respect and a sense of whats right. Those are the ones who get a pass. If you want in then dont move here because you watch Sex In The City or Friends and think thats what NYC is about. That was not the case until you you losers moved here with boat loads of money and made it that and who hangs out at the coffee shop all day with out working and thinks, oh its all good, no worries, everything will be ok. Get the fuck outta here wit that shit. I dont need to know about your life style and have it thrown in my face. I could care less. Keep that gay shit back where you came from. Now if you want to come here to better your self, make something of your boring life then learn the rules and our culture and help participate in preserving it for all so others after you can eat too. With all that said, you either get it or you dont so have a coke and a smile and shut the fuck up!