Good Ol Fashion NYC Fun

Living in the New York we live in today, there are not many consistencies left from the New York I love. How ever there are a few things that are still consistent and graffiti would be one of those things. Graffiti to me is one way Old New Yorkers still exist, kinda like "if your going to move me out then im not going w out a fight" attitude and thats what I love about it. I can remember in 85 moving back to NYC from L.I. and man it was an eye opener & a half. It was a sensory overload with the music I was hearing and the graffiti I was seeing. I knew nothing about it, but I knew that this was what I wanted to be apart of.

Growing up on the UWS, the first writers I met was

Kel 1st & Mare 139. It was cool because at the time I had no clue who they were. I was 10 and I had know clue what I was about to get my self into. Then I met this crazy white boy who was about 15. He was trouble from the start, but he let me roll with em and thats all I cared about. Life was fucked up with a moms always fucked up on dope and so this became my escape. So I rolled with this kid Chooch 156. Through him I met most of the 156 crew and kicked it with a few of them. Omni 156 has always been one of my favorites of all time. By the way even a true writer is a fan of some before him. Any ways, graffiti is not the same to everyone who is involved. For me it was always about going on the mission, going places and seeing things that you are not normally privileged. Through the years I have seen a lot change. When I was growing up, Your graffiti career would end by the time you finished high school, Now graffiti has become a grown mans game. Its kind ill to see where are priorities lie at the age of 35 and some niggas that still kill it are older.

If you look at the writing on the wall, you will see EASY tags, Now thats a blast from the past. This man and his crew changed the whole street bombing game for ever. Now all of a sudden outta no where EASY has taken over one more time. Seeing them EASY tags really floats my boat for the simple fact that it takes me back to the 80's and man do I love that time frame.

Over all the whole graffiti game has changed in a lot of ways, but never the less its still here and it is not going anywhere anytime soon. People even come from out of town just to paint NYC. Graffiti is definitely a staple of New York and has played a major part in shaping Old New Yorkers lives in many ways. As for me it will always be apart of my life in some shape or form. Its an addiction that cant be shaken for some.

As much as I love this shit, there is a lot of shit that I do hate about it. The respect of things and the aspect of it all is not the same. I use to love to go racking for all my shit because thats what you had to do to get supplies. This means fat caps and all that and that was part of the whole fun of it. There was no ordering that shit online like you do now or special made paint just for graffiti. You had to be crafty son, it was a trade just like a shoe repairman or a locksmith and if you was gonna succeed in this game then you had to learn & be good at it. This was all the fun for me, every thing you did leading up to your actual mission. Although it has changed, I am very happy it is still here. Its the one thing you will never get ride of. Keep bomb'n then streets son!

An Old New York Event

Recently I have met someone that I grew up with in my life through his music. That would be G-BO THE PRO! One thing thats Old New York is mix tapes & its something that has played a big part in shaping the 80's & 90's. My favorite mix tape by far is Dj Rei Double R & G-BO The Pro, but there are many more that has done there thing as well.

If you know about this era, then you know what the 80's/90's music means to an Old New Yorker. For me, its like the bible. Its the music that has shaped me into a strong man and to be able to make it through rough times & places.

So you know this show is going to be a treat & half, right!. As a Old New Yorker this shit is a MUST SEE, theres no better way to revisit them days then a show like this. Let them take you down memory lane and make it feel like back in the day one more time. Peace ...Old New York.

No Longer A Place But An Emotion

See the Old New York that you always here me talk about is gone, but a lot of Old New Yorkers are still here even though are beloved city is dead & gone. So now Old New York has become an emotion and a state of mind now more then ever. Ya know whats crazy? As I am sitting here writing this, Im watching Iron Mikes show on Animal Planet about flying Pigeons. Now I do not know where it started, but I do know thats some Old New York shit. I just wanted to watch it because it was about Iron Mike, but I got a nice surprise. The show is chocked full of Old New Yorkers & their attitudes. I fucking love it. So for that BIG SHOUT OUT TO IRON MIKE!

As I was saying, You fuckers have taken the Old New York away, but you cant take the Old New Yorker away from the person. We just LOVE this place way too much plus I think its a DNA trait too. An Old New Yorker has a way like no other. The walk is one of a kind along with the talk & attitude, we own that shit and dont forget the sarcasm on top of it all. An Old New Yorker does not have to be a person that is born here, Shit most of us come from all over the world. It is NOT a life style, but a way of life and most important, its something thats in your heart and drives you in your life. This is not something you can imitate or fake jacks with kid. You could lose your life behind it. That how real this shit is. People think we are rude, mean, assholes, and heartless. Yes this is true, but to a point. See, we do not have the time to be nice to everyone that comes along. If we did this, it would put us in a place to be vulnerable to the ones who deceive and scam. There is a place and time for everything & when it comes down to it, we always help out our fellow New Yorkers. Us as Old New Yorkers have some of the biggest hearts you will ever find. This comes from the things in are lives that has made us an Old New Yorker. Some of the things that has made me an Old New Yorker would be first off my Blood being that my mother & father are Old New Yorkers, Hard Core in the street New Yorkers.

 My mother has taught me a lot of bad things first hand, but to educate me on the streets and to steer me away from all of that. Then comes the broke down foster care system (Little Flower) that I was placed in at the age of 4 where I beat, starved, locked in the closet for days and a lot of other bad shit to go along with it. All except sexual abuse thank God. The public school system has given me a chance to socialize with my peers and a chance to build with others and learn about my culture. For others who are not from here, there trip to NYC to follow there dreams and make something for their families & them selves brings a long road of obstacles to over come. Not being able to speak English and maybe having to live in the street when they first arrive here in NYC, but many push through and accomplish what they set out to do with hard work & dedication and because it was possible back then (up into till the late 90s). It takes a certain kind of person to become a New Yorker. One that is strong willed and determined no matter what. These days New Yorkers are definitely not made the same. We have become a breed of people that are cut from a fine clothe that is no longer available and are population is growing smaller. The rules of NYC have changed from what they were when I was growing up which in return has restricted us from being New Yorkers. Its like taking an animal out of the wild and placing it in a Zoo to live now. You lose your edge and your senses become not as sharp. 

The ability to shoot a fare one is gone and this was crucial. When you were able to duke it out, it did a number of things. First off at the end there was not a loser because you got the respect for standing up for your self also most of the time now that beef is dead. It also allowed us to straighten out others that stepped out of line. As long as it was kept to the fists, the Boys did not get involved. Just so you know. You will never be a New Yorker, because you moved here to use my city as a status symbol or because you thought Sex & the city was how it really was. You may have taken over the city and changed it around, but you will never be a TRUE NEW YORKER! Its just not how it works. The kind of time, trials & tribulations you need to put in is just not there for most for you to go through so that you can fully understand my city. Now there are some that do get passes, but thats only because some one has brought them in and let them be down by law! So for the rest of you trying, just coat hanger your self, call it quits and go home because I or we as Old New Yorkers dont want you here. Those who do want you here can leave with you as well. Fuck a non New Yorker, I could care less about how you feel so put that in ya crack pipe and smoke it bitch!

That Old New York Shit

This one here is for the love of the Old New York & the ones that love this place as much me. There are a lot of things that are gone and a lot of shit that we as Old New Yorkers use to do that we just cant do anymore. As a kid, I always road in between cars with my Sony sports Walkman on blast pumping some Gbo The Pro mix tape or Doo Wop shit. From time to time you could catch me burning one down between cars with my people. I use to love & still do ride the back of the last car on the outside, but you just cant do that shit any more. Yo as kids, we use to do some dumb shit in the streets for fun and to just past the time. My man Marc & I got a hold of some epoxy shit and we was gluing the receivers to the pay phones down so we could watch people get jerked as they picked up the phone. Yo it was funny to us as kids, but what was more funnier then that was while we were in are process of gluing one phone on B'way and 74th it rang right after we hung it up. See now back in the days the pay phones use to ring back and the Bindi's in the news stand boxes use to use them shits as there personal phones. So as we were done doing are thing, the phone rang and the dude in the box came out to answer it. Now this is happening on a cool fall day so when the Bindi answered the phone, he must of not felt the glue on that shit. Plus he got a turban on with the chin strap and all that hair as well. While this is happening, my man and I are playing the corner like OH SHIT! Is this really going down? We stayed and watched. When he was done with the call, he was stuck to the phone and could not hang up. When we realized this we started to fuck with him by taking his candy like picking and choosing what we wanted. Mean while this dude is watching us as were taking his shit and we are laughing at him. Yo that was some crazy shit. Oh well! The stories go on & on. From Joy riding Yellow cabs uptown & back to cop trees and shit to throwing all kinds of shit off the roof or out the window of our buildings. My favorite shit was going to the Deuce to B'way Arcade to play video games and Play Land. Now that I think back, that was not the safest place for an 11 yr old to be at night. But when I was 11 I didnt have a care in the world and I went everywhere in NYC. You know whats crazy? Times now are more safe then the Old NYC days, but I think then it was safer for kids to be in the street then it is now. That shit bugs me out right there! As a kid we all hung out in the school yard. We spent our money on video games, nickle & dime candy and garbage pale kids. That was my shit, fuck'n Graffiti Pete son. One thing you couldnt do was ride your bike alone cause yo shit would get took. I know from all the bikes I got robbed for and all the dudes I robbed for there shit too. Times was rough then, but more comforting to me. Buying drugs out of abandoned buildings, shooting galleries, hookers on 11th & 12th ave and marching down avenues 10 to 15 deep just bombing the streets. Nigga's would be running like roaches to catch a spot on the gate just to cop a tag. Its all so crazy. If I wasnt there, I would think I was making it all up. True story. We really use to wild out in the streets as kids with pea shooters and wrist rockets braking shit and fucking people up as well. Yup, no bueno! But as kids we didnt have a care in the world. Yo how many of you made pea shooters out of ya moms hair rollers or cut up a quarter water? Dont lie! Or who knows about the Magic Dollar? We were crazy son like a 40 of Crazy Horse. Yeah meng! Those were the days. No doubt hopping the train was nothing to us, its how we got around or riding the back of the bus on the out side. As kids we lived a thrilling life with less consequences then kids now. With cell phones and cameras everywhere, you cant get away with shit anymore. Big bro be watching like a motha fucka! I miss seeing the girls jumping rope. What happen to that shit? I guess these young girls got too much titties & ass these days to jump rope. Anyways if you was there then you know what im talking about. Oh yeah, another thing I miss was if you was not from a hood, didnt know someone or had no biz there then you just didnt come around cause you got jacked or beat up. These days the hipsters walk by like they are taking a tour of the hood. SMFH! Well thats all for now my people! Stay up & stay strong.

Old New Yorkers Are World Wide

Today I've come to a realize that no matter where an Old New Yorker moves to, he or she at some point will return, its only a matter of time. Another thing would be no matter where you put an Old New Yorker, an Old New Yorker will always stand out & not be changed by his surroundings. I have lived all over the world & everywhere I have been, people always ask the stupidest fucking question and that would be "are you from New York"? I cant help but think of the rudest thing to say. I mean I only have an accent as thick as cream cheese to begin with. Not to mention the way I walk. I mean come on, we all know that people born here in NYC have a way about there walk & talk like no other. Now that I think about what I am saying, I realize everywhere I have traveled to, I have always ran into someone I know from NYC or someone who has a friend in common. Its crazy and it just blows my mind. In 2000 I was in Honduras while in the the Navy. One night I was at the bar on the air base Soto Cono and I happen to literally bump into the person behind me. When we turned toward one another, it was nuts because it was someone I knew from Hells Kitchen NYC. It was my man Jr. I had no idea he was in the Marines and He had no idea I was in the Navy. All we could talk about is how we missed NYC & how we have not been back in quite some time. As a real New Yorker we will always make are way back to where it all began for us. New York City, also we will always be able to seek out other New Yorkers where ever we go and bond. The only thing that sucks this day & age would be if you leave in these years to come , you risk losing a whole lot unless you return with lots of money to start over.