What's Wrong With Williamsburg.

Over the weekend I went to Williamsburg to work on a side project. Once that work was done, I found myself ready to head to Queensbridge via the G train. However before I would leave my beloved Brooklyn I had to eat something. I had not eaten a thing and the day was halfway done, so I decide I'll stop off and grab a hero from a corner store. Kool and the Gang right? Wrong...WRONG.

I saw two deli's along Metropolitan not far from the train station. I start to think "I'll pick one and if I don't like it I'll check the other one out." I went and peeped the first one and the layout looked fine enough. I was put off by the hipsters who stood in front of me in line, but hey I'm no jerk so I'll play nice. Then I notice the names for the "special" sandwiches in this establishment. There were names like "M.J. Forever", and a few obscure movie names... lame. Once it was my turn I asked the gentleman behind the counter how much would a hero with ovengold turkey, swizz cheese, lettuce and tomatoes would cost. The man looked at me with a straight face and said $7.50. I sharply replied no thank you, and left with a taste of disgust in my mouth.

I went across the street to the neighboring deli and got the same sandwich I previously asked for with Kettle chips and a water for $7.25. Now this is what a meal of this magnitude should cost in Brooklyn. That experience nearly ruined my day. Needless to say, I pretty much hate what Williamsburg has become. No it's not new, and no I didn't just develop these feelings this past weekend but COME ON!

I concede and now acknowledge Willy B as the Manhattan annex it wishes to be. You guys can have it, anything past Graham is dead to me.

Before The Video Games

Remember playing outside with your friends? I do. This past weekend I spent some time outside playing with my nephew and niece (8 and 2 yrs old respectfully) on my old block. The kids brought their scooters with them to the park and that was fun for about 3 minutes. Then we went over to the jungle gym so my nephew could play tag with some other kids. My lady and I kept my niece occupied with slides and a little handball we found.

While in the park I ran into my boy Illanoyz whom you might remember from the first two Heltah Skeltah albums as well as the Boot Camp Click album "For The People" where had a solo track. I haven't seen Noyz in years and he had his children in tow. We took a minute to think back to a simpler time. Noyz remarked that this was where it all started for us. Playing in the parks with one another before we had serious video games. I agreed and realized that that's how we got to know folks from different blocks. Noyz told me that this park was his kids favorite place to play and a few minutes later told them it was time to go. "Yall too big for this park now." All I could do was nod my head and smile. I too, am "too big" for this park now and serve a different role. I'm ok with that, although I do miss those great games of Freeze Tag with my friends.

I can't wait to take the young ones out again.

Move Your Bag Keep Your Life! D-Train Killing

I've been bothered many times by folks who choose to have a bag placed in a seat on the train. Now I'm not bothered by just the bag on the seat instead it's the general apathy towards moving it for a human to sit. COME ON PEOPLE! If your bag is so precious that it cannot sit on the floor, place it in your lap. It's quite simple to me. However it seems not everyone feels this way and on this past Saturday aboard a D-Train in Manhattan this mindset caused a fatality.

Two NYC MTA riders are on the D-Train in they city. One has a seat with a bag on the seat next to him. A man who is standing would like to sit in the aforementioned seat but is denied much like driving to hole on Shaq. The problem is the sitting man was not 7'1 nor 300+ lbs. He also didn't plan on the man he was denying having a temper and a knife. The standing man apparently an exterminator stabs the man siting in the neck and kills him.

Should this man have stabbed another man because he was denied a seat for a bag, probably not. Do I understand his frustration? ABSOLUTELY! The arrogance displayed on the MTA on a daily basis can be quite ridiculous. Now I don't see this shooter being seen as some sort of Bernhard Goetz, the city isn't in the same space currently. However I do feel some folks might not have so much sympathy for the "victim" in this case.

Lesson to be learned: MOVE YOUR BAG!
Read the full story HERE.

Goodie Mob Reunion Show @ BB Kings Tomorrow

One of the greatest groups in hip hop hailing from the south have reunited. Tomorrow on stage together all four original members of the Goodie Mob will perform. It's been years since Big Gipp, Khujo Goodie, T-Mo and Cee-Lo have rocked together. They first got together back in ATL and that day the Atlanta flood rains started. The Goodie have two banging albums under their belt (one classic).

If you are able to I say get a ticket and witness history. If you are unfamiliar peep game and learn yourself on Hip Hop royalty. The show will start at 11:30 and feature Slick Rick.

1st single, classic.


The title track from their classic debut album.


Another Goodie Mob jam!

Empire State Of Mind Draws A Line?

I remember hearing about a new Jay Z song on the Blueprint 3 that was supposed to be crazy. Now I had already listened to 3 weak songs from the album so I wasn't really in the mood. A friend of mine at work said he really liked the album and suggested that I listen to ESOM. So I went on You Tube and listened. The song had a nice beat and seemed to be an anthem. However it didn't move me much even though I acknowledged that it wasn't a bad song. Once Jay performed this song on MTV's VMAs I thought it would be big but not as huge as it is now. I mean the man opened the Yankees 1st home game in the World Series to this song. However on the flip side of the success of this song there is a conversation being had regarding what view of New York does it represent.

No one can deny that Jay Z is a man who pulled himself up from the gutters of Brooklyn NY. The thing is he did that a long time ago. Remember when Jay released his debut album in 96 he was riding around in a Lexus and reading the magazines about living the high life. Jay's mind has always been in that space but as he moved through his career there was always a sense that he was making a way for us to do better along with him. Some might say the overall air of this Empire State Of Mind song gives the impression of a man who is now above it all and rubbing elbows with the city's elite, alone.

I will now post an entry from one cat from Okayplayer who says it all better than I could. I give you OKP L.E.S. Now mind you L.E.S. wants us to know that he's not rallying against Jay-Z, but only describing why he's turned off by the whole thing.

"this is the anthem for the New 'White Washed' New York"

Michael Bloomberg just bought himself a re-election, and changed the law. while I'm very happy the Yankees won, the average person in New York cannot afford to go to a game in the new Stadium, which is basically a giant shopping mall that happens to have a ball field. Big and small business are closing down left and right, even in wealthy neighborhoods like the Upper East Side. Small businesses in working-class neighborhoods are in serious trouble if they haven't already closed down.

So hearing this sentimental, commercial, New York Jay-Z anthem rubs me the wrong way. As a matter of fact (i've always been a big Jay fan) it's the first time i almost feel resentment toward him. He has now gone to the 'other side.' I was never turned off by Jay braggin' about getting money, women, jewels etc. but this song is more of a statement, in my opinion, that he really is an elitist. When i saw Michael Bloomberg introduce Jay at City Hall I thought to myself, these are the people in the top bracket of income in this city and country. they have more in common with each other than they do with me. I can't relate to either of these people and they have all this power politically and culturally. So while i did not cast my vote for Mike Bloomberg, I will also not cast my vote for Jay-Z.

It's a wrap, times up, Jay's term is up, this is the first Jay album I didn't buy or even listen to. Jay is talented and i love his body of work over all. but we need
new voices in New York. Jay-Z is no longer the voice of any people but himself and the elite in this city.

Now I ask you all, do you agree or disagree. State ya biz (c) Young Vito voice of the young people.

Back In The Days w/ DJ Shark

Another night in Deity where folks were getting down to the sounds of my man DJ Shark. I was pretty battered from a sparring session earlier in the evening however I still made it over to the party. You see this was a makeshift birthday party for Shark San and his lovely wife Kazumi was leaving to go back to Japan in a few days so it a special occasion. The turnout was really good. I ran into my homegirl Cynthia in the place to be with a friend in town from the Bay Area. The music was tight as Shark moved smoothly through the mid 90s with uptempo grooves like Janet Jackson's "Alright" and Wrecks N Effect's "New Jack Swing". A lot of my Japanese friends were in the house.

It was good to see people like Toru and Harue having such a good time. I even ran into my friend Hiroko who I haven't seen in months. She seemed to be in good spirits and fit right into the fold of the evening. There was this one Japanese cat dressed in a Cross Colors jacket (you heard me right) and a flat top dancing mega hard. On the flip side was this older Black dude who kept dancing very weird with every woman in the place trying to corner them off for who knows what. You could see many women running from him throughout the night.

All and all it was a good time at Deity. It could always be better though, especially once they get better speakers with more bottom in the basement.

Check these photos provided by Ivan Lam.

What happened to Chivalry?

When I ride the train every once in a while a seat becomes available. I generally look for a woman in need or a child before I sit. However I've been noticing lately that the tried and true practice of giving up ones seat for a pregnant woman 1. doesn't happen as often as it should and 2. only involves a man and woman. Do women have no sense of respect for their sisters? I've seen a woman look right up at a visibly pregnant woman and keep on siting. Not even checking to see if said pregnant woman would like a seat. This leads me to my next question. Why are we as men giving up seats to women when they won't even do it for themselves? WTF MATE?

Has it always been that some women just expect respect and courtesy but not to give said courtesy? I will continue in my crusade to give up a seat to the common lady (especially if she's cute) but it's not easy. It's not easy seeing these women sit and ignore a pregnant woman on her feet. Is it the idea that she has to deal with HER pregnancy on her own? I don't get it, but maybe you do.

I need some feedback people.

Tanya Morgan and Black Sheep Tonight @SOB's!

If you want a dope show to see tonight in NYC you really want to be at SOBs at around 8pm. My boys Tanya Morgan are gonna tear it down something terrible with a band backing them up. Not to be outdone they will be sharing the bill with Black Sheep. It's gonna be a hip hop fernanzie in the spot. I can't wait.

Here's a lil video to give you a taste of what we are in for tonight.

Remember When Gov. Patterson Was Liked? Me Either

Ok well that's not entirely true. When he took office initially I was hype. Here we have a blind Blackman living uptown in Harlem taking over the highest office in the state. You gotta love that right? ...Right? Well then the coke thing came out and I thought cool he's clearing his table to do the work. Then the relationship scandal dropped and I thought ok but now get to work. Then there was the... well you get the point. A LOT of time has passed now and I'm still waiting for him to get to work.

Apparently I'm not the only one as word has come down from President Obama's administration that the Gov. should not look to run in the next NY election. His poll numbers are in the dumps and have been for quite some time. The Governor in his steady pattern is still looking to run despite word from Capital Hill. *smh*

I had some high hopes for Mr. Patterson. He still lives in Harlem and is running the state. Maybe before he leaves office he can make sure the drummers in the Mt. Morris Park don't get edged out by the "new Harlemites". At least he pardoned Slick Rick.

Well here's further discussion of the tension between The Gov. and The Pres.

Sasabune and the problem it creates.

A little over a year ago I took a trip to Hawaii with my friend Lorraine. While in the beautiful city of Honolulu I stumbled across a top tier sushi restaurant named Sasabune. This place provided the best sushi experience I'd ever had. The set up is omakase style which means there is no menu. The Sushi masters layout a piece by piece spread for you until you are floating on cloud 9.

When I was in Hawaii the tuna (which I rarely to almost never eat) was great and the eel was sublime. It was damn near orgasmic. As the servers arrived with each new selection they would let you know what kind of fish you were about to enjoy and whether soy sauce was allowed or not for said piece. Fond memories for the kid.

Fast forward to Sept. 2009 and I'm seated in the Sasabune location in the Upper East Side of NYC with Shino. It felt like we had been transported to Japan for two hours. The staff was very friendly and accomodating. The sushi was fresh and delicious. As each piece arrived our smiles only got bigger. Sasabune has spoiled me for any of the NYC sushi restaurants of a different name. It's a whole other level of taste when dealing with this establishment. It's now hard for me to run out and get a lil sushi for lunch knowing that it's almost a joke.

I highly recommend this place. It's definitely on the pricey side so I would only go for a special occasion (unless your rolling like Scrooge McDuck). Until the next time, I'm haunted by the realization that it will probably be another 6 months before I dine on such a delightful piece of sushi.
*Oh and it's even better than the sushi I had in Japan.*

Big Apple BBQ Re- Up

It's that time again people. Last year we put you up on the huge event that is the Big Apple BBQ. It goes down every year in Madison Sq. park over by my alma mater Baruch College. When I went last year it was straight up hot, shorts weather. There were bands playing and plenty of eats to go around. The lines were kinda long so I suggest you get there at a decent hour for lunch. There were a lot of people out there. The only issue I had with this mass public bbq is I CAN'T EAT MOST OF IT! There's mostly pork and beef eats to be found. While they might be very tasty, I can't rock with it. So for those of you who indulge...enjoy. They need more chicken tho, but maybe that's not what BBQ is about to most Americans.

The event takes place June 13th and 14th from 11AM to 7PM. Peep the link for any other details. Big Apple BBQ