Why "O'Block" is Totally Forbidden | Chicago History
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- Опубликовано: 11 июн 2024
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O'Block, a neighborhood within Chicago's South Side, holds a complex tapestry of narratives, blending a mix of community resilience, cultural richness, and challenges. Recognized for its significance in hip-hop culture, O'Block gained widespread attention through the music of artists like Chief Keef. However, beyond its musical associations, it's a neighborhood deeply affected by safety issues and socioeconomic disparities, facing struggles and striving for positive change amidst its vibrant community spirit. The area's history, marked by both hardship and cultural dynamism, contributes to its multifaceted identity within the broader context of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods.
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IT’S HISTORY - Weekly Tales of American Urban Decay as presented by your host Ryan Socash.
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Editor - Karolina Szwata,
Host - Ryan Socash
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Some images may be used for illustrative purposes only - always reflecting the accurate time frame and content. Events of factual error / mispronounced word/spelling mistakes - retractions will be published in this section.
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Lol REALLY! !!!
I'm reminded of Chris Rock's observation that even though "Martin Luther King stood for nonviolence", that anywhere in America, "if you [are] on Martin Luther King Boulevard, there’s some violence going down."
Yes every king drive in the city is in the hood
@@chihickman4836Not in Charlotte,NC it runs by a couple of America's biggest banks headquarters..right through downtown where it's very expensive to live but in Chicago everything on King Dr is hood as well as most other cities but Charlotte is one I've been to where it's nice
Boondocks
@@Montweezythen that’s the only one cuz eeeevery mlk bvd I’ve even known…. Bih it be going down 😂🤣🤡
Apparently places named "college park" are pretty messed up too.
O Block sounds like part of a prison.
The layout is like a prison too
That's the way folks who promote public housing high rises do it most of the other housing projects in Chicago.
It is
It deserves to be converted to a proper prison. That would be a betterment for the city.
@@dfpguitar this is shockingly true. was it by design or by chance
I had worked in parkway gardens for 3days after a heavy storm that flooded the basements and power was out. All I can say is the people that lived there were the best and helped us any way possible.👍
I lived in complete poverty due to poor financial planning on a move to THE SOUTH (not south side, shytown gurl here,) into a furnished studio for less than a hundo a month! Interior door for the front door, roaches the size of my hand AND BROKE. The bro & sis with her two littles in the main cabin (once was a motor park motel, they had 'the office') fed me and they were broke! She would stand over a stove and share their meals with me, a yankee too. Generous to a fault, Southern Hospitality like no other!! Hope they fared okay.
Lollllll the people the best lollllllllllllllllllll yea bc when you think of oblock you think of great caring people
Of course they’re going to help you and be nice to you. They wanted their power back on. 😂😂
I'm sure they are good people. They are just like all human beings, although they are oppressed by no fault of their own.
i guess you forget that mothers and grandmothers and innocent children and working parents live there, too, huh? those few gang members do not make up the entire neighborhood. they are just the ones highlighted due to the notoriety their crimes brought to the area.@@tonymullin6934
The way that the buildings are laid out reminds me of a train wreck!
I thought that as well.
At least I wasn't the only one who saw it.
Fitting
That aerial view did make it to appear that way. That place is definitely a death trap.
That’s how projects usually look in big cities
Architecturally, it looks like a train derailment. It's like a visual metaphor of the hopelessness of its residents.
Chicago architecture be like that a sore sight
@@waltercasas3124 I grew up in Wichita, Kansas, a blighted hole that was like the Mos Eisley of the Midwest. The city's claim to "art" was a rusting metal structure called The Tripodal, that looked like a huge skinny dog hiking its leg to piss on the pretentious convention center.
@waltercasas3124 You must not be from Chicago because we have some of the most beautiful architecture in the entire world. Chicago architecture is beyond beautiful.
Well said!! 😂
It looks remarkably like my dorm complex in college…so, it’s not necessarily the architecture that creates the problems associated with this neighborhood…there are plenty of other, real pressures affecting these folks
Basically a reinforced concrete slum
Ghetto not slum
@@cal4207 semantics 😂
$1,200-$1,300 / Month, 808-893 sq. ft for one of those units. That's insane.
Seriously! How do you find an apt that cheap? (This msg brought to you from Boston)
The people who live there are not paying that because it is subsidized by federal tax dollars taken from working people's pockets.
in all fairness, poor folk get taxed the same.@@wyattblackwood3927
@@wyattblackwood3927 right cause none of those folks work right. It's based on income
@jonfrmthedrty I came from welfare and a single mother in the hood. I worked my ass off, got marketable skills and am complelty free of any bs, except taxes that pay for politicians, illegals and welfare. Welfare is a scourge, it could be a good thing, if it mandated skills training, no work, no money go ahead and starve.
Worse were the Cabrini Green projects. They are long torn down and gone, but still Infamous to this day.
Same with the Robert Taylor Homes. Used to have snipers on the roof back in the 80's
@@Montweezy 90's too
I grew up in Cabrini in the 80s and early 90s. O block might as well be a cop shop compared to Cabrini.
What years did you live in Chicago
I spent the oughts hanging out at the viagra triangle. I always crossed the street before Cabrini when walking from the L or wherever. Sad situations.
20,000 people living within 14 acres is crazy.
5,000 more then State Capital of South Dakota.
Perhaps they should buy their own house
More kids higher government check..generational tax burden of the working class
@@libramagyksad state of modernity... Interesting the population is not growing im guessing because murder rates and the ones who make it ain't making many.
There’s not even close to 20k people there. It has 694 units. There’s over 2k nearly 3k people living there now. I mean back then maybe maybe they stuffed those type of numbers in there but I highly highly doubt it.
Oblock is about a mile away from one of the most prestigious universities in the country located in Hyde Park. The University of Chicago, specifically their law school.
It's an odd relationship, but Chicago separates it's neighborhoods by highways, railways, and busy streets. One of the most crime ridden communities within walking distance of one of the best law schools in the country
Same thing with USC in LA. It's literally in South Central LA 😂 no where around this private school is safe.
My tire fell off my car just a block from there on 63rd st. Minutes later a tow truck showed up. The driver told me he got about 6 calls about me from concerned citizens.
I’ll take that shit didn’t happen for 100 please
@@dominicvega9267 make it 1000
@@dominicvega9267 ...why does my reply keep getting deleted?
@@dominicvega9267right I go to the autozone all the time nobody calls for people being concerned
@@willyjoerockhead if you say something slightly off the comment moderation will auto delete it. You could say something very simple, but YT will still delete the comment.
I grew up roughly 12 blocks South of O Block...a different time...left Chicago 40 years ago...🤔 yep im 66 but alive ,& well
Move back
Good to hear old timer!
I live 2 miles south of oblock. And if u drive past these days, there's fences all around and they have attended security blocking the only entrance.
i saw that when i was using google street view.... 1 open entrance with 5 cops
Gated community, just like rich folks!
@@1208bug Gated but not quite like the rich folks🙄
Sounds like a good place for people on the take. If you know what I mean
Is the gate to to keep crime out or to keep their ass in
Some of the funniest stuff on the Internet is the Google reviews for parkway gardens lol
They are hilarious 😂
Man the 5 star rating made me spit my water out…
😅😂😂😂😂
Man shots out too you for putting an actual history too a hood that's not about how much drugs they used to sell back in so n so
Working nights in that railyard was....an experience.
Good place to make friends I’ve been told. Wear a blue hoodie (they love that color) and yell “smokin that von pack” and they’ll greet you with open arms.
Of course, a place like this has a pleasant sounding name like "Parkway Gardens". If there is a place called "Fluffy Bunnies, Day Old Ducklings, and Cute Baby Puppies", I will be sure to stay at least 20 miles away from it.
On Oahu there is a "turtle cove" and it's dangerous AF. But "shark beach (or bay)" is totally safe aside from monk seals.
Interesting history. Thanks for posting. As a former southside resident, I was aware of the big housing projects along State street, but not this one. Improvement of the rabid crime in these areas will not be solved institutionally. The source of the problem is local and cultural in nature, and the solution must arise from the same source.
Yup. They have to stop idolizing criminality and start policing their own. There’s an economic component, but most of it is social.
Does the cultural problem also include the high crime areas that had Irish, Jewish,Italian, Mexican Neighborhoods as well?
Great comment 👍
As a college student I was required to take a liberal arts course. The main text was "Toward a Liberal Education". The center paper was about a Chicagoan housing development constructed to provide affordable homes for the poorer citizens. The article glorifying all aspects of this development. That is "O" block. All things worked for a couple years until the ACLU and Chicago Dems decided that it was a violation of civil rights excluding, eviction and prevention of gang bangers access and housing.
Good post. Thanks. A similar weirdness is going on in China.
Investing in massive apartment buildings made of poor concrete that collapses like a house of cards.
Lives are being devalued everywhere.
Interesting! I didn’t know that, but I am not surprised (I say this as a resident of illinois 😭)
Right. It's the ACLU's fault. Nothing to do with redlining, loss of blue collar jobs, or police negligence and misconduct. It's because of the ACLU.
@@tomweickmann6414and some of those 'cities' are not inhabited and actively demolished after the photo op
Good job of looking at the situation both analytically and with compassion. With all the poverty tourism and scaremongering you see on RUclips these days it's good to see someone actually dive into the history and multiple factors in why these areas have these issues.
I had to like the video before I even watched the whole thing. If you could do a video on the history of Cabrini Green next that’ll be great since it’s hard to find information on the neighborhood in general. I’m born and raised on the near north side so it would be a great video to see
Always love your Chicago videos
Back at it again Socash 💸
Me too Ryan!! Your continence and delivery a pleasure to learn what could be dry and dull, ... just like in public school! Happy New Year from all your fans! (thanks for letting me hitch a ride on your nod@@RodMzi , blessings
Thanks for these videos. I've been following your videos for sometime now and I get a lot of info out of them that I would never have known otherwise, I enjoy history personally which is what drew me to this channel in the first place. You obviously put in a great deal of research to make these videos. Thank you I enjoy them.
Glad you like them!
Excellent review of a heartbreaking history. I pray a workable solution can be found.
Parker-Holsman Real Estate is still in business in the Hyde Park/South Shore neighborhoods.
Never knew their history but I did grow up in one of the properties they managed and also did some janitorial work for their properties in the 60's through the 80's.
Great people to work for that went out of their way to help many people.
A zoo with no keepers
That's what happens when people are denied resources.
The entire project building is infested with cameras on every corner and in every hallway. It’s almost impossible to get away with anything without being caught on camera but unless they leave the ghetto and kill someone outside of their jungle the murders go unnoticed even though majority of the crimes are caught on video
Thank you for speaking the truth. Change starts there.
If two barely known rappers are the best attributes it has to offer really doesn't say much for the place.
Chief keef has more money than you will ever even be able to fathom in your 1970s style vertical wood panel house. Grow up Mike
barely known? this obviously aint the type of music you listen to goofy😂
Yea,but it's full of wanna-bes who think they're bes,lol.
Funny enough, Chief Keef is a dude with his morals right. Those one time where rap actually helped the homies
I totally agree
Proud person of the southside, and the rich history and values that were established on me from birth! The PJs hold a lot of love, but if the people were supported, and not put down things would be better! We all know that, the government doesn't fund areas like this, to get rid of the people, and totally change it back to the way it was. The same happens here in NYC, and all of the cities that were populated by the migration. Blacks were always pushed aside, and treated unfairly in the north before it happened, and after! It was not as peachy as the south was taught it was, but it definitely created lots of successful businesses, artists, and more! I can't wait till I'm able to return an give back to my community
This is one of the only comments I feel that takes care to recognize the cause of these issues and their continuance, thank you for that.
@@Kit001west thank you for reading and responding
Always love your videos 👍👍👏👏
Lived in Chitown for 12 years and never heard this moniker.
Thanks for sharing. ❤
As Elvis once said
On a cold and grey Chicago morning another poor baby child is born
In the ghetto
And his momma cries
Cuz if theres one thing she don't need it's another hungry mouth to feed
In the ghetto
This is great. Would you consider doing something like this for Africville in Nova Scotia?
About 10 or 11 years ago I was over there to pick up a car I bought long distance off eBay. All I can say is be very cautious and be extremely polite and respectful to anyone that you encounter. I had a pleasant experience but the man that I got the car from told me about some crazy stuff that happened there a few days before I got there.
Thanks for this detailed info. Well done
Glad it was helpful!
The framing and presentation of history intrigues me a lot
Can you do a story about the steel pier in Atlantic city I would love to know more history about it I worked on the steel pier as a ride operator about 11 years ago and loved every minute of it
The layout of parkway was asking for trouble. Like a gauntlet of gladiatorial amphitheatres in the middle of Violence riddled neighborhoods. Also a labyrinth of places to hide and separate buildings and enclosed triangles for people to create zones of affiliation. If Chicago had no culture of gangs, the design of parkway alone would have created it.
i had a great soviet o block experience in the 80s. but these o blocks werent warehousing criminals and alcoholics
I remember going to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago in the late 1970's. Came into town from the North by rail, then took a city bus to the museum. I could not believe the area I was riding through, It was something that I've only seen in magazines. To see it go on for blocks and blocks was crazy. I had a strong feeling I did not belong there and have never returned. I was the only white guy on one of the buss4es through South Chicago, and nobody on the bus looked friendly. In the back of the bus, weed was smoked, which in the 1970's was highly illegal, but obviously not enforced.
I took buses to the red line for a security job at Wintrust Arena for 3 days and said I would not do that anymore or ever again. It was so strange. I was the only white person and the smells sounds and sights were appalling.
At a point these communities need to stop being given excuses.
Recommended reading, "The Devil In The White City", by Erik Larson. Great work of non-fiction.
I think this was a different White City (see beginning of the video).
That was a very good book, I read and did a report on it in high school.
@stephenmoerlein8470 It was the same White City, 1893 World’s Fair
reading it right now! and how!!
@stephenmoerlein8470 it is. Nothing to do with this piece.
Gunshots in Chicago "never'
Yeah ok ..i worked in Englewood...
But in NO WAY would i EVER go near GARFIELD PARK
the way it’s set up gives me such an eerie feeling
I’m a cop and patrol O block. Bunch of nice people just misunderstood. Everybody just tryin to get their lick. It’s all good.
I am so glad I found your content! thanks for the history. I sit back with a beer and vibe >:D
Welcome aboard!
Life Insurance:
None of us gets out of here alive!
😂
😂
We can't have nothing nice.
You know how much of an impact that area would have IF they VALUED LIFE that small step would pave the way. They fighting for like what Cyrus said in The Warriors.. "a little turf" ... Something they dont even OWN
great video.
Thanks!
Well done, the most notorious projects are long gone.
It's not forbidden at all, it's just that nobody's stupid enough to go there, it's straight up projects deep In the hood.
A real shame about how this area has been exploited by gangs. It actually looks like a nice place to live and a lot better visually than most places here in the UK or in Eastern Europe where I'm from, looking at them it's hard to imagine so much crime there.
Look up the hoods in LA. They look like luxurious areas to me. Big houses. It's sad
"Famous Rappers." Never heard either one of them.
Must be living under a rock. Chief Keef got 14.2M monthly listeners on Spotify and Lil Durk got 25.2M monthly listeners and Durk just won a grammy
ain't no mystery. everyone knows why
Pretty crazy how all these cities are still segregated
Do you think that segregation is due to color or money?.
@@thelonerick Right... there are only two possibilities.
Imagine that... govt housing and crap treatment of people that don't give a crap about anything... leads to completely unimaginably horrific living conditions.
8:02 everybody looking sharp
This is why we can't have nice things.
I live 6 Streets away from the O'Block. I never had an issue. I get those looks when I mention I live as South side... so much stigma on us.
The narrative must change. 57th Baby Here
I would love a Newark history.That's where I'm from.I just discovered your channel.
Specifically East Orange and Orange NJ.
Some People Just Don't Know, or Understand How to Build and Maintain a Safe and Productive Community.
And it's Easy to Choose the Negative Destructive Way.
Says the loser that has yet to master capitalization.
Do a video about South Shore .
Joe Louis was from Detroit, not Chicago!
But he "lived" in Chicago though
@@MarloSoBalJr He never lived in Chicago.
@@cyberbeer65 He lived on the South Side of Chicago and operated several businesses in Chicago.
How about a video on the older high school buildings of Chicago
I’m moving there next week, can’t wait!
It's been 2 months, you good?
@@ITunes02 I have two gun shot wounds and have contacted aids, but it’s been great!
When i was 12 years old(The peak of GBE, And OBLOCK) i never thought this shit would ever be what it is today and don’t mean that in any positive way at all. Shit is dumb, lost a lot of friends and ALL OF MY MALE FIRST COUSINS to the streets and jail💯 Dead ass hurt me to see yall profiting from their pain
bang bang
Joe Louis is a son of Detroit not Chicago.
For those getting lost in the weeds with all the data, he still hasn't answered the video's question and we're 25:13 minutes in.
But he didn't make the title as to "ask a question" but as a reason as to "why" it is the way it is.
Context is important even with a simple punctuation like "?"
@@MarloSoBalJr A reason is an answer. And he didn't give one of those, either.
You are now dubbed- Lil So-Cash .Mans in the trenchs now with the likes of TLR 😂
Before they prevented access, I went in there many times to explore the complex. (I chose the day and time of day wisely.)
The way the complex is laid out is actually beautiful. (I’m not denying the reality, though.)
It's crazy how such a dangerous place can produce so many talented people. It's sad to see so many other people not realizing their true potential though
I go past there often on the King Drive bus. With the gates and security standing, it looks exactly like a prison
RYaN! I work directly under the ambassador bridge for the mourouns (bridge owners) at a cement company heres a great video idea if you Google Earth the Detroit river (Detroit side just 500 ft south of the bridge) you'll see an entire sunken barge right below the surface and a dock to unload train cars from Canada it's pretty cool you should do
I have family in Windsor.
Word has it that there's finally a plan to actually build a second bridge.
Not sure if it's going to use the bridge to nowhere or something east.
I was looking for Charliebo 😂
You think O-Block looks rough? You should see the hood Drake grew up in in Toronto. The means streets of Forest Hill make you grow up quick, just last week someone toilet papered a tree, and the week before a bicycle was stolen.
Yeah it culminated rappers that snitched on themselves in their songs. Really awesome and note Worthy
Some of their most successful artists promote murder and then they act surprised why is this happening. Many of them love it
When rappers are your bragging point, Lord help ya.
I respect rap, but rap culture is extremely toxic. They tried to blame metal in the 90s but metal proved that there is a seperation between music and musician. Rappers live the life without seperation. So stupid.
O block or Who cares..ghetto by culture
Anybody else even heard of them besides on this video.
as opposed to a Mississippi hillbilly 😂
@@garethcourtney284Yeah, I was raised a few blocks from there.
Some parts may be worse (Burnside mainly) but the fact that it's just that small area that's so notorious really throws out any argument against it
17:48 looks like the rock and terry crews lmfao
Thanks for making this, my friend is GD from Oklahoma, not even from Chicago, and still claims BD's are kill on sight. While he's largely inactive now due to being nearly in his 40's, it's still quite astonishing to see the hatred even GDs' uninvolved in the situation have for BDs'. Know a few others who are more friends of his then friends of mine that are the same exact way.
Out of every reason given for high crime, I think you failed to mention fatherless homes..which is the main reason.
200 federal troopers
50 maintenance
Good video.
And this isn't even the worst part of the city!
Pretty incredible those buildings are 100 years old
Much Older
@@ramonjamison373 pretty incredible those buildings are 200 years old
bro just talked about 2014 stats like it was yesterday
Brandon Johnson gonna make this all better.... 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yeah ..he'll help.....by housing illegal immigrants there.
I think, mes amis, a disservice was done in NOT mentioning, and paying tribute to, that fabulously popular, in that community, radio programme of Amos 'n Andy...who became 'Heroes ' there !
Englewood checking in
O Block is just a normal neighborhood in Brazil 😂. Mumble Rappers should stop bragging about this hood.
Then you listen some politicians saying America is not a racist country.
“We not frm 63rd” -King Von
Soooo basically Pruitt-Igoe
🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯