Thanks for the kind remarks. I was incredibly touched by the people in the neighborhood and what had happened to them. I just tried to be as honest and respectful as possible.
@@williamsarokin Wow, thank you for the belated thank you 😉 Been into hip hop for 40 years, and to see the real Bronx (Mecca to me) was just fascinating
The Bronx was bombed out by the 1970s by the humans who inhabited it in the '60's and 70's. I personally know generations of hard working Jews, Italians and Irish who got their start in a clean, mostly safe, mostly law-abiding lower middle class Bronx. But culture matters. By the 70's the aspirational Jews, Italians and Irish were mostly gone, and a different culture set in ....
Wow! Nostalgia! I grew up in Hunts Point. Tough area. Had pigeons, sported my Afro, wore bell bottom Lees, went to Simpson street to shop with my moms and grandmoms, ate at Woolworths, bought fresh gear from the Jewman. The old days!
Saw the area go down; saw the area rise again. I stayed around and was fortunate to land an apartment in subsidized housing in the area. Many left but many stayed and waited for the rising of the area.
Remarkable stuff! Do you have any more footage of the block party featuring Grandmaster Flash? I'm pretty sure this is the earliest known footage of hip hop music based on it being filmed in 1977.
There was a little more footage of that party. Some of it ended up in a Netflix show, The Get Down and some in a new documentary called Decade of Fire.
@@williamsarokin If there is any way to share JUST the Grandmaster Flash & MC Cowboy segments, im sure youd make a generation of Hip-Hoppers extremely happy William. Mainly because the footage of community centre/ block parties etc with the Hip-Hop community from that period are just gold dust.....................This short documentary is stunning in terms of the history of the South Bronx, pertaining to the history of the city AND the culture of Hip-Hop. Thanks again....
Amazing Film & Footage. Was the Party filmed in 1976 or 1977? If it was the 1977, I guess the whole Film was filmed before the Backout on July, the 13th 1977. Otherwise it would have been mentioned in the Film, i guess.
It was filmed before and after the blackout. The boy being interviewed while leaning on the roof parapet (Wilton) was the day after the blackout. There was no real need to mention the blackout in the film. It played no role in the story being told.
@@williamsarokin was the blackout even particularly relevant in the South Bronx? a lot of those neighborhoods were starting to get torched in the late 60s,so it might have just been business as usual for them
I was born on Kelly street in the 1950s, not banana Kelly street, but what was called straight Kelly which been replaced by a baseball field. My family lived the history experienced in this area until 1974 before landlords began burning the buildings then we moved north to co-op city to avoid the total destruction. I remember the 1960s fondly when black families were intact and mobs of children played street games daily, which was the best part of my youth. I'm glad the residents that remained rebuilt the neighborhood, i hope that it will not be gentrify and wealthy people force them out economically
Thank you so much for sharing the documentary including historic footage of Flash and Cowboy. Do you know if there is footage left on the cutting room floor that could show even more of these '77 Hip-Hop sights and sounds?
@@williamsarokin Hi! It's Mel, I produced a non-profit movie about Funk music, the documentary is released on my channel🎉🎶 Thank you for being part of it, we have credited you with this awesome video, hope you can love the movie, feel free to share and comment if you like, let's keep the groove going!! Mel ruclips.net/video/YcXXM6Ufx30/видео.html
At 12:26 those kids are saying the same rhyme Cowboy said in the earlier clip proving that hip hop was becoming very popular in the streets. They would have been too young to go to the parties. Theodore, in an interview, claims that this was the first hip hop rhyme ever written and it was written by Flash.
I can still quote it by heart (which is pretty funny coming from a 69 y/o white guy). We're gonna dip dive socialize try to make you realize that we are qualified to rectify and satisfy that burnin desire to boogieall....
This is my Bronx! The neighborhood was impoverished, but the people weren’t. We didn’t really know we poor because we weren’t. Broke maybe but extremely rich. Just look at us! Do we seem unhappy to you? You’re watching people of dignity making the best of what was forced upon them by people with no dignity! I played in those bricks! I remember the smells. Unlike today, nobody was ashamed of their reality. We never needed to be something else. We just needed a little extra money. There was no “mental illness. “ Anyone with good sense could be your psychologist when needed. We were real with each other. If you were wrong we told you. If you did something stupid then we laughed at you. Nobody cared about your individual world view. It was real (not internet) humanity.
I'm a Midwesterner. Good on this video for mentioning COOP City, However. I've spoken with New Yorkers who stated that it was the Final Nail in the Coffin.
Compassionate and touching. Simply the best Bronx Documentary I've ever seen. A remarkable achievement!
Thanks for the kind remarks. I was incredibly touched by the people in the neighborhood and what had happened to them. I just tried to be as honest and respectful as possible.
@AmAf-t2g 03:11
Thank you so much, I love it.
I'm not from the Bronx, but still I Boogie Down from the Netherlands.
Holy moly did anybody catch pure 1977 pre recorded hip hop t.y so much for sharing im blown away just as a hip hop fan
There will be more footage coming soon from that hip hop party filmed on the roof of the Casita Maria on 8/12/1977
@@williamsarokin Amazing to hear that, looking forward to it
This is incredible. I have shared it with a few hip hop heads, and everyone is blown away. Thanks for sharing!
A belated thank you Mark
@@williamsarokin Wow, thank you for the belated thank you 😉 Been into hip hop for 40 years, and to see the real Bronx (Mecca to me) was just fascinating
Brought back so many memories. I always thought as a kid that The Bronx had been bombed in a war. Learned something new today, thanks
I love hearing responses like yours
The Bronx was bombed out by the 1970s by the humans who inhabited it in the '60's and 70's. I personally know generations of hard working Jews, Italians and Irish who got their start in a clean, mostly safe, mostly law-abiding lower middle class Bronx. But culture matters. By the 70's the aspirational Jews, Italians and Irish were mostly gone, and a different culture set in ....
Lol
Yes. Walking around as a kid, I would always wonder what happened...
@hankgoresich6836 In the beginning it was said the cycle continues....
Amazing images capturing a time and place long since forgotten. A true time capsule of a film. Thank you for such a beautiful piece.
Sweet remarks, thank you
William all of the docs on your channel are absolute treasures. So grateful that you're willing to share them with us!
Thanks for the wonderful comment PB
Still striving and overcoming 💯🦾
Thanks for this historical video
its not the best place for ALL children to be raised but it was the best place for ppl like ME to be raised. TYSM. i still live near there. 🌹💖
This is wonderful and I thank you ❤
Wow! Nostalgia! I grew up in Hunts Point. Tough area. Had pigeons, sported my Afro, wore bell bottom Lees, went to Simpson street to shop with my moms and grandmoms, ate at Woolworths, bought fresh gear from the Jewman. The old days!
Also grew up in Hunts Point. PS 48, IS 74
Saw the area go down; saw the area rise again. I stayed around and was fortunate to land an apartment in subsidized housing in the area. Many left but many stayed and waited for the rising of the area.
Remarkable stuff! Do you have any more footage of the block party featuring Grandmaster Flash? I'm pretty sure this is the earliest known footage of hip hop music based on it being filmed in 1977.
There was a little more footage of that party. Some of it ended up in a Netflix show, The Get Down and some in a new documentary called Decade of Fire.
@@williamsarokin If there is any way to share JUST the Grandmaster Flash & MC Cowboy segments, im sure youd make a generation of Hip-Hoppers extremely happy William. Mainly because the footage of community centre/ block parties etc with the Hip-Hop community from that period are just gold dust.....................This short documentary is stunning in terms of the history of the South Bronx, pertaining to the history of the city AND the culture of Hip-Hop. Thanks again....
@@RANDOMRAPRAD1O It might take me a while, but it's a good idea. I'll post just that party bit with any additional out takes
@@williamsarokin Many MANY thanks. It's really appreciated.
@@williamsarokin Amazing! Thank you so much. Can’t wait to see it.
Can you please put the "Bronx " in the title, so people can find it
03:11 The rooftop party with (supposed to be) grand master flash. Thank you
Amazing Film & Footage. Was the Party filmed in 1976 or 1977? If it was the 1977, I guess the whole Film was filmed before the Backout on July, the 13th 1977. Otherwise it would have been mentioned in the Film, i guess.
It was filmed before and after the blackout. The boy being interviewed while leaning on the roof parapet (Wilton) was the day after the blackout. There was no real need to mention the blackout in the film. It played no role in the story being told.
@@williamsarokin was the blackout even particularly relevant in the South Bronx? a lot of those neighborhoods were starting to get torched in the late 60s,so it might have just been business as usual for them
That was it. “You knew me & I knew you”. Neighbors were family.
I was born on Kelly street in the 1950s, not banana Kelly street, but what was called straight Kelly which been replaced by a baseball field. My family lived the history experienced in this area until 1974 before landlords began burning the buildings then we moved north to co-op city to avoid the total destruction. I remember the 1960s fondly when black families were intact and mobs of children played street games daily, which was the best part of my youth. I'm glad the residents that remained rebuilt the neighborhood, i hope that it will not be gentrify and wealthy people force them out economically
Thank you so much for sharing the documentary including historic footage of Flash and Cowboy. Do you know if there is footage left on the cutting room floor that could show even more of these '77 Hip-Hop sights and sounds?
There is a small amount more. I'll post it soon
@@williamsarokin Oh, cool! And thanks for answering my question!
Amazing work!
Thanks Mel
@@williamsarokin Hi! It's Mel, I produced a non-profit movie about Funk music, the documentary is released on my channel🎉🎶 Thank you for being part of it, we have credited you with this awesome video, hope you can love the movie, feel free to share and comment if you like, let's keep the groove going!! Mel ruclips.net/video/YcXXM6Ufx30/видео.html
Just saw your note. Checking the link now. Thanks!
@7:03 that’s my uncle, Wilton White Jr.
That is awesome. Please send him my regards. I remember him well.
He was a good natured and intelligent young man. I hope he's done well. Please give him my regards!
That audio clip actually from 1977?
Yup, everything was filmed in July and August 1977 (with one quick clip at the Casita filmed November 1977)
Who does the voice over for documentary?
An actress named Nona Pipes. She did a wonderful job!
At 12:26 those kids are saying the same rhyme Cowboy said in the earlier clip proving that hip hop was becoming very popular in the streets. They would have been too young to go to the parties. Theodore, in an interview, claims that this was the first hip hop rhyme ever written and it was written by Flash.
I can still quote it by heart (which is pretty funny coming from a 69 y/o white guy). We're gonna dip dive socialize try to make you realize that we are qualified to rectify and satisfy that burnin desire to boogieall....
is that busy bee rocking the mic
I wish I knew!
That's Keith Wiggins aka Cowboy (later of the Furious 5). He was Flash's first emcee. R.I.P.
@@thatrealschitt so its not busy bee
@@thatrealschitt thanks for the info. I never knew. Sorry about the RIP.
Pure slice of history! He shouts out Melle Mel too.
This is my Bronx!
The neighborhood was impoverished, but the people weren’t.
We didn’t really know we poor because we weren’t.
Broke maybe but extremely rich.
Just look at us!
Do we seem unhappy to you?
You’re watching people of dignity making the best of what was forced upon them by people with no dignity!
I played in those bricks!
I remember the smells.
Unlike today, nobody was ashamed of their reality.
We never needed to be something else.
We just needed a little extra money.
There was no “mental illness. “
Anyone with good sense could be your psychologist when needed.
We were real with each other.
If you were wrong we told you.
If you did something stupid then we laughed at you.
Nobody cared about your individual world view.
It was real (not internet) humanity.
You got that right,I lived these times and absolutely have NO REGRETS!!!💯💯
Thanks so much for this comment. I'm not from the Bronx (I was a Brooklyn kid)but what you speak of is exactly why I made this film.
I'm a Midwesterner. Good on this video for mentioning COOP City, However. I've spoken with New Yorkers who stated that it was the Final Nail in the Coffin.
This documentary film should be restored for historical purposes. Especially it being The 50th anniversary of Hip Hop.
thank you. The NYPL is working with me to restore the film. I'm also assembling and restoring outtakes from the hip hop party
3-4 tell'em. Stuff is going this way now..
Worked there 8 urs
back then?
No Break or Boogie Dancers...
I wasn't hip enough to seek them out.
@@williamsarokin did they exist at that time?
@@sh0k0nes yup
@@williamsarokin where?
@@sh0k0nes At that time? Everywhere in the South Bronx
✨⭐✨💞💖💞💖💖💞💖💞💖💞💖💞✨⭐✨
sweet
Yikes.