Y'all do know that gang culture preceded Hip Hop right?
The picture was a reflection of the times. That peace, love, unity, and having fun motto was in the 80's. In the 1970's the Bronx and NYC was
a very dangerous place and there was a lot of violence happening in the streets and at the early
One of the biggest misconceptions was that there was no violence during the inception of Hip Hop and that's totally revisionist history. There were stick up kids at the parties, and people were getting robbed and shot, sometimes murdered! It was a reflection of 1970's NYC when the murder and crime rates was in the thousands! Just some brief history.......Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five was backed by the Casanova Crew who were ex Black Spades from the 14th & 17th divisions and they were one of the most infamous street crews in the South Bronx. They carried firepower and they were robbing ppl at Flash's parties. Zulu Nation and the Gestapo's were ex Black Spades from the 10th division (Bronx River Houses) and they were feared and respected. A lot of Zulu Nation jams ended in fights and gunplay, especially when they played in other areas. The Nine Crew from Webster Projects were also known....
Cliff Williams
50 Years Ago Today, the Genesis of Hip-Hop.
On December 2, 1971, disturbing news reached the Ghetto Brothers' headquarters: three other gangs, the Mongols, the Sevens Immortals and the Black Spades, had entered their territory. Cornell Benjamin, known as "Black Benjie", is sent as an emissary. Although he approaches with open hands as a sign of non-aggression, he is beaten to death.
The next day, the Daily News headlines: "Peacemaker Murdered: Youth War in the Bronx".
The Ghetto Brothers are one of the biggest gangs. They might fight back, but to honor the memory of their member, they call for peace.
On December 8, representatives of the major gangs will meet in a hall on Hoe Avenue, in the presence of police and city officials. The meeting will result in a Peace Treaty, which grants each gang member the right to proudly wear his or her colors, but also makes each organization part of a larger movement, driven by the same values: The Family.
Although they were identified, the Black Benjie killers were never reported to the police.
Soon the energy of the gangs is transformed into creative energy...
