there are three things i’ve always wanted to be.
because of my acid reflux, two of them (a fireman on the set of a soft p*rn flick, and a pass first point guard on team earth when we play the martians) aren’t in the cards anymore. but, getting an award for best writing in a blog means that i finally have a decent chance at being number three…
…overrated
seriously, think about the overrated upside. you have to possess some actual talent and ability for people to even bother rating you, as well as something special that’s made them think unnecessarily highly of your better than average but not quite spectacular self.
you can keep your analog wanna be underrated and under the radar ass asses. in these tough economic times, what can be better than having people think that you’re smarter, better looking, and more important than you actually are?
this brings us to today’s topic, a subject that’s perhaps the most overrated and overhyped thing in our country’s history. because i have such admiration for a place that can stay on top of the overrated heap for so long, i’ve decided to bless the vsb pulpit today with the six most overrated and overhyped things about new york city, while also hoping everyone ignores the irony of a native pittsburgher talking sh*t about another city
1. the notorious b.i.g.
when you take away his feud with a much, much, much, much more popular and transcendent tupac and his relationship with the black simon cowell, can someone tell me what separates big poppa from big punisher? i mean, they both were great rappers who each were able to release two very good (nope. not classic) albums with a couple classic singles before their deaths, but one is perpetually memorialized while the other is just “that fat puerto rican n*gga who could rhyme”.
the answer: because diddy and the new york mixtape hype machine created a prevailing image of an oversized man carrying an entire coast on his shoulders, even though dying after releasing an album called “life after death” is the most notable thing he ever did. as always, jadakiss was right
2. the idea of harlem
makes the cut for basing its mystique on a renaissance hijacked from the hill district, for being so completely gentrified that liz and liz’s boobs aren’t even scared to live there anymore, and because at least six of the ten worst human beings i’ve ever met were made on its fraudulent streets.
3. its relationship to basketball
new rule: if your nba team hasn’t won a championship in 36 years, your city hasn’t had an ncaa division one champion in 59 years, and if seattle f*cking washington is currently producing more relevant nba players than you are, you can no longer refer to yourself as “the mecca of basketball”
4. rudy giuliani
i picked rudy’s adulterous ass, but i could have just as easily picked any other nyc area politician who was thought to be virtually assured a seat in the oval office just because they happened to get elected in a city where the rats outnumber the people
5. new yorker pride
a google search of proud new yorker shows 63,800,000 results, a little under four times more than proud canadian (17,400,000), a little over 2,000 times more than proud philadelphian (30,300), and 63 million times more results than “lil cease”.
thing is, while new yorkers are undoubtedly proud and arrogant and assholes, they’re actually no more proud, arrogant, or asshole-ish than anybody from any other major city. you wanna talk about resilience and fortitude, forget new york and gimme the guy who’s lived in dover, delaware his entire life, just for the simple fact that he’s spent his entire existance in a place called “dover, delaware”.
6. actually living there
between the cost of living, the traffic, the chinese, the tendency for disasters to occur, the crime, the dipset, being governed by a blind jiggalo, and the fact that its more densely populated than jakarta, if i want diversity, good food, great entertainment, bad sports, and tons of different dialectics and dna, i’ll just move in with frankie and neffe
people of vsb.com, the carpet is yours.
do you agree, did i miss anything, and who else wants to join me on the overrated train? there’s plenty of room.
—the champ
Related posts:
- the 10 most overrated things…ever
- the prototypes: which city has the best looking people
- the “serious” conversation: the most overrated thing…ever
- kobe and me: why we root for people to fail
- four completely practical and non-racist reasons why i never have and most likely never will date a white woman
{ 560 comments… read them below or add one }
You forgot the smell. And don’t try to blame it on NJ. I was born in NY and visited there often after I left.
@Ms. Smart, Oh and I got cut off before I could add…
Though I went there all through childhood and as an adult, I never got what was so great about it. My mom is back there now and I don’t even like to visit. It’s way too much of a hassle. More trouble than it’s worth, IMO.
@Ms. Smart, Now we all know that smell is coming from the meadowlands lol…
@DJ EdNice, so true, Jersey does have a certain stench to it.
@Ms. Smart,
lol, i think nyc and jers can share the smell title
GO STEELERS!!! *please pray for Troy*
oh, and even though i can’t afford to live there…i love NYC. hater.
@Miss Patterson,
GO STEELERS! and yes, pray that my baby Troy will be fine
lol
@Miss Patterson,
Troy most definitely will be fine…he looked dayum good before he got hemmed up last night…lol
@miss t-lee,
LOL this made me chuckle
@Miss Patterson,
GO STEELERS!!!!!! My boo is fine…I talked to him last night…and played in his hair after washing it with Head and Shoulders… ;o)
@This Just In…aaaiiinnnnaaaa maaaannneeee!!!,
LMAO!!!
I just read an article about how he’s yet another victim of the Madden curse. I didn’t even realize he was on the new cover.
Watch out Larry Fitzgerald.
@miss t-lee,
damn. i forgot about that sh*t. fitzgerald’s one of my favorite players too.
@The Champ,
Yep. I hope he’s safe.
in other words, this is the ‘rep yo set’ edition of vsb. i’m waiting for mefail to come through, lol.
lmao @ the chinese. i remember i took the chinatown bus once, and the last stop was chinatown . if i was blind i’d swear i was dropped off in a dumpster.
@overitnomore!,
My friend at Howard can’t say enough about the chinatown bus. Frankly, it scares me. lol
@Selah, “My friend at Howard can’t say enough about the chinatown bus. Frankly, it scares me. lol”
If that scares you stay away from dollar vans . . . now THAT is some unsafe, noninsured, in case of accident everybody jump out and run sh!t for that @ss. I don’t even know if those are still around anymore.
@IVR,
oh noooo. a dollar van? what the eff yall got goin on out there?????
@Selah, since the standard cabs aren’t cost effective as we would know living here, the dollar vans and dollar cabs roll around the hood out there. Tends to be Lincoln Town Cars and old crummy Caravans pushed by Africans and West Indians.
@overitnomore!, whaat??? lmao@ “dropped off in a dumpster”
i love the chinatown bus. it’s a lot cleaner and comfier than a greyhound. and sometimes you get two seats to yourself!
@Miss Patterson,
Just know that if you’re traveling around a holiday weekend you will have to throw out all the manners and politeness usually afforded to old folks cuz those old chinese ladies will beast you out of a seat on the bus and continue to do so until you push back.
@Happy Meal, I LOVE the name.
@overitnomore!,
I’ve taken the Chinese bus quite a few times. I was able to get from Philly to Boston with only 60 dollars round trip. The drivers were super aggressive and that made for a scary ride. lol! The people trying to sell tickets would sell a ticket but never point out where the bus was. Too my surprise (after waiting for 2 hours) it would be like 3 blocks over. NO ONE SPOKE ENGLISH.
@Ivy st.,
Ain’t that the truth!!! We were driving up to Parsippany for a wedding and almost got ran off the road by a Chinatown Bus…Mr Bus Driver Man was wheeling like he was in a porche..like gotdayum!
@Ivy st.,
Those aggressive ass tix ladies used to STRONGARM me into the bus. I had words with one of em and she looked like she was bout to fight me!
@overitnomore!, “if i was blind i’d swear i was dropped off in a dumpster.”
Yeah, where they drop you off at looks like the chinese version of the where they grew up in Slumdog Millionaire, but still can’t nobody else push a bus from DC to NYC in 3 hours.
@Omar, but still can’t nobody else push a bus from DC to NYC in 3 hours.
this fact is why i no longer sit towards the front of the busses anymore. on one particular trip thru the rain, i swear i saw my life flash before my life no less than 20 times as i sat in amazement at the fact that this dude driving the bus would be able to put the bus up on 2 wheels and get around an 18 wheeler
@Omar, but still can’t nobody else push a bus from DC to NYC in 3 hours.
very true lol, but i’m lovin bolt bus these days. i went to ny for $1 in july!!!!
@overitnomore!,
before i die i want to get on at least one chinatown bus. thing is, from the way ya’ll are describing it, it might be the last thing i do while alive
@The Champ, The Chinatown bus was definitely an experience! Our driver on the way back got lost coming into DC though. Had us making circles for like 20 minutes. But you still can’t beat the price and the efficiency. I can get from DC to NY by chinatown bus far cheaper than I can get from DC to my condo in Gaithersburg, MD via cab and in only slightly more time.
I dont give a f!ck about New York, though I agree 100% with your list.
What else is overrated?
celebrities and Rehab….it is now a cop out for everything under the sun.. steal something? Rehab, get caught cheating-rehab…. man please what happened to being accountable for your actions?
people being shocked and irate about the maia campbell video
and not doing shyt else but staunchly defending it while at the same time not giving a dayum about all the hundreds of mentally ill/drug abusing women and men in their own city, town etc. she aint the new face of drug abuse or mental abuse.. she is the same dayum face you see everday. That doesnt make it less tragic, but it shole in the hell doesnt make it any more tragic than any one else in the same situation….
mini rant…..a lil off topic but oh well
being middle class….
if I hear one more black person make that distinction…. oh my gawd have at it…
driving a foreign car or luxury SUV….man please in this recession?
also overrated
otis spunkmayer cookies..
homeownership.. it has to be the right time for YOU
the blueprint 3
Beyonce
Rihanna
Queen Latifah’s singing
@shay_d_lady, she aint the new face of drug abuse or mental abuse..
I meant mental illness.
I also want to say this is not reference to whether or not you found the video funny. I get why some people didnt laugh. I also get why others(myself included) did. that was all discussed yesterday and I am not trying to rehash that
@shay_d_lady,
“otis spunkmayer cookies”
Cosign. These cookies are only good the first five minutes out the oven. Does anyone sell these cookies fresh?
“driving a foreign car or luxury SUV”
Cosign again. The funny thing is that a LOT of foreign and luxury cars have terrible quality. Parts for these cars are expensive and hard to get. It’s nice to able to go to the local Autozone and get parts for your car off the shelf. Its also nice not to have to search high and low to find an EXPENSIVE @SS mech.anic to fix your foreign or luxury car.
@shay_d_lady, Latifah was singing on Jimmy Fallon the other night. i changed the channel…lol.
@shay_d_lady,
i dont always agree with you, oh shady one, but i love you and this comment!! lol
@shay_d_lady,
the blueprint 3 is overrated? everyone i talk to says that its straight applesauce, lol
Overrated: Clubs
What’s so great about dark and musty and loud places full of thirsty ninjas, doo doo mamas and random acts of ridiculous by the afore-mentioned people… *Salsa clubs NOT included*
@Selah, NY does not have any good clubs? What about the 50/50?
@LastTrainToParis,
Actually, I just meant clubs in general, all throughout the US.
@LastTrainToParis,
lol 40/40=tourist trap. Unless you know someone throwing a privt party in the Hall of Fame room. Someone new is promoting Weds. nights tho so it might be cool. Havent been yet.
@Selah, furthermore, $20+ admission, the hig drink prices, and the idiocy known as bottle service isn’t paying for an atmosphere where everyone comes out feeling good. It’s a lose-lose for the average person more often than not.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
yep! And don’t be somewhere “big” – they tried to charge $40 at thee ghettoest club in Vegas. We were like uhmmm, NEXT! lol
@Stuff Ghetto People Like, when i was managing a nightclub that was one of the most baffling things to witness – bottle service.
we charged 300 bucks for a 40 dollar bottle of patron. oh, and some mixers. maybe i’ve just been broke too long in my life but i’ve never had the ability to just toss out 300 bucks on a bottle that i can’t even take outside of the building.
then again, i also like to get drunk before i go to the club, so perhaps i’m just a cheap bastard
@Panama Jackson,
Nope. Not cheap. Just sensible!
@Strictly Shonta,
Very sensible…I’ll continue to say sensible also…lol
@Strictly Shonta,
Not cheap. Just sensible!
definitely a t-shirt
@Panama Jackson,
I prefer ‘frugal’ and having fiduciary responsibility, lol!
@Panama Jackson, I’m with you on drinking before going inside the club. If I get a drink at all inside the spot that I had to pay for, it’s to finish me off.
@Selah,
Overrated: Clubs
YES! Who cares that they are open until 9 in the morning?!? Maybe if you didn’t go so late in the first place, they wouldn’t have to stay open. Folks are still trying to see who can get there the latest. No thanks, I’d rather sleep.
@Ivy st., No thanks, I’d rather sleep.
t-shirt!
@overitnomore!, it’s a t-shirt, definitely, but that context would have nothing to do with clubbing.
@Panama Jackson,
I wholeheartedly agree. I wanna wear the above t-shirt to work…on a Monday. Eff dress codes, too.
@Ivy st.,
Chuuuch!!
@Ivy st.,
girrrrrrl yes indeed
@Selah, Overrated: Clubs
this is the 4th time i read that as CUBS. my marsupial arse needs a nap.
@overitnomore!,
lol well i read CUBES at first. *smh* sadness
@Selah,
What’s so great about dark and musty and loud places full of thirsty ninjas, doo doo mamas and random acts of ridiculous by the afore-mentioned people
are you referring to nightclubs or overit’s apartment?
@The Champ, are you referring to nightclubs or overit’s apartment?
you live in pittsburgh, i’ll let you have your e-fun. its the least i can do.
*shrugs*
@Selah,
Wait a minute, what’s a doo doo mama?
@Me fail english?,
sorry for the lateness and sh*t. But here’s the link
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=doo+doo+mama
the clubs are full of em out here lol
@Selah, the term “doodoo mama” makes me giggle…like the immature boys in sex ed in the 6th grade.
@Ro,
well seeing them makes me giggle too. we’re even. lol
Palmolive dishwashing detergent. My dishwasher is broken and my hands are NOT softer
I am rolling with Dawn.. cause my plastics are squeaky clean..AND you can use it to clean baby ducks
@shay_d_lady,
You don’t use it for bubble bath?
@shay_d_lady,
LOL @ “baby ducks”
@shay_d_lady,
“I am rolling with Dawn.. cause my plastics are squeaky clean..AND you can use it to clean baby ducks”
*cracking up*
Yeah, Dawn be OWNING ‘dem oil spills. And. What.
I’m not a fan of NYC. Here’s 5 reasons why:
*It’s is hella overcrowded. I mean SHEESH! There are people EVERYWHERE. I cannot count how many times I got ran into by someone. My poor shoulder. It isn’t like I was taking leisurely strolls either.
*NYC is a city of surly people. I don’t know if people are just mad because they are paying $1500 to live in a windowed closet, but dang! All up through the streets, folks had nothing but scowls on their faces.
*2 words: Cab drivers. They literally run the streets. We took a cab one time, and the driver acted like he was doing us a favor. Not only that, we took the cab b/c we were late for dinner reservations. Yet our driver took the same time the train would have taken us. *shakes fists vigorously* If I wasn’t afraid that he would put us out, I would have cussed him out.
*NYC is not the cleanest place. Why is there garbage on Park Avenue? Even the richest part of New York is still slightly alley-like. Whats the deal? I also spent most of my time on the subway, and I felt so icky.
*Transit System. The subway there felt like the land of abandoned people. A place where cellphone receptions go to die. Plus, the system is extensive, and it gave me a headache. Looking at the map overwhelmed me much. Maybe I was just cranky from my lack of sunlight. I did not see ONE train car without graffiti on the windows. Not ONE. Plus, those plastic chairs were just not that welcoming.
This tome was sponsored by my blogpost from January when I visited it.
@Luvvie, If the Transit system is worse than Chicago I can’t do it! Too many people crammed into one place.
@LastTrainToParis,
The NYC transit system is more confusing than the concept of folks mating w/ Lil Wayne. It’s sooo dang extensive. Plus, them trains make u want to take a long hot shower upon arrival at ur destination.
And the RATS??? *faints*
@Luvvie, though i don’t think the train system is that complicated, i will definitely agree that i always feel dirty as hell when i get off the subway, especially in the summertime. there was a point in time when i’d frequent NYC (BK lick shots) at least twice a month and i swear i took like 4 showers a day during those trips b/c i just felt so damn dirty.
@Luvvie, “The NYC transit system is more confusing than the concept of folks mating w/ Lil Wayne.”
Get a map . . .hater LoL . . . I miss my damn MTA . . . I am moving out of North Virginia because to find a place within walking distance of a damn train station is to pay $2000 for a studio. In New York a train will take you anywhere at anytime. Not like this wack @ss WMATA train that actually stops running and got like 5 lines. That is all.
@IVR,
I looked at the map of the NYC subway & I thought I was looking at the blueprint of a museum. I was sooo doggone perplexed. I just scratched my head and waitied til someone asked “Can I help you?”. Yes, I was waiting for 3.8hrs. RUDE NYCers.
unTrue Story@IVR,
u need to get a roommate or something cause do enjoy walkign to the orange line in the morning. I hate driving here.
@Luuvie,
why would you wait for someone to ask you if you need help?
@Luvvie, “I looked at the map of the NYC subway & I thought I was looking at the blueprint of a museum. I was sooo doggone perplexed. I just scratched my head and waitied til someone asked “Can I help you?”. Yes, I was waiting for 3.8hrs. RUDE NYCers.”
What you doing running around NYC without a NY native . . . you deserved to get lost LoL jk . . . but I don’t give directions . . . If I’m on the subway I got places to go.
@ Deviant “u need to get a roommate or something cause do enjoy walkign to the orange line in the morning. I hate driving here.”
I hate driving here too . . . especially wit all these w@ck ass smart cars trying to test Big Betsy . . . I was trying to do the roomate thing but it fell through and I will NOT pay 1600 dollars for the same damn place i paid 1100 for a year ago . . I had to get up out of there.
@LastTrainToParis,
welcome and sh*t
@Luvvie,
“It’s is hella overcrowded. I mean SHEESH! There are people EVERYWHERE.”
I agree. Having to think about how to maneuver around folks just to walk down a sidewalk is awful. 34th street on Christmas…awful!
@Ivy st.,
Yeah its kinda overwhelming at times. Mofos could dislocate their shoulder walking in NYC. Also, all the women carry duffel bags they call purses. Lawd. Errone on that city look like they’re on their way to the airport w/ those giant totes.
@Ivy st., “I agree. Having to think about how to maneuver around folks just to walk down a sidewalk is awful. 34th street on Christmas…awful!”
Maneuvering through crowds comes naturally to New Yorkers . . .and why on EARTH would you go to 34th street on Christmas? Last minute shopping can always be done in non tourist areas.
@Luvvie,
“NYC is a city of surly people. I don’t know if people are just mad because they are paying $1500 to live in a windowed closet, but dang!”
I’m sure this has to be in the top 5 for reasons they are ticked off.
@miss t-lee,
Yup! NYCers talmbout “I found this studio for just $1900!! And my car’s rent is only $400. It’s a steal!” O__O
@Luvvie,
I had a homegirl who moved up there for about 2 years. She said her and two other chicks were in a one bedroom studio for $1500 a month. She wasn’t ready…lol
@Luvvie,
LOL…DAYUM, wtf is their minimum wage? Cost of living gotta be rich than a mofo.
@Luvvie, I hope they never ever EVER put cell reception in the subway tunnels. The last thing on earth I ever want to hear is people yapping on their phones incessantly on the train.
@Scipio Africanus,
Well, I have cellphone reception in the subway here in Chicago. But, ALL of our trains aren’t underground so at least I can commute and still see some semblance of light that isn’t artificial.
@Luvvie,
” I also spent most of my time on the subway, and I felt so icky.”
True Story, on my last visit to NYC, after spending roughly 30 minutes riding back to back with this woman on the subway, she turned to inform us that she had head lice….Talmbout ICKY…
@Happy Meal,
Oh…my…WORD. I’da done a *WALL SLIDE*. GROSSSSS!!!
@Luvvie,
“Oh…my…WORD. I’da done a *WALL SLIDE*. GROSSSSS!!!”
From what I picture of Happy Meal’s description, I hope you woulda done it 5 inches AWAY from the wall. You don’t know where that wall been! lol
@Cheekie,
Naw I’d wait to get off that train and then do a *WALL SLIDE* somewhere else safe. Since its NYC, I may have to wait to get back to Chicago to perform my SLIDE
@Happy Meal,
after spending roughly 30 minutes riding back to back with this woman on the subway, she turned to inform us that she had head lice
this sounds like a scene from phantasm or something
@Luvvie,
NYC is a city of surly people. I don’t know if people are just mad because they are paying $1500 to live in a windowed closet, but dang! All up through the streets, folks had nothing but scowls on their faces.
lol, this immediately made me think about jim jones
@Luvvie,
Every time I set foot off of the plane in NYC I’m instantaneously clausterphobic, nervous and jittery like a baby chick on crack. If I don’t have or can get everything I need before I get to the crib… I don’t get it.
And the train…. OMGAWD!!!! Like my skin is never more refreshed or moisturized than when I get off the trains. Every train ride dictates at least 10-15 minutes of meticulous scrubbing. Ugh… I need a shower just thinking about it.
Mr. The Champ, I am humbly grateful for someone to have the guts to actually say the Biggie was merely a good rapper. NYC produced several much better acts.
My other big gripe is the “city that never sleeps” BS. From 2am to 5am Manhattan and most of Brooklyn are dead.
Not overhyped: the roaches are for real
@Anechoic, dowg! You darn tootin’ the raches are for real. I stayed with a freak out there in 2002. Growing up in Gardena, I was used to a couple of waterbugs a month, big as they are, creepy, but I was used to them. First night in her rest, I’m seeing such a roach insurrection up in there, her kitchen and her bathroom looked like Roach Times Square. Saw them immediately crawl onto a cup I finished using, on the wall above her bed, and one even came onto the mattress!! That was the goddamn point I got my black *ss up at 4 in the morning and started spraying and sweeping both her bathroom and her kitchen. I was that fed up. I’ve never before and never again seen roaches just rule someone’s home like that.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
My first apartment in NY was like this…moved after one month…the woman I subleased from gave me the blank stare as if I was the crazy one….all I kept thinking was Really…who lives like this?!?!?
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
Okay…you’ve officially killed me w/ “darn tootin”. I feel like I’m watchin Fargo…lmao!!!
I’m too through with “roach insurrection”. Ain’t no freakin’ way…I would not have been any good after that. You couldn’t have even paid me to step foot back in that jump after that…lol
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
ewwwwwwwwwwww. I prolly woulda left and went to a hotel. sheesh. lol
@Anechoic,
Where is Manhattan empty, dark or dead at 2-5am? In a blizzard?
Also, I have NEVER lived with roaches. Go me!
@Me fail english?, i’m wondering where its empty too. my boy’s aunt stays at like 96th and central park west and i remember at like 3am one night we were out on her balcony and this gang of under-12s just came rambling up the street. even children are out in manhattan at 3am. so you knwo the rest of the streets, thought not looking like times square are still lively.
@Panama Jackson,
Yeah esp. in the summer children be out later than young adults. Poor parents feel bad they have no space and our old ass buildings’ wiring cant handle a whole lotta AC so they just let the kids stay out all damn night.
@Me fail english?, “Also, I have NEVER lived with roaches. Go me!”
DAMN! How’d you manage that? LoL . . . I can deal with those fools .. .its the creative things with wings that fly around in the country that I can’t mess with . . . I remember my leasing agent having jokes because a brawlic green mortal kombat looking character was on my balcony and I decided to not go out to my balcony for a little while . . . I dont know what the fukk that is so I’ll let him/her do his/her thing.
@Anechoic,
you couldn’t pay me enough money to click on that link, lol
Quite appropriate to criticize NYC on September 11th, LOL.
But since there aren’t many regulars here that currently live there, let’s go to work…
-How tough of a town they are: New Yorkers swear up and down they could survive anywhere in the world, let alone this country, because NYC is supposedly the toughest place to grow up. Methinks many folks in Detroit, Oakland, Gary and more would beg to differ.
-Culture: New York likes to prop itself up as the only place to be for diversity, artistic expression, food, spiritual awareness and such. Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Chicago are not phased by such boasts.
-Moving to Brooklyn: Those who wished for an island all the douchebags would move to for a circle jerk, your wish has been granted. BK is so grand, yet the Dodgers flourished elsewhere. Matter of fact, so did…actually, no, the Giants are still garbage.
-Hot 97: Far more legendary and innovative stations exist in a market I will not mention. Not to mention it’s probably the tackiest urban station ever format flipped to.
Honorable mention goes to pizza, cheesecake, their party scene, and New York news stories gaining national significance because the networks are based there….hell, the importance of their local press is overrated too.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
Hahaaaa..dude, I was thinking the same exact thing about posting this post on 9/11. Genius and very appropos since the media will be focused on everything going on in NY associated with that day.
@Monk,
lol, like i said down thread, the timing was completely unintentional. thats still a hell of a coincidence though
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
Co-sign the level of toughness….lived in NY for 3 years and it did not compare to growing up in Detroit…just sayin’….
@Stuff Ghetto People Like, Please don’t use the Hot 97 of today. Hot 97 in the 90′s was magical.
@Scipio Africanus, ” Hot 97 in the 90’s was magical.”
This is true . . even Kiss FM before it got all senior citizen like.
@Scipio Africanus, probably because 90s music itself was magical. The Beat and Power 106, Rap City, et al were the sh*t back then too as a result.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
Not just the music itself but the amount of big records I heard break on guys like Bobbito, Clue, Flex. Not to mention, before there was WorldStar ninjas used to luuuurve to come on Hot97 and air it out. Historic stuff!
@IVR,
Hell yeah I remember when Kiss was hip hop. Matter of fact, that was THE station in NY. Hot 97 was just the alternative.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like, Cosign on the Hot 97 comment.
Besides why are grown ass people with jobs always fighting or getting shot outside Hot 97.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like, -How tough of a town they are: New Yorkers swear up and down they could survive anywhere in the world, let alone this country, because NYC is supposedly the toughest place to grow up. Methinks many folks in Detroit, Oakland, Gary and more would beg to differ.
at the risk of pissing off some of the NYCers, i kind of do think its one of the toughest, but not for the reasons usually given. one of the first thing i noticed when i got to NYC for the first time was how OLD the women looked and how “tough about the face” a lot of women were looking. i commented to my boy, these women make me think there’s a lot of hard living in this city.
basically, there are A LOT of women who look like Lil Mama in NYC.
@Panama Jackson,
Eff yo’ couch!
its all true *Lil Mama sad ugly face*
@Me fail english?, that was one of the most disappointing things about NYC to me….so many busted chicks walking around with bad fashion and dookie braids or doobie wraps.
i was hoping for music videos. instead i got PSAs on how not to come out of the house.
though i guess you can’t always fix your face.
@Panama Jackson,
Dookie braids? When was this? Them hoes had to be transplants!
And yes for a city so populous we NEVER get a nod when ppl talk about places with beautiful women (like DC, Miami, Atlanta, LA). Our prettiest women are transplants or commute in from the ‘burbs.
@Panama Jackson, re: bad fashion, you just reminded me right now (though it was mentioned downthread by a VSS)….NYers are convinced they outdress the entire planet.
Just because you buy “the latest” or spend all your money on clothes doesn’t mean you have style or can actually dress. I’ve saw a good amount people dressed in some bullsh*t out there like they were doin’ it!
@Me fail english?, who do you talk to? NYC cranks out plenty of dime freaks.
@Panama Jackson, “basically, there are A LOT of women who look like Lil Mama in NYC.”
iDied!
I’m cool with the list, except for BIG. I love him and Pun though…both tough lyricists to me.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
To the toughness thing, I havent heard anybody say this since the late 80s/early 90s. Per capita (ie. when you dont count ENY or Soundview, ahaha I keed… sorta), we’re one of the safest big cities in the country. The ONLY thing Giuliani did right.
@Me fail english?, yeah, I did feel alright walking the streets out there (we need that to go down out here, get these streets right). I was staying in Bushwick and Gods looked at me like “you stayed out in that grimy *ss area?” It looked perfectly serviceable to me.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like, “How tough of a town they are: New Yorkers swear up and down they could survive anywhere in the world, let alone this country, because NYC is supposedly the toughest place to grow up. Methinks many folks in Detroit, Oakland, Gary and more would beg to differ.”
this is so very true. i just think growing up in NY makes you rude not tough.
@Tunde,
I can see this.
@Tunde, Co-sign. I’m from Baltimore and I feel safer in New York and it supposedly tough.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
I will admit that I had some horrible pizza during my visit to New York. Maybe I just didn’t got to the right place. I was in Midtown and i just went into a diner on the street. Awful AND terrible service. I could’ve had a personal pan from Pizza Hut.
@Southern Lady,
Re: the terrible service. A little birdie in the service industry once told me that some tourist expect, nay prefer, shetty rude service when they come here cuz they think that’s an authentic NY experience.
The Palm steakhouse in the 50s is notorious for this!
@Southern Lady, don’t get it twisted, I love the New York style of pizza, which fits my idea of what a pizza should be like (sorry, Chicagoans, can’t clap to the deep dish thing). I just hate when NYers bash the pizza spots in other cities like those in NY are this manna from heaven…
@Southern Lady,
You most certainly did not go to the right place.
Artichokes. East Village.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
But since there aren’t many regulars here that currently live there, let’s go to work…
you’d be surprised. there are a decent amount of new yorkers who lurk and comment here, me fail probably being the most vocal one
overrated”Dating” in a city of millions…millions of lonely people…
@Caramel Eclair, this is the truth!
@Caramel Eclair,
New York is a great city to live for the Gays. Single Black women? Not so much. My friends who live there who are SBWs say the men there are either gay (NTTAWWT) or in love w/ the Carries of the place.
@Luvvie,
Id question what kinda men your friend is looking at. I think our professional SBM’s (yup, “mens like my grandma say!) are harder to find in the daytime, but if you venture out afterwork there’s plenty and they love black women.
@Me fail english?,
I agree that there are plenty of black men who love black women in NY….whether they want committed relationships or not though is a whole other can of worms…
@Caramel Eclair,
welcome and sh*t
@The Champ, I noticed you weren’t welcome and sh*ttin’ many people this week….
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
“sh*ttin’ many people ”
that jus sounded wrong when i read it..i still grinned tho
I like NYC. Anytime I can leave my spot at 2am and get either roti, 4 wings fried hard, some haze, or buy a coat, it’s all good to me!
That said, other than the history, Harlem is meh.
Coming from Chicago, the pizza is wack.
And somewhere along the line, NYC trend-setting became over-rated *clap clap clap clap clap*
@Maximillian, Man the Pizza in Chicago is the business!!
@Maximillian,
tha fcuk u need to go buy a coat for @ 2am?? lol…i kid, i kid.
co-signnneeeedddd on the chicago deep dish…now THAT i’d leave my house @ 2am for
@Maximillian,
Love Chicago, but I could NOT get with the deep dish. My coworker took me to some joint (dont remember the name but if you throw out a few, Id prob recognize it) and I couldnt eat a bit. In yalls defense he was a NYer who went to school at Wake Forest so it’s very possible this joint was a tourist trap. But that ish looked like a big arse inedible, cheeseless lasagna slice. It was some place where the tradition was to carve your name into the booths and pillars. They even dry-ship pizza around the country cuz ppl say its so good. Again, as much as I love Chicago gimme an NY style pie ANY day. Bagels too!
@Me fail english?,
I know where u went, Geno’s East. And yes, that’s a tourist trap, especially downtown.
@Maximillian,
Yes! Thats it.
@Maximillian,
Ha. I love you for saying roti.
I spent my teenage years and 20s in NY. I left b/c of the nosie, overcrowding, grime, etc. etc. Now, I still love NY but can’t for the life of me spend more than 2 days there w/out wanting to cut a ni**a. The place is a cesspool. HOWEVER, you can not ever knock NY for its variety of things to do and places to go. The city is always alive. Dirty and grimy but alive.
As a West Indian immigrant I was able to live amoungst my ppl, hear my music and eat my food and that is something that i will always love about NY.
@Maximillian,
Yep, their pizza is super wack compared to CHI. I’ll take Gino’s East any day! Thinking about having some shipped to me. It’s that serious!
Never have I ever been SCARED to live in Harlem. I just think I’m too good to live in Harlem. Because I am.
Ha!
All that being said, I just came back from the Jigga’s label party and I swear fore the lord they think he is JESUS. It was out of control the commotion he created by entering a room. I think a lot of this is due to all the NYC overratedness he pushes.
@Liz, wait…Jay-Z isn’t Jesus?
Don’t we call him Hov??
@Liz,
“All that being said, I just came back from the Jigga’s label party”
word? i was planning to go to that too, but i was jet-skiing with diddy in qatar
@The Champ, shut up. i really was there!!!!
and YOU LIE!! because diddy was kickin it with anna wintour last night in manhattan. NOT in qatar.
I love New York! There is something about the crazy energy that attracts me to it as a constant visitor!!!
I do agree that NY is overrated. As much as I love the city there are better places to live. I will give NY’ers props because they big up their city no matter what!! I live in DC and sometimes we really sh*t on our city, sports teams, etc. There is this tiny box that you seem to have to fit in. In NY it seems anything goes. People seem to fit in to the madness however they present themselves. I kind of like that!
@yaa, “I live in DC and sometimes we really sh*t on our city, sports teams, etc. ”
This is because we are honest…
@Omar, a little too honest perhaps. i will say i’d never witnessed the crabs in the bucket mentality thrive so openly anywhere else but here in DC. its like a city of perpetual hateration.
hell, there are more Cowboys fans in DC than Redskins fans.
which works for me, i’m a 3…i have a lot to hate on. keeps my esteem up.
@Panama Jackson,
We are probably only dishonest where its personal
hurts: Marion Barry, Len Bias, Go-Go music going mainstream, etc…@Omar,
For true!! I love DC..but we are effed up! LOL
To the Champ,
As a person living in the south bronx, and writing this on his iPhone, I must say this is the last time I will read this sh*t. Not only do I find this wack due to the fact of going away to school and I had to hear this as an intro conversation to new people I met; but to post this on 9-11, why? You could’ve put this hate up next week about the first black blind governor, I understand why people hate but it’s not gonna stop you from visiting nor hating…Thousands of people died eight years ago today and all yall complaining about is pizza and other sh*t? Very lame…
Signing off
Toussaintthefree,
P.S. Fcuk Yall!!!
@Toussaintthefree, Thank you my man. But I will go in on these youths later. I must get my seeds ready for school.
@Toussaintthefree, Awwww. Some of those people also died in Somerset, PA, which is 50 miles outside of Pittsburgh… can we be friends again?
@pgh muse,
Some of those people also died in Somerset, PA, which is 50 miles outside of Pittsburgh… can we be friends again?
No
@Toussaintthefree, that ain’t right. this isn’t about 9/11. at all. vsb isn’t even the forum for a political discussion about 9/11. i suppose it could be, but today’s topic is a friday fun topic about the overhype of nyc. Furthermore, no singular state, city, borough, or township can claim greater suffering on this day. it affected us ALL very deeply.
@Toussaintthefree,
I wasn’t gonna say nothing about this at first, but I feel compelled to. When I left Detroit and came to Atlanta for college, one of the first things I noticed about NY cats were how emotional and sensitive they were about certain things (read: damn near everything).
I present this comment as Exhibit A.
I know and is friends with a number of folks from New York and they’re all generally cool people but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that some suffer from extreme bytch-made sensitivity levels that I haven’t seen from dudes from other cities in such a vast percentage. Maybe it’s a result of an overly-inflated ego which is a by-product of their poisonous pride in their city..I’ont know.
@Monk,
*snickering* aw dayum.
@miss t-lee,
me too!! *tee hee hee hee* sniggle!
@Monk,
DEAD!______________________________________*beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep*___________________________________________________________________________________________
@Lanieanna, did you have to die all over my screen? lol!
@Lanieanna, how did you get your flat line all across my screen like that?
@Lanieanna,
LMAO @ ur dying & breaking the template. BEST. DEATH. EVER.
@Lanieanna,
Well dag nabbit. Dying all outside the lines and ish! Stay inside the lines! We gotta get those jumbo chalk to outline your ase, now. Dayum!
@Monk,
So it’s my fault that eight years ago I had to walk three hours home;
it’s my fault watching the buildings fall in my Harlem High school, my principal said the next day we graduate, we may see a letter from Uncle Sam that we had to join the arm forces,
It’s my fault my friend, his family and I were hanging flyers up in the hospitals looking for his aunt but found out two months later that she died
It’s my fault my sister-in-law’s water broke causing her to have a premature baby
It’s my fault that my friend who volunteered to fight for this country came back a mute
And it’s my fault that Champ post this today, and I’m pissed
PEACE OUT NINJAS
P.S. FCUK YALL!!
@Toussaintthefree,
Ok THIS is the most reaching statement EVER. No offense, but you’re not important enough to get blamed for the event that CHANGED THE WORLD in 1 minute!
I’m just saying.
@Toussaintthefree, you have the right to feel how you feel. but get the f*ck over yourself homey. nobody on this site minds taking shots at anything until it hits home for them.
9.11 wasn’t about NY. it was about the nation. sh*t, would you be upset about it he had did whats overrated about DC or would you even remember that shit went down at the pentagon too??? doubtful.
NYers (not all, but clearly you) made it about NY. saying whats overrated about NYC has jack sh*t to do with 9/11. everybody with any sense of soul felt some kind of way about what happened on that day. hell, most of us had friends who were directly impacted by working in the WTC or in buildings directly surrounding it.
those personal things that occured to you in your world b/c of 9/11 were very unfortunate, and some tragic. but everybody has a story.
anyway…fact is, you’re choosing to be offended by this.
so f*ck you too and have a nice day.
@Panama Jackson, Funny thing is alot of NYers
and the mediado act as if nothing happened in DC@Panama Jackson,
I heart you
@Panama Jackson,
“f*ck you too and have a nice day”
For THIS, u’re at LEAST a 4 today. Thank you.
@Omar,
..or PA.
@Panama Jackson,
Well said!
@Panama Jackson,
so f*ck you too and have a nice day.
lol, definitely a t-shirt
@Panama Jackson, and don’t forget “thanks for all the fish”
@Toussaintthefree,
Honestly, it’s your fault that you are so self-absorbed to react as if you are the only person in the world that bad things have ever happened to.
I don’t know about you but the day I choose to be solemn about something is usually the day I choose to put the blogs down.
@Omar, I don’t know about you but the day I choose to be solemn about something is usually the day I choose to put the blogs down.
i don’t care if this is too long for a t-shirt, IM GOING TO WEAR IT ON A TEE.
@Toussaintthefree, put that on a yellow sticker on your bathroom mirror to remind yourself.
@Toussaintthefree,
This comment is my Exhibit B.
@Toussaintthefree,
Ralph Tresvant made a song about you
@Monk, “I wasn’t gonna say nothing about this at first, but I feel compelled to. When I left Detroit and came to Atlanta for college, one of the first things I noticed about NY cats were how emotional and sensitive they were about certain things (read: damn near everything).
I present this comment as Exhibit A.”
I am a proud New Yorker and all but LMAO! This dude was a bit much . . . especially folks announcing they aint coming back and such . . . then don’t come back. Still . . . yall are some damn haters though. Haters.
@Toussaintthefree, i take pride in always being able to see where folks are coming from, its a gift of mine and sh*t. but, i always have an opinion.
a few points:
1) 9/11 does NOT=nyc alone. 9/11=nyc, va,pa, iraq, afghanistan, countless dead from so many places. my good friend’s father died in the pentagon, as did my neighbor growing up, so spare me.
2) i know for a fact champ has mentioned before how much 9/11 affected him, given his rep on vsb, i don’t know how you can read today’s post (which is about ny…not 9/11) and deduce he is a callous individual. i think your conclusion was a bit of a reach.
3) i am sure no one would have a problem if you, or anyone, decided to turn the comments section into a whole other topic…which we do anyway. instead of assuming where the champ’s intentions lie, you could have asked and sh*t.
@overitnomore!,
and there it is.
@overitnomore!, *slow clap* can i give you a friday love gram?
@overitnomore!,
1) 9/11 does NOT=nyc alone. 9/11=nyc, va,pa, iraq, afghanistan, countless dead from so many places.
Including folks from mostly L.A., the Bay, and Boston on those planes. We get that the WTC is the face of that day, but the impact goes far beyond in this country. Even then, we grew from it and we can all laugh again…no matter what the number of the day is.
@overitnomore!,
*Sigh* I heart u, Z!
@overitnomore!,
Great comment, but in particular, your number one is so much truth, it hurts.
*standing O*
@Toussaintthefree,
George Bush Killed those people, hold that ninja responsible. Out of respect for the dead and the mourning…. I will keep my comment limited, but 9/11 is no more signifigant to me than 8/29.. If it were not for the Government not really giving a shyt about you or me, neither one of these things would have happened. At least after 9/11, they had the decency to go through the rubble and attempt to ID the remains and return bodies recovered to the famlies that were missing their loved ones… for 8/29, they just peeked thru windows and said Fcuk It, just so people could return to their homes and find, maggoty decomposed, slimy skeleton exposed, unidentifiable carcasses in their homes
Aug. 28, 12:30pm Bush was warned “…whether the levees will be topped or not, that’s obviously a very, very grave concern.” He asked no questions.
Aug. 28 Mayor Nagin tells CNN “as soon as the levee systems are breached, there will be a tremendous amount of water, anywhere from 15 to 20 feet of water in some parts of New Orleans.” Orders mandatory evacuation.
Aug. 29, 6:10am Hurricane Katrina reaches New Orleans.
Aug. 29, 8am Levees Overtopped.
Aug. 29, 9:12am National weather service gets report of levee breach.
Aug. 29, 11am After McCain birthday, Bush talks at El Mirage RV park, AZ.
Aug. 29, 12pm Bush misses video briefing on Katrina.
Aug. 29, 4:40 Bush appears at Rancho Cucamonga, California.
Aug. 30 Bush continues speaking tour in California.
WHATEVER! SHEESH!
@Lanieanna, how people respond to this should be interesting….
@overitnomore!,
Very…
@overitnomore!,
Id be surprised to see anyone get into a pissing contest. 9/11 victims were treated like martyrs/heroes/VICTIMS while Katrina victims were treated like burdens. Esp. considering that we’re mostly minorities here, I’d be surprised AND disappointed if anyone didnt recognize that.
@Me fail english?, i would too, but…CLEARLY it can happen, and will happen on vsb. smh, lol.
@Me fail english?,
“Id be surprised to see anyone get into a pissing contest. 9/11 victims were treated like martyrs/heroes/VICTIMS while Katrina victims were treated like burdens. Esp. considering that we’re mostly minorities here, I’d be surprised AND disappointed if anyone didnt recognize that.”
I have yet to see a nationwide moment of silence for Katrina.
I don’t want to turn this into a pissing contest of who has it worse because I truly feel for 9/11 victims/volunteers, too (I’m always fuming thinking about how a lot of those volunteers were smoke-poisoned and didn’t receive health care because they weren’t on pay roll…GTFOHWTBS), but I also don’t play favorites either. One USA tragedy gets recognition in this nation, then so should the other. No one is “better” or “more deserving” than the other. And it’s sickening that it appears that way with the media…
@Lanieanna & overitnomore!, to keep it even funkier, tsunami victims probably have a “cry me a river” feeling about both 9/11 AND Katrina! And to think those basterds at Hot 97 had their nerve, knowing the big human loss they suffered in their town three years previous, to make a Tsunami Song joking about “screaming chinks” and such…about a disaster that wiped out a population of people roughly the size of Long Beach.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like, right, its like when the kenya and tanzania bombings happened in ’98. my mom was in kenya, and was on her way to the embassy that morning. crazy. so, watching the news and only hearing about the americans who died knowing my mom told me (and bbc and other more humane news sources) that the numbers of dead and injured were much higher, i was pissed. in short, hot 97 was never hot to me.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
That was stankin asz Miss Jones! NYers hated her asz too. Tis why she’s no longer on the air.
@Lanieanna,
*slow clap and standing ovation*
Tell that ish like it is Girl!!! Tell ‘em!!! New Orleans STILLL isn’t habitable (100%). Folks STILLLLL living in trailers!!! Folks who were displaced STIIILLL can’t come back home!
Why is it that we can fly half way around the world to help folks but can’t roll down the street to help our own?
@Smiley Face, Why is it that we can fly half way around the world to help folks but can’t roll down the street to help our own?
nobody knows…(c) Peyso
@overitnomore!,
“Why is it that we can fly half way around the world to help folks but can’t roll down the street to help our own?”
Either they don’t know…don’t show…or don’t care…about what goes on in the hood.
@Smiley Face,
“Why is it that we can fly half way around the world to help folks but can’t roll down the street to help our own?”
Good question, the answer is that they don’t want to. They’re going to continue to create as much “red tape” as possible until the people give up and those that don’t, will eventually get bought out. Then they’re going to turn N.O. to the next Las Vegas. They’ve already been finding loopholes to f*ck people out of there properties. I can go on and on, but you get where this is going.
@Smiley Face,
Why is it that we can fly half way around the world to help folks but can’t roll down the street to help our own?
TABERNACLE….and Sacraments!
Well my dear, the very simple answer to that question is…… It benifits this country, in the eyes of the world much more to appear sympathetic…. but don’t feel bad… we really don’t give a shyt about them either…. Lets call world disater, and the assistance we offer… political fads! *hee-hee*
U.S: hey mayne.. we just just dropped 2 billi-yun dolla wurth of sup-plies o’er der buy dem ajuns… ha maynee did u send?…
Ima quit… im just amusing myself!
@Smiley Face,
Re: Katrina
Ya’ll watched the Lil’ Wayne Behind the Music last night? He said something about celebs and ish making a point to let it be known they were raising funds for Katrina relief and how he actually went in and helped folks he actually KNEW and LIVED WITH while staying in the background (it wasn’t really in the media so much). I thought his quote was good. He said something like, “Ya’ll (the extra-helping celebs) are helping the world. You ain’t helping New Orleans, though. You think you are, but you ain’t. You helping the world”. It was a jarring quote, but had a lot of truth to it.
I have contempt for folks that do charity only to showcase it. They can keep that insincere sh*t and take it over there somewhere.
@Cheekie, I have contempt for folks that do charity only to showcase it.
yeah, i actually have issues with public giving, i mean…i know it encourages some to give, and its a necessary thing in these times when everyone is so concerned about their own self…but, if im going to donate, its a private matter. don’t nobody need to know but the lawd and my sufficient funds lol
@Smiley Face,
Meant to comment on this:
“Why is it that we can fly half way around the world to help folks but can’t roll down the street to help our own?”
The truth? ‘Cuz it’s trendy. SMH…
@Lanieanna,
Ok so on 8/29 Champ should’ve put:
“Spiting out the Gumbo:the six most overhyped and overrated things about New Orleans” then we can have talk….
@Toussaintthefree,
NEW ORLEANS IS A SHYTHOLE!…….. I’m just not in denial about it! It doesn’t hurt nor bother me to have someone else point it out.. Especially when people come from much cleaner, functional, “civilized” parts of the world, and are not accustomed to being thrashed into the reality of seeing a true “inner city. It also would not bother me to have anyone say they could give a dayum less about New Orleans, Katrina victims, or its survivors….. Me and My Peeps…. we are already aware of that! Have a nice day!
@Lanieanna,
I see what you’re saying but this:
have anyone say they could give a dayum less about New Orleans, Katrina victims, or its survivors…
would thoroughly piss me off. Especially on the anniversary of the event. Seems unnecesasrily insensitive. I don’t think that’s the spirit of Champ’s post tho.
@Lanieanna,
That was a not so funny sarcastic statement. I have run across many who not only cared but went out of their way to assist those in need.. I am a Katrina victim.. I was the direct recipient of assistance from people such as yourself who did care. The government….. well… hmmmmmm not so much. I am sure The Champ did not post this blog about NY to say fcuk the victims of 9/11, no one is saying “we hate New Yorkers”. This whole comment section, for me, was to reiterate the sensativity, and overinflated egos mentioned by MONK. It happened, it’s over…. No one is trying to personally attack anyone, or minimize any tragedy that any human has had to go thru. What sparked my flame was the response made by Toussaintthefree in referance to VSB, specifically addressed to The Champ. 9/11 is just a day, that just so happened to have some real bad shyt go down, Just as 8/29 was.. Hell some people were probably like “what happened on 8/29″ before they continued to read my post. Oops if I pissed u off. I did’t mean to.
@Lanieanna,
Its cool mama. Im not offended at all and find nothing untrue in what you just wrote. My last comment was more for anybody reading thinking theyd be justified in just poppin off against an actual tragedy (not a city)without a challenge.
@Toussaintthefree,
Too soon?
@Maximillian,
First, i just feel every month VSB talks about where everyone is from , and thats cool. If this was done any other day of the year, it would have been fun to write about.
I HATE the Knicks, never cared for them, and never will, my only problem was the time of this post…
Forgive me to have a backbone for the only day I sit down and remember some sad sh*t in my young life, just to have hate on a gov who was given the job because of his whore-loving predecessor; yall probably hating on Obama already, but I digress…
@Toussaintthefree,
sorry for your losses
with that being said, why are you still here? not that you have to leave, but i thought you weren’t coming back.
the guilt trip would have worked alot better if you kept your word.
@The Champ,
LOL!!
@The Champ,
I don’t know who has the better one liners today, you or Monk…lol
@Toussaintthefree, “I HATE the Knicks, never cared for them, and never will, my only problem was the time of this post…”
WTF? Knicks in 2010 . . . I aint paying for a ticket but ill watch it on TV lol
@IVR,
lol! You’re like 1 of 3 NYers Ive ever semi-encountered who calls him/herself a Knicks fan.
@Me fail english, “lol! You’re like 1 of 3 NYers Ive ever semi-encountered who calls him/herself a Knicks fan.”
Hey . . .what can I say . . . I remember Jordan and that old alien headed reggie miller kicking our @sses the one time we were good. B@stards. But I can’t drop em. Knicks fan, Giants fan, Yankees fan, and fukk Hockey (when the Rangers one their cup thing I did skip school to go to the parade. FUKKIT!)
@IVR,
LOL. I remember when Rangers jerseys were a hot item! You’re takin me back.
@Toussaintthefree,
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA! I understand your grief and sensitivity on this matter. However, 9/11 affected more cities than NYC. Just because today is 9/11 doesn’t mean we have to dwell on it. The events of that day are sad no matter what the calendar reads. I send my condolences to all the families whose lives were affected by 9/11 (note I said all….which extends beyond NYC). Let’s not forget the Katrina victims, Columbine victims, VA Tech victims, etc, etc, etc. Are we restricted from blogging about funny topics on these days? Or are you just sensitive about it because you are a “New Yorker” and your city is being put on blast?
BTW, vsb just received an award. This means they have thousands of readers; your decision to no longer read this blog is NOT going to hurt the ratings. Due to the fact that the topics are always good, you’ll be peeking back in to see what they’re talking about. You probably just won’t comment (and if you do, it’ll be under a different name).
@Strictly Shonta,
just had to de-lurk for a moment and say thanks for this comment. I have lived in NYC for over 20 years now and the thing that always irks me most about new yorkers is their almost blind belief that the world revolves around them. 9/11 was not just an attack on nyc, it was an attack on humanity. furthermore, while I understand and empathise with those who suffered losses on that day, I do not see why we should all be banned from sharing a laugh and lightening the mood on a dreary day. isn’t that what we do at funeral repasts when we gather at mom-mom’s house to talk about the good times and the silly things as a means of using laughter to ease the pain? as has been said by many already, if this post is upsetting for some people, then they should exercise their option to not read it, and not get mad at the rest of us because we had the audacity to want to look on the brighter side of life today. that is all.
If yall talk bout “10 things I hate bout Chicago” on the anniversary of the Chicago Fire, I’m reporting VSB to the “Office of People Who Regulate Holidays and Deem that the Day Jokes Must Not be Told”. And I’mo send the Champ burned toast.
@Luvvie, dammit, you just stole my best.post.idea.ever.
@Panama Jackson,
I actually can’t WAIT to you do this. Bring, it Panda Manda.
*throws deep dish pizza crust at you*
@Luvvie,
lol, i guess i shouldn’t write about weave and white women on the anniversary of rick james’s death now either.
@The Champ,
“…write about weave and white women on the anniversary of rick james’s death now either.”
HILARIOUS! I’m sure that would be comical.
@The Champ,
U also cant write bout illegitimate kids on the anniversary of James Brown’s death.
@The Champ,
Yeah, and don’t write about Detroit on ANY day. Tragedies stay happening to my hometown.
@Toussaintthefree,
Oh and… “You mad, huh?” (c) Saaphyri
I totally disagree with the who B.I.G. theory. There is no way Big Pun could have ever been as successful as Biggie.
I have never been to NY but I would like to visit. But I throw it into the category of the place I would visit but not want to live there along with Mia and L.A.
@LastTrainToParis,
I totally disagree with the who B.I.G. theory. There is no way Big Pun could have ever been as successful as Biggie.
please expound and sh*t
@LastTrainToParis,
I liked Biggie but I got more amped from Pun flowing. I just thought it was more impressive. I was actually more sad about Pun’s death than Biggie’s cause I felt Pun was just getting his due.
@Deviant,
I actually still cry watching the Notorious movie (#yupimlame) but I agree. Pun’s flow was legendary then add his weight and woooo! Might make ya head blow off.
On a separate note: WTF happened to Mysonne? He was s’posed to be the next with the BX on his back. Now he’s just losing WorldStar battles and cryin bout “Philly cats dont play fair”. For shame!
I almost vomited when dude said Biggie albums aren’t classic. Ready to Die is not a classic album? Life After Death is not a classic album?
Music is subjective but this is nonsense.
I actually vomited when you put Life After Death in the same category as Yeah Baby. Life After Death is streaks ahead of Yeah Baby
I like NYC. Great place to visit, eat, party, shop, network, eat, network, eat, and SHOP
. But yeah… being from Pittsburgh has spoiled me to being able to live in a home with high ceilings and lots of square feet for dirt cheap. And trees and grass. But really I like New York. Just don’t know if I’d want to live there, at least definitely not in Manhattan… I could maybe do one of the boroughs – even though the people drive like they are on NASCAR. I think if you are childless, single, and really super ambitious – go for it… although I don’t agree that making it in NYC is the pinnacle, there are lots of people there on their grind. Whenever i’m there and see mothers on the trains with their kids I just think, “WHY??”
@pgh muse,
But really I like New York. Just don’t know if I’d want to live there, at least definitely not in Manhattan
lol, i actually feel the same way
I haven’t visited NYC yet…but from what my close friends and associates have told me I’m not in any hurry.
@miss t-lee,
You BETSTA be in a hurry. Cuz we goin clubbin, damnit!
@Me fail english?,
That is definitely a plan when I make it up that way…
@Me fail english?,
I also wanna go clubbin’ with you, girlie whenever I visit there. Please believe…
@Cheekie,
I dont know why my comment disappeared but YES! COME THU!
@Me fail english?,
It disappeared? Hmm. Champie and Panda tryin’ to club-block, no doubt. I can’t say Liz because she probably supports the girl power clubbin’.
I’ve never been to NY and have no desire to visit…. in my experience New Yorkers are rude (so where does that brotherly love come in?) and the city is a little to fast paced for my slow saunter.
Anywho, in my heyday, I loved a New Yorker because of the accent… now I think they sound just as uneducated as us southerners are supposed to sound like… and they sound like bullies.
So, ACCENTS are overrated.
@Nicki Sunshine,
See my comment below! LOL!
@Nicki Sunshine,
“they sound like bullies.”
Take it back!
Ya know what used to grind my gears. Ppl thinking I talk the way I talk bcuz Im tryna sound tough. Fool, this is what we sound like!!. And when I get excited sometimes its more pronounced. I’m 3rd generation (the accent has actually changed significantly over time) but I’ve never associated it with being tough.
@Me fail english?, LOL!!! It sounds really forceful. Yaw can’t help it- it’s just your accent.
“faaaah-getahbahtit”
@Nicki Sunshine,
“in my experience New Yorkers are rude”
Overit is NOT a New Yorker. Oh, you meant… *cackles*
@Luvvie, LOL!!!!
@Luvvie, Overit is NOT a New Yorker. Oh, you meant… *cackles*
you are RU!
@shrifryrye,
LMAO!! I’m SO mad at u for “RU”.
@Nicki Sunshine,
“So, ACCENTS are overrated.”
It’s funny because don’t EVERYone have one? Like, a ninja from London think we have accents just like we think he has one. I giggle whenever someone says, “Oooh, he has an accent!” from someone overseas. You have one too, he just has a [insert country/city here] accent.
@Cheekie, I meant NY accents.. because I used to stan for those in particular.
@Nicki Sunshine,
LOL, naw, I didn’t mean your quote in particular, just those folks that say, “Oooh, accents are hot”. Like, which ones? Including your own? lol
@Cheekie,
according to the transplants here, i have a strong pittsburgh accent, but people actually from pittsburgh assume i’m from somewhere else.
point: everybody is wrong about everything, all of the time
@The Champ,
Same with me about my “NYC/Texas/Alabama” accent.
and also that everybody is always wrong…except me.
@The Champ,
“according to the transplants here, i have a strong pittsburgh accent” – this is quite true.
“but people actually from pittsburgh assume i’m from somewhere else.” - they must have bum hearing aids. lol
btw, you should volunteer yourself to be included in the pittsburghese linguistics project at CMU. they need good quality soundbites. give back to the city, Champ. the dialect is dying and we need people like you to preserve it!
@Miss Patterson,
ya know even when I lived in pgh, I never heard a distinct accent. Other’n yalls penchant for saying car-NAY-gee instead of CAR-nuh-gee like the true pimps, I didnt catch it. Then again, I lived by CMU (transplant central)
NYC isn’t my fave city either, but there’s money there.
Get money and throw that shit back in your rear view mirror where it belongs.
I understand why TtheFree is irritated. Posting such criticism on 9/11 is intended and taken as an insult to NYC.
VSB wins an award for blogging while black
only to start viciously insulting the blacks who voted for them?
@inHIcotton, what are you talking about?
@Liz,
tis what I wanna know as well
@inHIcotton, when did 9/11=nyc? did i miss this memo? we gotta like everything about ny cause of 9/11? not liking ny rats is un-american now? you guys really need some perspective, its sad you still see 9/11 on such a small scale.
@overitnomore!, uh-oh…just when i thought it was going to be “fun friday”. can we talk about s3x now? that always works. speaking of which, i have never had s3x in nyc. that is all. should i repent now for this comment, or should i wait until sunday? oh wait, i don’t have a church home, yet.
@Miss Patterson,
can we talk about s3x now? that always works. speaking of which, i have never had s3x in nyc.
….but I have!
*saddowns*
@Stuff Ghetto People Like, lmao!!!
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
“*saddowns*”
What tickles me the most about this is that you used perfect tense. The ‘s’ is killin’ me because of how it sounds out loud. You, Sir, unlike Joe Wilson (referred to Joe Dubs, lovingly), have grammar skills.
@overitnomore!,
Agreed. 9/11 doesn’t equal NYC, its really global. And to be honest, you can hate NYC, NYS the whole damn country and be sensitive to 9/11.
Besides, Champ is frontin like a mug. He loves him some NYC! hahaha.
@Me fail english?, me fail!! hi! *waving*
@Miss Patterson,
Hey, girle!
@Me fail english?, that’s what i’m saying, i never associated nyc and 9/11 on this extreme level.
and champ def loves nyc, lol.
@inHIcotton, VSB wins an award for blogging while black
only to start viciously insulting the blacks who voted for them?
b/c this makes no sense and is so far from accuracy, this is funny.
or retarded. its one or the other. definitely.
@Panama Jackson,
*snickering*
@inHIcotton,
*dying @ “viciously insulting”.
The ABOVE is that serious? Champers didn’t even go all that hard.
@Cheekie,
“Champers didn’t even go all that hard.”
lol, i’m surprised noone has touched this yet
@The Champ,
Me, too. I just left it there like a piece of raw steak in the lion’s den. I would’ve done it myself, but that’s not fair…
@inHIcotton,
welcome and sh*t, and sorry for pissing in on your toast this morning. i have bad aim sometimes
The media has totally painted New York as being the best city in the world. My opinion is a resounding “NO”. People talk about the “Dirty South” but I’ve never seen DIRT until I visited New York..and I’m from Detroit..lol!!
I’m not gonna run my laundry list about everything that’s overrated about the city (I think that it’s probably everything), but I’d rather talk about thois whole Notorious B.I.G. thing. People saying his the G.O.A.T. really must be on one. He’s not even the best from NY. He’s not even the best from his borough! He’s not even the best from Bed Stuy in my opinion. That title belongs to Kane.
@Monk,
You’re slaying folks effortlessly today. I’m proud.
@Luvvie,
Thanks and shyt…I think.
@Monk, though i don’t think he’s the greatest rapper ever…i think y’all are crazy. on his best day (and they were clearly numbered) biggie was definitely one of the top wordsmiths out of NY. kane was dope. true. no argument.
but i think big was better. he’s not the GOAT due to his circumstances, but there are days when i hear certain biggie verses and i think he was better than jay.
@Panama Jackson,
BIG was definitely dope, but there’s far to little material for me to say that he’s better than Jay. Jay has better quality and quantity of dope shyt.
I’m just biased towards Kane cause I grew up on his music and actually I look at Jay-Z as transcending Brooklyn so my warped mind just views him as my favorite rapper (tied with the white boy depending on what day it is) and not just the best from NY.
I will say that “Empire State Of Mind” is not only my favorite song off of Blueprint 3, but my favorite song PERIOD right now.
@Monk, I’m witchu Monk. I LOVE BP3. Love it Love it Love it… And Empire State of Mind is a great song. A. Keys makes the track SHINE. My fave tho is Already Home… I think.
@pgh muse,
“Already Home” goes hard! Gets me hyped…along wtih “So Ambitious”.
@pgh muse,
Im sorry but BP3 is ass naked!!
How you 40 talking bout you wanna be forever young…die.
There’s one good song on the album, So Ambitious, the rest hot garbage.
Im currently using the album cover to breakdown weed and the cd as a frisbee for my pit. {{hehe}} Syracuse Stand Up!
p.s I hated going to the city when I was a kid. Why do all the buildings smell like piss? I mean, I know why…but just use the bushes like the rest of us.
@Tony,
“How you 40 talking bout you wanna be forever young…die.”
*loud laugh*
@Tony,
Where in NYC u seen bushes?! haha
@Me fail english?,
Im sure there’s some out in Sheepshead or CPW somewhere.
Plus, I mean we have projects that smell like piss but not the damn Empire State Bldg. (this was in the 90′s)
Now I’m not a NY hater, I just hate NYC’rs saying “You aint from NY” every single time I say Im from Syracuse. : / What state is it in again? I dont try to be from NYC, I rep ‘Cuse. Its gotten so bad now that lame ass Connecticut/Jersey ppl start hitting me with that line. I’m like ‘ dude, you fronting hard as hell with a Yankee fitted and ‘I heart NY’ shirt……jump outta window
@Monk, i keep reading how much people love this song. and i’m trying ot get it, i just dont care for it.
though, i’m sure that by the time radio gets ahold to it and plays it 200 times a day, the repetition will have me convinced its a dope song.
though nas should be pissed. its like he tried to big league nas with that title. he should have just called, it NY, NY or something
@Panama Jackson,
“he tried to big league nas with that title.”
I was thinking this same ish. Like this sounds oddly familiar and not in the homage-y “naming an album ‘The Blueprint’” kinda way.
@Panama Jackson,
“he tried to big league nas with that title.”
Yep. I definitely perceived that as Jay takin’ one of his infamous subliminal, passive aggressive shots at Nas.
Ya know…. I spent 2 weeks in New York this year in January… granted it was only 2 weeks, and the weather was horrible, but I really didn’t see what all of the hype was about. I have to say, it was much cleaner than I thought it would be, and I really appreciated the gospel *sigh* singer getting her hustle on in the subway with her portable speakerbox/mic combo…. But I wasn’t half as impressed as the “hype” about NY had me thinking I would be. What I did find out is that there are country ninjas EVERYWHERE YOU GO!!!! Mind you, the country NY ninjas all sound like FAHEEM from G’s to Gents ( I was amazed that they really do sound like that)! LOL! I got a chance to see the notorious Marcy PJ’s…. and well………. how do I say this… they didn’t look so notorious ( keep in mind.. I am from New Orleans, home of the Desire, Florida, Melphomene, Magnolia, St. Thomas, Fischer, B.W. Cooper/Calliope, Iberville, St. Bernard, and Lafitte PJ’s). Now did, I enjoy myself??? Yes I did, but I left the city slightly unimpressed… I am going back the first week in October…. Maybe my opinion will change.
@Lanieanna, “What I did find out is that there are country ninjas EVERYWHERE YOU GO!!!! ”
LMAO!!!! I agree- they are a bit more “country” than they try to let on too… especially some of them clothes (Over kill on name brands- gucci this, gucci that)
@Nicki Sunshine,
That aint Gucci. That’s Canal Street Fucci!!
@Me fail english?, THANK YOU! lmao.. why the belt, shoes, wallet, and bag all at once tho’? It kills me inside.
@Nicki Sunshine,
LOL ,reminds me of FRIDAY.. “I got my MUSH-roooom belt, wit my MUSH-rooooom tie….. BAM! MUSH-room socks!” or something of that nature!
@Me fail english?,
“That aint Gucci. That’s Canal Street Fucci!!”
Or Cucci.
Like, how the fake Coach bags have G’s instead of C’s. Goach.
But subtly (and not-so-subtly) replacing c’s with g’s and vice versa is logical. Those counterfeit ninjas be using their noggins sometimes. lol
@Cheekie,
Those counterfeit ninjas be using their noggins sometimes.
this sounds like the title of a wu album
@Cheekie,
LOL! NY is the kinda city that makes a woman say….. ” Alex… I’ll take the metro ninja for 200 please!” *hee-hee*!
@Lanieanna,
co-sign. PJ’s are over-rated. I’ve been to my share and they are not as bad as certain parts of mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Alabama. Ninjas act like “I’m from the PJ’s…” is a universal call sign for “toughness”. SAT. DOWN! ESPECIALLY….NY ninjas.
Never have I seen a group of ppl who talk so much about it*, without any action or follow through.
*it = anything
Bond. BlkBond.
@BlkBond, I’m sayin’. I went over to the rest of a chick who lived in Red Hook projects…she was living in luxury compared to some non-project spots out here.
@Lanieanna,
Baby, our projects destroy every other project in the country.
Ain’t nothing to really be proud of, but it’s the truth. We had little minature cities of mayhem spread out across acres. Not saying it ain’t hard in other places, but when you saw a New Orleans project back in the day, you knew without a DOUBT you were in a project. When I saw the projects in DC and NY I just thought I was at a raggedy apartment complex. And the projects in other cities just look like the random scattersites in NOLA.
@Big Man,
Cosign, sort of. I definitely didn´t get why having more horrible projects than New York makes NY overrated. As if having shit pjs is a thing to aspire to. I´m miffed.
All I know is that I’ve been listening to OB4CL2 for about 2 weeks straight, so I’m going to thank New York for the awsomeness that is Raekwon and GFK, and the rest of them NY kats that were featured.
@miss t-lee,
Two thumbs up, I’ve been listening to OB4CL2 for about two weeks, also and I have to say that this is the dopest sh*t to come out of the Wu-Tang set since Supreme Clientele.
Reakwon if you’re reading this, I’m going to go BUY it just to show my appreciation of the “Purple Tape II” and I hadn’t bought a cd in years!!!
Only Built For Cuban Links Pt. II > Blueprint 3
…and I’m a BIG Hova fan.
Oh, and I love to visit NY often…but, would NEVER want to live there. Guess it’s the country boy in me to love the south…or as we say it, “the souf”, lol.
@AkShone,
“Two thumbs up, I’ve been listening to OB4CL2 for about two weeks, also and I have to say that this is the dopest sh*t to come out of the Wu-Tang set since Supreme Clientele. ”
I totally agree.
Let’s just say that I ventured into Best Buy to purchase the cd on Tuesday and I had to go to 3 different stores because it was sold out. When I got to the 3rd store there was only one copy left and I snatched it up with the quickness.
I’m wondering if he will come out on top over BP3. This should be interesting.
@AkShone,
Reakwon if you’re reading this, I’m going to go BUY it just to show my appreciation of the “Purple Tape II” and I hadn’t bought a cd in years!!
i agree. i’m actually gonna physically walk into a store and physically buy this cd.
@The Champ,
i said the same thing yesterday. hadn’t bought a cd since 99 and I’m buying this one.
@miss t-lee,
I haven’t bought this yet. Don’t know why…. I think it’s cuz I’m still listening to Jay… when i’m done with this I’ll cop Rae! Still can’t wait 
@pgh muse,
you need to stop bullsh*ttin
@The Champ,
I agree…lol
@The Champ and Miss T,
I do think part of it is because i want the actual disc with the liner notes and errrthang.
…Maybe I’ll go to Dorsey’s, Champ, just on the supporting black business tip. U think they would have it?
@miss t-lee,
I’ll be buying (or downloading) this too. I haven’t heard anything negative about it and from what I’ve heard, it’s pretty solid.
WOW. And OMG! And SMH… And WTF??? Nah, just WOW. This is unadulterated hate. Perhaps warranted only by those who aren’t inspired to have mad love for their hometowns. Surely some parent, grandma, or auntie nem along the way must’ve mentioned this ~ Jealousy is Soooooooo Unbecoming of you.
I don’t have the time, nor inclination to even begin to pick it all apart. But please note that Big Pun gets much respect and is mentioned quite often when dope lyricists come up. Especially cuz he was the first Latin rapper to go platinum… but what am I doing? No time, nor inclination.
Now here’s sumthin about NYC that might actually be underrated: How quickly a chick from the South Bronx will revert back when she sees some bs like this. Basically, I wanna cut ya. With a semi-rusty razor. That tis all.
@bittersweet’s baby, i’m so cool on the bronx.
lol.
@bittersweet’s baby,
*loves this comment*
@bittersweet’s baby,
cut deez
actually, disregard that. cutting deez sounds painful
unbecome deez
@The Champ,
This is a hilariously introspective comment.
@bittersweet’s baby,
This is unadulterated hate. Perhaps warranted only by those who aren’t inspired to have mad love for their hometowns.
Please stop. The vast majority of the panel loves their non-NY hometown dearly. A lot of us think NYC is cool too, myself included, can’t wait to go back. But the arrogance that New York Nation dangles over everyone else’s head like NYC is the only city worth being from/living in is what we take issue with.
It’s even more hilarious coming from folks who moved away from there and will never return.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
Having heard all my life of the ways of New York – from non-New Yorkers, have led me to stand by this statement. There’s a difference in observation and hate. ***Now had most of the folks gone there and formed an opinion rather than taking on whatever glossy, starry eyed impression they had and then held the microscope up to it versus trading the sparkly, unrealistically positive bright-lights big city vision in for a worn and tattered this is actuall the bowels of North America kinda exasperatingly negative stereotype level of disgust… I might reconsider my ire. See, most of the non-natives that I’ve met have fully admitted that much of their opinion is based on what “they” say about NY and then what had happened to a friend who visited on a 4th grade day trip. You know, that invisible “they” in the universe that churns out internet rumors, nonsensical far right/left wing conspiracy based ruminations and whispers of our our favorite dead celebrities still being alive from. They.
***You know this irked my nerves cuz that’s the longest run on sentence in history. I need a Red Stripe.
I’m back at work and catching up on ish so I cant go on and on like I like to do so I’ll just say this.
Growing up here all my life I actually thought it was overrated too for alot of the reasons yall listed above (overcrowding, rudeness – sorry, Champ I think NYers are far more impolite/self-absorbed than the avg American, garbage, smell) …until I visited all of your slow, country, provincial and uninteresting cities and was begging to come back home!
Also, as Champ stated, by mere virtue of the fact that NY gets its own blog and nobody else does I’d say NYers arent the only ones using the city as the gold standard.
P.S. Big wasn’t overrated in his time (posthumously, maybe) Pun is actually underrated. POW!
@Me fail english?, not, POW! lol. yeah, i’d say rude people are everyone, rude don’t discriminate and ish.
@overitnomore!,
Know smthg. Only reason I said that is cuz that’s what out-of-towners told me. They told me cuz we don’t make eye contact or say hello in elevators or some isht. But now that I think of it, the only place in the world I’ve been taken aback by rudeness (mind you, I’ve lived in 3 of 5 boroughs, with a current “extended stay” in a 4th) was Philadelphia. Philly was NOT feeling me. Even though I really like Philly!
@Me fail english?, don’t worry, philly is not feeling philly.
@overitnomore!,
that’s cuz we’re a bunch of douchebags. proud douchebags.
@Me fail english?, yeah, it’s just like how we in Los Angeles get the “fake” tag. When I know the realest of folks in my town and I was shown huge love my three times I went to NYC, with beautiful conversations struck up and everything.
Now are New Yorkers douchebags when y’all travel other places? Well….
@Stuff Ghetto People Like, Now are New Yorkers douchebags when y’all travel other places? Well….
i think this is the TICKET
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
Are we? I have no idea. I try to do like the Romans and ish when I travel. I find that when you actually engage us (NYers) we talk TOO DAMN much and get TOO personal. I guess living in close quarters to everyone kinda kills shyness.
As for other NYers…I dunno what came first the chicken or the egg. Ive heard ppl (non-NYers) say NYers are arrogant and douchy but when I first went to college, as soon as I’d opened my mouth to answer where I was from people (mostly young men) would jump down my throat!
Them: You think you sooo tough, huh? You aint ALL THAT! One time I walked through the 40s screamin ‘Fcuk NY!’ and yall aint do shet
Me:Ok, nice to meet you too. Exit stage left.
@Me Fail, LMAO…
Poor Me Fail…
@pgh muse,
lol. Girl I wish I could say that happened like 2 or 3 times but that isht happened SEVERAL times! I’m like “wth? what is with these fools?”
@Me fail english?,
P.S. Big wasn’t overrated in his time (posthumously, maybe) Pun is actually underrated. POW!
PING!
@Me fail english?, “Growing up here all my life I actually thought it was overrated too for alot of the reasons yall listed above (overcrowding, rudeness – sorry, Champ I think NYers are far more impolite/self-absorbed than the avg American, garbage, smell) …until I visited all of your slow, country, provincial and uninteresting cities and was begging to come back home!
Also, as Champ stated, by mere virtue of the fact that NY gets its own blog and nobody else does I’d say NYers arent the only ones using the city as the gold standard.”
ABSOF*CKINLUTELY!!
Being a recently freed military veteran I have travelled to other cities and currently live in the DC metro area. It is AMAZING the amount of HATRED y’all BAMAs got for my city. I am not even a boastful dude(even though I did wear my LT jersey to work to prepare you DC folks for the reaping) . . . they ask where you from . . . I say Brooklyn . . . oh Brooklyn aint sh!t . . fukk New York . . . Really? Because when you said you were from Tuskascratchmy@ssstillinslavery Alabama I didnt have that feeling about your wonderful city. Oh well, I guess if you don’t have any haters then you are probably doing something wrong.
@IVR,
“Tuskascratchmy@ssstillinslavery Alabama”
*Dead, dead, dead*
Hell yeah. When you go outta town there’s always at least one dude waiting to unload all his lifetime’s latent NYC hate on you.
@IVR,
“Tuskascratchmy@ssstillinslavery Alabama”
LMAO! i just spit hot chocolate on the library computer. Thx. lol
Yeah…NYC is overrated. They still living off the 80′s and shit. They started this and they started that.
Its amazes me the love the Lebrainless James gives NYC.
@mongo slade,
Its amazes me the love the Lebrainless James gives NYC.
for as much as i love king james on the court, i have to admit that he seems to be a bit of a frontrunner off it.
also, dudes without fathers are more likely to turn out to be sport fan nomad. like, although im a native pittsburgher, my dad’s the main reason im a die-hard steeler fan now. without that influence, who knows what wretched franchise i would have ended up rooting for
LOL…I remember when I was a young girl, I actually really dug the NY accent on dudes til I discovered the great majority were some serious bamas LMAO..now there are exceptions, and I still dig the flavor on them, nods to the thorough hip hop cats, Dennis Coles, Shawn C, Rae, etc
@OrangeStar616,
lol, at using the wu’s government names
So flattered by all the NYC hate.
BK Stand Up!!! lol
wait for it…
@Knewthistopicwouldcomeupeventuallylol,
nope
@Knewthistopicwouldcomeupeventuallylol, “BK Stand Up!!! lol”
Crown Heights BK all DAY!
@Knewthistopicwouldcomeupeventuallylol,
Burger King?
The extent of my knowledge of NY is one trip to Brooklyn, the bridge and the subway system, bout 20 years ago. Meh.
In college my experiences with NYers was….interesting, never heard so many “Gods” “Sons” or “Word is bond” “my seeds” in my life. It was also my first experience with powder blue timbs with the matching
what is that, velvet?powder blue ball cap, blue and white polo that came to the knees and uber baggy ass pants…like I said, twas interesting.Oh and please trust they ain’t got nothin’ on Simple City, lol
@Smiley Face,
i used to refer to cats as “son” alot too, part of it was being around nyc cats in college and another was listening to too much mobb deep
@Smiley Face, “powder blue timbs with the matching what is that, velvet? powder blue ball cap, blue and white polo that came to the knees and uber baggy ass pants”
They were probably from Harlem LoL
We don’t do that sh!t in Brooklyn.
@IVR,
I was thinking that too! Esp. once she got to the uber baggy pants. But powder blue? No sah!
NYC is like five little separate cities. If yall gon hate on all five boros at least please mention some isht that is common to all parts. I will bear NO responsibility for Jim Jones and his ilk.
Soooo….I grew up wanting to live in NY really badly….it was always a part of the master plan. Finally, after growing up in Detroit, going to college in Atlanta and a pit stop in LA I made it to NY…..Yaaayyyy…. right?…..I only stayed 3 years. The place that as a child I thought I’d want to live my forever in, ended up being a place I outgrew. I still love the city and have many friends who live there who I will always visit. I think the city has much to offer but why an adult would chose to live like a college student (read: roommates and Ramen) while making 50k or why a woman would carry a stroller up to two flights of stairs to the subway everyday is beyond me. I grew up better than that and unless a six figure salary was going to fall out of the sky I just felt it wasn’t smart to take a step backwards. One of my friends said it best the week I moved there…”If you want to live in NY you have to lower your standards of living” which translates to also sacrificing quality of life. No bueno.
@TLC,
You know, if my entire family didnt live here I’d be out on the first thing smokin’.
Imagine how pissed I was when my friends went away to school down south, come to find out you can work at foot locker and have a NEW, RENOVATED, SPACIOUS apartment. I’m working for a Fortune 100 and my isht is pre-war?! Blasphemy!!!
Unfortunately all the other places I’d like to live have high ass standards of living too (Chicago, Boston, Phila). So I’ll be staying my ass right with the fam. Prob move to the suburbs when I have pickneys tho.
@Me fail english?,
But you know I completely understand why someone who has plenty of family would stay…I think there is a little bit more help….I mean no matter where you are from people always know they can head to mom’s house for a meal and in my case Daddy to fix the car….even in cities like NY having family helps…but for the transplants I definitely don’t understand the reason for staying beyond a few years if you’re not in a certain tax bracket
@TLC,
Agreed. That IS insanity. $50K a year in NYC (esp. in the poppin parts that it make worthwhile leaving the hometown for) gets you next to nothing. And I dont care what they say. If you live outside of Manhattan with no car you WILL be salty (esp if you’re not from here).
@Me fail english?,
LOL!!!…so TRUE…after my first year I wanted my car back…and even when I would borrow my boy’s car I hated the parking situation…it was a LOSE-LOSE….lol!!!
@Me fail english?,
I lived in Flushing and would have died with out my car. OK, I wouldn’t have died but I’m sure you get the point.
@TLC,
why a woman would carry a stroller up to two flights of stairs to the subway everyday is beyond me.
One example of why I’ve maintained that I don’t see NYC (at least the stereotypical NYC) as built to raise a family in.
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
Ya know, if we’re talking pure square-mileage, most of NYC isnt a place where you’d have to lug anything up a ton of steps.
Transplants who want to be in the thick of things and have no family ties to other neighborhoods tend to live in the most over-priced, over-crowded and over-developed parts of the city. Most of the 4 “outer” boroughs are mostly “suburban” (NYC’s version of suburban= most buildings don’t rise more than 3 stories).
@Me fail english?,
I must admit that I lived in the middle of nowhere Bronx and just about everyone else I knew could get to the train easier than I could, but at least half the people I knew lived in walk-ups so lugging thing up steps was a regular occurance
@TLC,
That sux. I remember growing I felt like everyone I knew in a walk-up HAD to live on the top floor! But they mostly had elevators. Smelly, dangerous elevators
@TLC,
This is the absolute best comment today. I have found that its very tough to go from having a house with a yard to a walkup w/ dirty noisy neighbors, leaving trash on the street, roaches/rats, and no AC. I have a college degree from HU and could have and should have stayed my black *ss in DC. I regret it 364 out of 365 days/year!!!
@Freaknik, which one is the 1, New Year’s?
@Stuff Ghetto People Like,
Hell nah! Even I hate NY on New Year’s. Must be Brooklyn-Queens day
@TLC,
Finally, after growing up in Detroit, going to college in Atlanta and a pit stop in LA I made it to NY
you’ve been around and sh*t
@The Champ,
LOL!!!…I guess so….but it’s a good thing…no matter if you come from the South, the West, the East or Midwest I’ve experienced it all and can give a well rounded comparitive opinion of them all….at least I hope:-)
@TLC, I will agree with you here. All of my friends are still in New York and a lot of them live with their parents. These are college educated folks make a decent salary pay all the bills, but I can’t mess with that. The days of screwing on grandma’s bed while she was in Atlantic City wasting her SSI are over. That being said, once these folks pay me enough IM GOING BACK HOME!
NY is overated?!?!?! What is this blasphemy?!?!
Honestly, I can see how someone who visits or even someone who has lived there as an adult may not fully understand the splendiferousness that is the Big Apple. When I talk to others who grew up in NY and still rep it hard, we never discuss 5th Ave. or the Great White Way, but rather the beauty of the block and summers spent doing things we considered normal (both cultural and hoodtastic), only to learn later that they were unheard of in other places. For me, those NY coming-of-age experiences could never be overated, but they can also never be duplicated, so as a visitor and an adult, my NY experience now is very different and not necessarily better than my DC, LA or ATL experiences. I’ll always love it though, and to those who don’t…bye, hater!
@SDot,
Well said. I didnt spend alot of time defending us cause a lot of the gripes sound distinct to folks who dont know much about the city (eg. outdated stereotypes and plain ol’ whining). But yes, even though as I grow older I want more green space (and space period) the spirit of NY is distinct from any other place I’ve been. And i love my city for that.
@Me fail english?, Imma have to concede this… Housing is EXPENSIVE up there though. Sheesh… but I can definitely see how a child growing up in NYC would love it.
@pgh muse,
You know for all my bitchin about wanting to raise my kids elsewhere, I LOVED growing up in a city that:
-it’s impossible to get stranded cuz public trans runs ALL the time. And pretty often relative to other places I’ve been.
-We got a lil bit of everything. Even if it aint homegrown, there isn’t a group activity, cultural event, exhibition, work exeprience, exposure to smth new/novel I couldn’t get within my city limits.
There’s other isht, but I had a fun ass childhood. I dont see how kids make it where you NEED a car to leave your hood. Or if you want an internship in this industry you gotta go away. And live where on an intern’s pay?
@Me fail english?,
I think that there are probably unique aspects associated with growing up in NY that the rest of us have no clue about but I think every city has those things…I mean I was very confused as to what the fuss was about Freaknik was because in Detroit (to me at least) is was just Belle Isle and Jefferson Ave on crack….Also I was pretty surprised to find out about the what seem to me to be basic childhood activities, like football teams, that don’t play a part in an NY childhood. All our memeories are unique and I for one love hearing the differences.
@TLC,
“I mean I was very confused as to what the fuss was about Freaknik was because in Detroit (to me at least) is was just Belle Isle and Jefferson Ave on crack….”
I’ve been to Freaknik and that is all it was. Downtown Detroit and 7 mile was like that every weekend in the summer at one time.
@Humble_One aka Field Ninja & TLC, they f*ck in public en masse at Belle Isle?
@Stuff,
yeah, teh D is gon need a few more ppl on this one. I neva even been to freaknik but I snuck and watched my big cuz’ VHS tapes. I heard Freaknik got “lame” (read: respectable) in later years, but when cuzzo went in it’s heyday that isht was straight Sodom & Gomorrah.
i SAID can we talk about sex NOW? dang, y’all stressin’ me out. i did not sleep in for this bickering.
@Miss Patterson,
Sure…go ahead…I can’t contribute much but I can always talk ish.
@Miss Patterson,
Girl…I’m too busy day dreaming about the shape of a man’s back in the form of milky dark chocolate..
..too busy day dreaming of the way his hands fit and flow in that space between my waist and hips, how his thumb fits in the dimple in my lower back and how his fingers curve around my waist and flex when he hugs me from behind….mmm le sigh
can’t wait for this weekend to get started…SC here I come…wooosaaahhhh
@Smiley Face, i’m not appreciating your vivid chocolatey flashbacks of your ‘SC got d@mn’. UNLESS, he has a brother. lol
@Miss Patterson,
For real…I’m seriously hating right now…you should be able to feel it through the screen.
*side eye*
But seriously girl…gon’ get it in.
@Miss Patterson,
lol, that’s the reason we’re going to SC, his brother is getting married!
@ miss t-lee..girl trust, I know the feeling, i was hating and hating hard on my girls when Mr Mister was in Florida for a gotdayum year,lol. I was one mi-ser-able somebody. Happy for them and sad for me! lol.
@Smiley Face,
What in the T Lee?
*Hates, hates, hates onnnnn….*
@Me fail english?,
You’re always right on time with my song…lol
@Me fail english?,
lol….well she asked!
@Miss Patterson,
“i SAID can we talk about sex NOW? dang, y’all stressin’ me out. i did not sleep in for this bickering.”
Maybe one can argue that NYC is sexy? Or that talking about how overrated it is…is sexy? *shrug*
@Miss Patterson,
i SAID can we talk about sex NOW?
no
I thought I was the only one who felt that way about B.I.G. I didn’t listen to any of his albums until I was older and actually paid attention to lyrics…and…uh-ruh…yeah. I don’t see what makes him one of the greatest of all time.
I think Amber Rose is overrated! Besides being a bisexual who rocks a blond taper…if she wasn’t ‘Ye’s g/f, would she get all this press? I’m just wondering.
I also think being a grown-up is overrated! Bills and responsibilities…this shtick is for the birds!
@K to the…,
You know what else is overrated? B*tchassness.
@Luvvie,
LMAO!!!!!
@Luvvie,
I co-sign this. I’m mad it has its own campaign and t-shirt.
Ok, so you know you are SO wrong for this Mr. Pittsburg. So what you have a NFL championship team, so do we.* (*And probably won’t get another, thanks Plaxico!)
Anyway…. Biggie? Eh? debatable. I’d say on the strength of Brooklyn, he wins!
Harlem. Ummmm, as a NATIVE Harlem-ite. I get where you are coming from. The white folks are there but only on like 10 full blocks- for real! And where they are, are the nice restaurants/coffee shops (that are not convinient for late night dining) and relatively nice grocery stores. Unlike the cozy neighborhood pockets of (some of Brooklyn) Harlem still is more ‘hood(urban, overly negrodian) than people give it credit for. Let’s be clear Harlem is NOT Spanish Harlem on the East side. It is literally a 45 block radius, N-S and only 6 blocks East-West from Fifth Ave. Soooo the turnover of foolery still needs time to filter. The negroes have no where to go.
Living here can be overrated- agreed. But if you want the diversity, food, glamour, The Arts, and overrated living, well NY is the place for you. As much as people hate it, everyone wants to live here.
Yes, always hated the Knicks. Loved Michael and the Bulls. Gulliani can kiss my grits. And NYer Pride- yes VERY OVERRATED. Why? Because half the people who go hard for NY are not even really from NY. smh.
@Daydreamer,
“half the people who go hard for NY are not even really from NY”
True. The transplants fly the flag higher than anyone. But another reason I think NY pride is at sickening levels is cuz NY hate is at sickening levels. Change the topic of discussion to ANY other city in the world, watch the comments shrink 75% and with a lot less passion.
@Me fail english?,
“The transplants fly the flag higher than anyone. ”
HAHA! I can actually see that…
Do you roast them and/or put them in their place whenever they do it in front of you?
@Cheekie,
Girl, I’ont even care. I just feel like you cant get a good feel for NYC as a whole unless you grew up there but Im glad they’re so happy. Sometimes I resent the fact that they displaced so many natives (jacking up the price of apts and such! it wasnt always this way
) and thereby some of our native culture disappeared but now I’m Miss Sofia at Christmastime. *listlessly shrugs*
@Me fail english?,
“and thereby some of our native culture disappeared but now I’m Miss Sofia at Christmastime. ”
Awww.
Cuz I’ont know ya’ll no mo’.
*sniff*
@Daydreamer,
lol, at “pittsburg”
wrong deez, btw
I find it rather amusing that you are a Pittsburgh native and going on NYC. Adding to that, I agree with everything you listed. I’m a native of Memphis, and I currently reside in the DC area. For some reason Memphis native’s rep hard (not sure why when they have 1 of the highest crime rates) and District of Columbians consider it the best place ever (yet failing to mention they are listed #1 for AIDS).
Along with NYC…DC and Memphis are also OVERRATED!
In my younger years, when I first moved to the DC area, DC women always glorified NYC men…based on my experiences, I must add NYC men to the list. They too are ♪OVERRATED… *clap, clap, clap, clap, clap*♪!
@Strictly Shonta,
No offense, but I dont even know anyone with an opinion of Memphis. Well, outside of good BBQ and music. Id still like some Memphis style ribs before I die….and to walk down Beale
@Me fail english?,
No offense taken; based on your comment one would assume you don’t know very many people from Memphis. Which is also understandable; because most of them barely travel to other places (unless they join the military). So in their opinions they are the best.
Memphis ribs are the sh*t! The walk down Beale should have definitely happened for you years ago. I was just in Memphis in July and Beale St is not the same. Matter-of-fact, it’s a complete waist of time.
@Strictly Shonta,
“Beale St is not the same”
Damn, that’s how I feel about Coney Island, the Labor Day and Puerto Rican Day parades and some other signature NYC stuff. I dunno if Im getting older and outgrowing or the isht really sux now. ( I think its the latter cuz Im a big kid)
@Me fail english?,
Sorry to butt in this lovely convo, but the below:
“( I think its the latter cuz Im a big kid)”
Goes on the list o’ reasons that prove me fail english and cheekie are the same person.
If ya’ll haven’t gathered already from my stanning of Disney films (hmph! miss t-lee…lol), I’m also a big kid.
@Cheekie,
Shhhh! Why you letting the secret out?!
P.S. I cam home from Disney last week! Happiest place on earth!! …or is that Brooklyn
@ Cheekie,
“If ya’ll haven’t gathered already from my stanning of Disney films (hmph! miss t-lee…lol), I’m also a big kid.”
Eff a disney…
@Hater t-lee,
WHAT?! You must wanna fight!
@Me fail english?, “Damn, that’s how I feel about Coney Island, the Labor Day and Puerto Rican Day parades and some other signature NYC stuff. I dunno if Im getting older and outgrowing or the isht really sux now. ( I think its the latter cuz Im a big kid)”
I feel this the most about Coney Island. . . very fond memories of going to coney island with the family and that place next door . . . astroland or whatever it was called. . . now only time I am in the vicinity is speeding home up the Belt Parkway. That place is a death trap.
@Me fail english?,
Brang it!!!
*sniggling*
@IVR,
Ah yes Easter Sundays at Astroland ws that isht! Even my Mama and Daddy used to do that back in their day. But I’ont trust CI dudes far as I can thro’ em. Starting with Steph. *lethal side-eye*
*hits miss t-lee over the head with Rafiki’s stick*
*mumbling* Eff a disney deez…
@Cheekie
Ol’ Disney loving ninja…
*throat punch*
@Strictly Shonta,
I’m from Memphis, I moved away years ago after undergrad. I don’t ever recall anybody rating Memphis to call it overrated, lol. I agree with you about Beale street not being the same as it was back in the day. A lot of things have changed back home and regretfully some things hadn’t.
I still wave my Memphis flag proudly. I had great times there…some scary ones, too. I always love to go back home to visit, though.
@AkShone,
LMAO…ok so using Memphis in my example was bit much. The point is most cities are overrated.
When people ask me where I’m from, I proudly say Memphis. I love to visit; I go at least 2x a year. But I’m always ready to come back home.
@Strictly Shonta,
Please don’t generalize, Boo! I’m a proud native of Memphis. True enough, it’s not for everyone, but saying that most of us don’t travel is not what’s up. Where someone is from or lives doesn’t make him/her better than anyone else. Every city, no matter how big or small, has its good and bad.
@Southern Lady,
“but saying that most of us don’t travel is not what’s up”
Ok, so you don’t fall into that category of non-travelers, but a lot of people do. Never once did I say that being from a particular place made someone better or worse than the next. I was clearly misunderstood.
I too, am a Memphis native, and proud of it. That doesn’t mean I can’t talk about the people or the faults of the city.
“Every city, no matter how big or small, has its good and bad.”
This statement is oh so true; however, there aren’t very many good things that “I” could say about Memphis. But it’s not going to stop me from telling people I’m from there nor will it stop me from visiting. It is where my roots lay.
Have a good weekend!
@Strictly Shonta,
I loooovvveeee DC…but we effed up all day long! But I’m a Providence baby and will always love DC, effed up politics, gentrification, no schedule having schools and all, lol!
@Smiley Face, Washingtonian here and yessssss I PUTs ON FOR MY CITY, funny how folks get here then hate but then wanna claim the joint
tranplants are famous for this LMAO
As a native I must say yes we have issues but so does everywhere else, AIDS is everywhere, as are DL dudes, major big city issues etc
@OrangeStar616, betta not nobody talk bout my Marion Barry!! LOL
As far as claiming: Yes LAWD!! Especially conversations like:
Me: Where are you from?
Them: DC
Me: *getting excited* Oh for real? What part?
Them: Alexandria
Me: o_O…oh for real
lmao!
@Smiley Face, or “Silver Spring”, or “Gaithersburg” or “Greenbelt”or “Vienna” etc o_O LMAO but see, whats funny is we recognize one another, you just know when someone is REALLY from the city and when they just frontin (c) Neptunes
@OrangeStar616,
Exactly!! Like ‘nuh unh’ your bama @ss is lyin!
@OrangeStar616, Yeah, but in terms of AIDS DC got South Africa numbers…
@OrangeStar616,
“I PUTs ON FOR MY CITY”
You should put on for your city…yes I’m hating and please believe there is no claiming DC for me. Note I said I live in the DC area. If it wasn’t for my good paying job and the house that I recently bought, I would be on the next transit smoking, flying or rolling out of here.
I agree with you, AIDS and DL brothers are everywhere. I was using that to state my point. Since we’re on the topic, DC does have the #1 rate
it used to be ATL! As with everything else DC always wants to be the one to outshine; I guess they won that battle…@Strictly Shonta, LOL you either shine or you don’t, regardless of where you from *shrug* nobody I know from the city does this, what you speak of, maybe you been bamboozled by the tranplants, cause they are the ones that tend to be the bamas, feeling like they have something to prove IDK…….
@Strictly Shonta, Pittsburgh
said with nothing but love
@pgh muse,
There was no hate intended at Pittsburgh. I don’t know a thing about Pittsburgh
other than the Steelers sexy ass coach.Reading the headline I would have assumed that he was from NYC…that’s all. I was imagining the ruffled feathers of the New Yorkers (once they read this)@Strictly Shonta, Girl. He’s sexxxy in person! My son and his kids go to the same school.
@Strictly Shonta,
♪OVERRATED… *clap, clap, clap, clap, clap*♪!
That sports clap is one of my favorite shticks.
so, as I was putting the finishing touches on todays topic while watching the steelers game with my girl, gemmie, and another friend, one of them asked what I was writing about. I told them, and a light-hearted discussion about nyc began until one of them mentioned “wait…isn’t tommorrow 9/11? you sure this is appropiate?” until then, I hadn’t realized the date, and for a moment a part of me considered saving the already finished entry for another date and just re-posting some sh*t from 2008.
then, I remembered that the name of my website is very smart brothas .com, and that the readership was contained of thousands of somewhat intelligent brothas and sistas who’d probably just see today’s topic as an excuse to devote an entire day to discuss and debate the bad AND good sh*t about nyc, much more positive, thought provoking, and productive than just having an entry titled “remember” or some sh*t with a gif of an american flag waving, and that 9/11 was actually the perfect day to post this topic.
for those still offended, its obviously within your rights to feel that way, and its also obvious that vsb isn’t the place for you. happy trails and sh*t
@The Champ,
***FAITH TABERNACLE HOLD ME IN UR ARMS LAWD BECAUSE MY LIGHT WILL ALWAYS SHINE PENTECOSTAL COGIC AME***
What this means is CO-SIGN with my SS# and signature.
@The Champ,
*finga snaps* I heeeaaarddd that!
@The Champ, Go Champ, It’s ur Birthday
@The Champ,
Talk about it!
*church wave*
@The Champ,
Wow, didn’t even draw the comparison. It woulda came to me after my breakfast digested, though.
I consider it a nice tribute because, yeah, the discussion WOULD eventually delve into the good about NYC as well from the natives. If you did a post about over-hyped ish about any hometown, the natives would naturally come to defend and glorify. It’s human nature (yes Michael Jackson).
They are definitely overrated when it comes to basketball and the And1 dudes are garbage. The And1 tour is to basketball what souljah boy is to hip hop.
I still remember this guy in college with a straight face try to tell me none of them are in the NBA because there is no competition in the NBA!!!
@Omar,
And 1 is from NY? Ya learn smthg new everyday.
Anyhow, not that Im a huge bball fan, but I dont think thats what ppl are talkin about when they talk about the ball. There’s West 4th, Dyckman, Kingdome and some others that are more popular, competitve (ie. more gambling on it, heh!) than And1. Again, Im from here and didnt even know that was ours? Did Skip (Alston) start it?
@Me fail english?, The And1 thing started with making these highlight videos from the EBC tournament, Skip was one of the notable people on those videos. Then they started taking players from the tournament and going around the country doing exhibitions.
I’ve heard about West 4th and kingdome but still considering the amount and caliber of players the city sends to the NBA, like Sebastion Telfair they still are overrated. Some say there are better players in the streets that either get in trouble or don’t get the grades, but as corrupt as big cities and sports can be I doubt NYC just happens to be on the honor system when it comes to basketball.
@Omar,
Cant argue with that logic. And Im surprised at Bashy (Sebastian). Ppl been scouting him (or at least he puttin him in Slam mag) since we was like 14 or smthg.
@Omar,
I still remember this guy in college with a straight face try to tell me none of them are in the NBA because there is no competition in the NBA!!!
did you smack him in the face?
i dont actually think NYC is overrated. that city was pretty much everything i thought it would be on my first trip. hell, i still get slightly starstruck when i’m diving up the turnpike and i can see the skyline from afar. it’s lost some of that initial luster but i still love nyc.
i do agree with some of your points though. harlem gets treated like its the end all be all for the urban professional cats (i prefer BK myself).
and you’re trippin’ about biggie. dude ain’t overrated. you’d think somebody who loved the wu’s vivid imagery would be able to appreciate how good a story teller biggie was. or how well he could paint a pic with words. lol
pizza though, is overrated in nyc. and the club scene is just not that dope.
you know what is overrated though? toledo.
@Panama Jackson,
“pizza though, is overrated in nyc. ”
Oooh, you reminded me of another reason I want to visit. Since we folks here in the Chi like to think OUR pizza is the best (deep dish runs this town tonight), I want to try a giant flat and flimsy pizza that you have to fold to eat. Just so I can say — off principle — that ours is better. Even if I really enjoy it.
@Panama Jackson,
and you’re trippin’ about biggie. dude ain’t overrated. you’d think somebody who loved the wu’s vivid imagery would be able to appreciate how good a story teller biggie was. or how well he could paint a pic with words. lol
you know what, i loved biggie as a rapper. but, i just never looked at him as the dude who was the unquestioned leader of the east coast. put it this way. although i was a huge tupac fan, pac would have been pac wherever he was from? biggie, on the other hand, benefited greatly by being with diddy and from nyc. i dont know if we’d remember him in the same light if he was from say, d.c. or new jersey
@Panama Jackson, ” do agree with some of your points though. harlem gets treated like its the end all be all for the urban professional cats (i prefer BK myself). ”
Harlem SUCKS! (jk) Thats a good preference chief. . .and for good looking women go to Washington Heights. . . I used to “summer” there for the views lol
I’ve never been to NY. Always wanted to visit NYC, though…just to say I have. I want to sing songs with the naked cowboy in Times Square and dangle on the top of the Empire State Building while helicopters shoot at me. But, that’s probably my limit. I want to visit.
I live in a large city already, but with decreased mean-mugging and even more decreased rats. It’s a big cosmopolitan-like city but still with a midwest hospitality. Also, we have garbage dumps. Yet, I digress and sh*t.
I remember when I was a kid/teen, my cousin and I would have this rilvary with NYC always bemoaning how they always got the movies shot there and we didn’t (this was before Dark Knight and ‘nem finally remembered we had great landscapes too…ya’ll production companies shoulda hit up the Blues Bros…they woulda told you!).
Things I wanna know about the overhypeness of NYC:
1. Is NYC truly “The City That Never Sleeps?” Or does Vegas officially hold this title? I typed it in Google and Google’s auto-fill-in feature listed Vegas first, so…lol
2. Were you native New Yorkers born with the muscle that allows you to smile? And when you move there, is that muscle rendered un-usable by default once you cross city lines? Because I heard ya’ll mean. *pouts*
3. Why doesn’t the Naked Cowboy just walk around with a giant FCC censor bar instead of wearing draws (aka underwear)?
4. Is there anyone currently living/working in the city that hasn’t been mugged at least once? I imagine baby ninjas in their strollers gettin’ their rattles snatched by the thug baby being pushed in the stroller next to them.
5. Did ya’ll invent hip-hop? I’mma need an official documentation on this one right chere. Like, I need it in stone tablet form like what the Ten Commandments were written on.
@Cheekie,
“Is there anyone currently living/working in the city that hasn’t been mugged at least once? I imagine baby ninjas in their strollers gettin’ their rattles snatched by the thug baby being pushed in the stroller next to them.”
FYI/ I never been robbed in my life! (C) Jay
really tho, there but for the grace of God go I
@Cheekie, “2. Were you native New Yorkers born with the muscle that allows you to smile? And when you move there, is that muscle rendered un-usable by default once you cross city lines? Because I heard ya’ll mean. *pouts*”
I will give you this one. Growing up in a bad neighborhood and walking around smiling is probably not a good look. Particularly if you were the antithesis of thug life . . . I gotta make it back to my block in one piece. . . smiling has the look of a potential victim. You wanna see smiling . . . find a tourist . . . they always smiling . . .and in the way.
“4. Is there anyone currently living/working in the city that hasn’t been mugged at least once? I imagine baby ninjas in their strollers gettin’ their rattles snatched by the thug baby being pushed in the stroller next to them.”
I got mugged once as a freshman in high school at gunpoint . . .dude stole my crucifix and had the nerve to ask me if it was real .. . I think I may have been smiling that day . . . see above. I also remember a little dude (read: prepubescent youth) trying to steal my beeper as I was walking to the train station after football practice with the ENTIRE football team . . . that little mufukka had balls . . . even if he was not acknowledged. I hope he has turned his life around.
@IVR,
How come everyone who went to Brooklyn Tech has a story of how they got robbed? Them Ft Greene projects kids musta been crossin over the park.
@Me fail english?, “How come everyone who went to Brooklyn Tech has a story of how they got robbed? Them Ft Greene projects kids musta been crossin over the park.”
Dudes were coming from all over Brooklyn to rob the geeks. It was mostly the asian folks that got got. My freshman year in high school I was 5’0 100 something pounds walking around with a t square protruding out of my school bag . . . looking back I probably would have robbed me too . . . thank goodness for unsavory family members wanting in on the action . . .i’ll never forget the days walking down tech hallways and I see one of them fools like mufukka u don’t go to this school! LoL . . . trying to get me to sell back stolen scientific calculators . . . fukkouuttahere.
@IVR,
LMAO@ ur family!!!! uh…that didnt come out right.
But yeah I remember all the Tech kids would come downtown afterschool in packs acting hard…til Westinghouse or smthg let out
btw, whatever happened to Westinghouse? They close?
@IVR, “LMAO@ ur family!!!! uh…that didnt come out right.
But yeah I remember all the Tech kids would come downtown afterschool in packs acting hard…til Westinghouse or smthg let out
btw, whatever happened to Westinghouse? They close?”
I remember THAT! We used to go to Albee Square Mall . . . We used to hit up S and D’s and look at all the clothes we couldn’t afford . . . walk over to beat street and listen to whateva was new . . . take the train back to Fulton Street (Bed Stuy Fulton not Downtown Fulton) to cop it for 5 dollars.
Figures the hooligans would be from Westinghouse . . . damn vocational @rse school . . . I have no idea what ever happened to that school . . always looked closed when I passed by.
@IVR,
LMAO@ Beat Street and S&Ds.
I used to get my nails done and go to the dentist at Albee Square Mall. Walking from Nevins past those Beat Street dudes was the worst! Always snatching up the young girls and tryna kidnap them into the back of the store. lol
@IVR,
“I will give you this one. Growing up in a bad neighborhood and walking around smiling is probably not a good look. Particularly if you were the antithesis of thug life . . . I gotta make it back to my block in one piece. . . smiling has the look of a potential victim. You wanna see smiling . . . find a tourist . . . they always smiling . . .and in the way.”
I just wanna be as clear as the shiny mirror you see when you rub Ne-Yo’s balding head. There’s a difference between walking around smiling and smiling at folks to acknowledge them.
Walking around with a constant smile on your face = potentially crazy
Walking around with no expression = normal
Walking around and occasionally smiling at folks who acknowledge you = nice and hospitable
Walking around with a constant mean-mug = a-hole* or Ben Stein
*Addendum: I know sometimes it means you’re having a bad day (we all have ‘em), but for those that do it 24/7…stop spreadin’ around those negative vibes, yo!
Addendum to the addendum: Yeah, I ain’t gon’ lie. Smiling can get you some harrassment in a shady neighborhood. But so can mean-muggin. Especially if you a chick. I go with: O_O
…to be on the safe side.
@Cheekie, “Walking around with a constant smile on your face = potentially crazy
Walking around with no expression = normal
Walking around and occasionally smiling at folks who acknowledge you = nice and hospitable
Walking around with a constant mean-mug = a-hole* or Ben Stein”
I guess you are right, after living outside of NYC for the last 6 years of my life . . .10 if you include college (but we always went home poughkeepsie was right up the street) . . . NYers are just not smiling people. You aren’t even supposed to be addressing people you don’t know. I dont know why it is this way. . . that’s just the way it is. Every time I go back home now I have to remind myself not to be headnodding folks I don’t know as is done around the majority of the civilized world. That sh!t might get you in problems.
@IVR,
Cuz its too many effing ppl! You might develop a tic from all that head-nodding.
@IVR and me fail,
Yeah, I feel ya. You can’t acknowledge EVERYone. But, I’d be depressed amongst folks with perpetual frowns all the time. It’s probably really jarring during work hours when folks just tryin to get the eff where they’re goin’, which I can understand. That’s actually the time when downtown Chicago is the same way.
I’m just sayin’…with all those dayum people: How you e-f*ck the cutie who walks past you…you gotta be speedy as hell. lol
I lived in NY for a while and although I’m going back I agree that the place is overrated.
I haven’t read all the comments so this my be a duplicate, but the restaurants in NY are totally overrarted. Sure there are more options than most other cities b/c of it’s diversity, but I’ve done my share of dining in NYC, from holes-in-the-wall to the most expensive places one can imagine (I ate out at so much I seriously considered writing a restaurant blog and I still might do it when I go back), and I can honestly say that Pittsburgh restaurants are just as good if not better in some cases. I’ve always felt that if there’s only 1 thing you can do in the Burgh, it’s get a good meal. And I’m sure the same thing goes for a lot of other cities.
And if you’ve ever had REAL Soul Food you know that Sylvia’s isn’t that great, and the Shark Bar and Amy Ruth’s only serve as back ups for when you don’t have time to cook or you can’t get to your mom/grandma/auntie/etc. And never go to Justin’s unless you’re in the mood to listen to all Bad Boy artists while eating dry chicken. At least that was my experience.
@Voiceofreason,
But I still LOVE NY! And I don’t think I meant to live anywhere else!
@Voiceofreason,
Yes, Justin’s was like diner food. Thank Jeebs they are closed now.
@Voiceofreason, About Sylvia’s, one does has to wonder how what is supposedly THE SPOT for Soul Food is based in New York City. My guess would like some spot in SC or Alabama
@Omar,
Yeah Sylvia’s was the one place that my homegirl was roasting endlessly when she got back.
Then again, we’re from Texas so maybe Soul Food standards are different up North.
@Omar,
It’s only the Spot b/c it’s located in the city with the loudest people!
I don’t care who says I’m wrong, if you didn’t grow up eating good soul food, you don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like. And I don’t think that holds true for most Blacks in NY b/c most are from or have parents who are from another country. Of course Sylvia’s would be good if your momma and grandma never made it. What can you compare it to?
@Voiceofreason,
Actually, Harlem of all places probably has the highest concentration of Yankees (American- descended ppl). Sylvia’s is just a tourist trap. Nobody from NYC actually goes there.
Highest concentration I agree, but I still think there are more non-American than American born blacks in NY. And Sylvia’s is a DEFINITE tourist trap. I went once and was not pleased with my meal or the overall experience.
@Voiceofreason,
“I don’t care who says I’m wrong, if you didn’t grow up eating good soul food, you don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like. And I don’t think that holds true for most Blacks in NY b/c most are from or have parents who are from another country”
Sooo co-sign this!….I love my Latin and Carribbean friends in NY and their food but unless you have ancestors from below the Mason Dixon line back aaaaway from the Mac and Cheese!!
@TLC,
As a halfsie (Yankee-Carib) I’ll go head and co-sign this too. Esp where it concerns Mac and Chz!!! I have horror tales. *Mr. Burns shudder*
@Voiceofreason, “I don’t care who says I’m wrong, if you didn’t grow up eating good soul food, you don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like. And I don’t think that holds true for most Blacks in NY b/c most are from or have parents who are from another country”
I agree with this. My family is from Panama by way of the caribbean and I don’t know the first thing about soul food. I remember my grandmother trying to make me eat collard greens because she saw it on some cooking show . . . HELL nah. I need rice, beans, and meat. . . maybe a plantain for good measure . . . all that other stuff is outta here.
@IVR,
Just had some goat , beans and maduros for lunch!!
Callalloo> Collards
but
Grits>Porridge
however
Flying Fish>Catfish
“Welcome to the best of both worlds” [/Arruh voice]
@IVR,
Mmmmm. Now I’m getting hungry for Caribbean food!
@IVR, “Callalloo> Collards
but
Grits>Porridge
however
Flying Fish>Catfish
“Welcome to the best of both worlds” [/Arruh voice]”
I could never get with callalloo or coocoo (sp?) . . . too much sliminess going on there . . . I take oats over porridge and grits and snapper or whiting over flying fish and catfish . . . we had to disagree on something . . .
Also, I went to a caribbean spot out here in DC on U street to get a roti . . . I was VERY dissappointed . . .I miss Gloria’s . . . I was hype when I found out there was one on Nostrand . . . I miss Brooklyn.
@IVR,
lol. I thought I had a new e-buddy, but you talkin bout some coucou?! Nah, j/k. Im part Bajan and even Im not a huge fan. You gotta have it with something.
You’re right tho. Snapper>Flying Fish>Catfish.
@IVR, There were years of my life when Gloria’s prepared more of my meals than not. The “Caribbean” food in DC is horrendous! I have left DC and driven to Nostrand Ave just for some food. I sh*t you not.
@VeronicaL,
LMAO!
…I came from Philly for MacKenzie’s on Utica.
My name is MeFail and I am a carib food addict
@VeronicaL, There were years of my life when Gloria’s prepared more of my meals than not. The “Caribbean” food in DC is horrendous! I have left DC and driven to Nostrand Ave just for some food. I sh*t you not.
Well you, ma’am, are better than me LOL I have learned to perfect a rice and peas . . . and season pretty much any meat (I have yet to try goat but I don’t know if I want that smell in my house anyway) . . . Big Betsy’s addicted to Petrol. I just get extra hype when I’m going home because I get the food from the experts . . . oddly enough, the 7/11 by my apartment complex in Alexandria has some BANGIN beef patties . . . I couldnt believe how good they were.
@Me fail english? I have never heard of MacKenzie’s . . .Utica and What?
@Me fail english,
Another Bajan on VSB?! What?!
Lissen I know that cou cou isn’t for everybody but when my mom makes that ish with some flying fish gravy it brings tears of joy to the eyes. Confession: when my mom visits she brings her cou cou stick and meal. That’s how much i love cou cou. lol.
@IVR driving to Nostrand was back in the day when gas was affordable. Now my bklyn trips are courtesy of Bolt Bus.
@IVR,
Utica and….smthg downhill fromthe Parkway but above Empire. You’ll know it cuz they’ll be outside at 5am with the big steel pit lookin like they burnin a whole cow!
And goat is VERY easy. I even taught my Yankee pops to curry goat. The curry smell is more pungent than the goat meat. It just helps if you have a pressure cooker. even a slow cooker. Otherwise it gets annoying waiting for the meat to get tender.
@VeronicaL
Bigup to the Bajan massive! Yes, cou cou MUST be had with the flying fish and gravy. Otherwise it’s like spaghetti with marinara. and nobody’s going for that.
@Me fail english, “Utica and….smthg downhill fromthe Parkway but above Empire. ”
I hope you are not talking about the spot where Conrad’s bakery used to be at? I heard they closed it . . . that was my spot for currents roll and hard dough bread . . . Another thing that I LOVE and can’t find here in DC.
@IVR,
collards… only if mommy makes them.. cou cou with flying fish… I make sure I get that at least once a week… if mommy doesn’t make it then I take a trip to Culpeppers on Nostrand and Lincoln or Bajan Kitchen on Empire and Sterling get my fix… I love my home food.. I really do…
Mental note provided by IVR:
Goat STINKS!! Yeah yeah…
(goat stinks…)
@Omar,
As long as you were taught to cook by someone who learned to cook in the south you’ll likely be able to make good soul food. My mom was born and raised in Pittsburgh and elderly women from Alabama rather eat her food than anyone elses.
@Voiceofreason,
I can agree that Sylvia’s was not the best soul food going. It aight, but price made it worse. I’ve had better (my mama’s). Considering I’m from the south (Memphis, TN!), what everyone else calls “soul food” is just regular food to me. Green beans, catfish, macaroni/cheese and fried chicken is always on the menu.
Damn, going hard on NY on the anniversary of one of the most horrific terrorist acts this country has ever seen…and it happened in New York. Hath yee no shame Champ?
Now that the guilt trip is out of the way, I have to say I agree with you. Partly. I love how New Yorkers forgot how much they hated Guilianni, I mean were clowning his a** on SNL, trashing this mans name in the Post and the Times, berating his politics on a national scale and trying to force him to resigning his office all the way up to September 10, 2001. Then the planes hit and all of a sudden he’s a godsend and a political saint. Gets me all fired up every time I see him on tv. Im still waiting for the day people realize he’s politically irrelevant.
@Dom,
That Giuliani ish made me sick too! Im still tryna figure out what exactly he did to save the day on 9/11? Did the building not collapse with many souls lost inside??? Im not gonna misquote anything in the 9/11 commission report but Im pretty sure he was instrumental in the LACK of communication between emergency services that actually cost ppl their lives. And dont get me started on them tryna not pay out the ppl who got all types of kooky lung diseases after they sifted through that rubble (ok, that may be more Bloomberg’s fault…).
I was expecting it from the GOP addled SI crew but it went beyond them!
@Dom,
Hath yee no shame Champ?
shame deez
@Dom, “I love how New Yorkers forgot how much they hated Guilianni”
I don’t think this applies to black new yorkers. We still hate him I believe.
@IVR,
Sho’ do. I just remember for a brief time (like a few months) after 9/11/2001 people forgot about the BS he pulled with Dorismond, Diallo, Louima, the BK museum, Times Square and some other stuff.
Just like ppl seem to be catching some sort of amnestic fugue about Bloomberg and his bullsiht!
@Me fail english?, “Sho’ do. I just remember for a brief time (like a few months) after 9/11/2001 people forgot about the BS he pulled with Dorismond, Diallo, Louima, the BK museum, Times Square and some other stuff.”
It’s funny, my grandmother still kisses her teeth everytime he comes on TV . . .that fool gets NO LOVE on St Johns Place
Whoa Whoa Whoa!
@ The Champ, What has New York ever done to you?!
And, by the way, did you really mean to post this on 9/11?
Now, having been raised in Northern California – I would have to agree with you on 1-4 (Tupac puts Biggie to shame), but now after having lived in Brooklyn for the past couple of years I cannot even imagine living anywhere else. Maybe, that’s my newly acquired New York arrogance, but I feel incredibly lucky to live in a place that has so much to offer culturally (free concerts all summer long, art, dance, & fashion, etc). There is so much history here, there is so much community (it’s B.S. that New Yorkers don’t know their neighbors), and there’s a sense of solidarity because we’re all New Yorkers and gully enough to get it done day in and day out.
And besides, it’s entertaining. One is always guaranteed to have a good story about someone acting out on the train or the bus. And that shared moment with the old lady across the train while you smirk at the kids dancing on the end of the train makes it all worth it because that moment can’t happen anywhere else.
@LadyPolitik,
And, by the way, did you really mean to post this on 9/11?
what do you think?
Alas, I knew this day would come. I have been a silent admirer of the VSB, more specifically The Champ(Panama be on some next ish), for sometime now. Up until this point I’ve agreed and with most of the thoughts expressed but a line a been crossed. A New York hate post? I thought you were above that. Instead of reciprocation of the hate I will respectfully respond 5 of your arguments(we hate Rudy as much as everyone else, no argument there)
1.What separates The Notorious B.I.G. from Big Pun is the same thing that separates Jordan from Kobe, he came first. To the masses, who love to unfairly compare everything, Big Pun is just a Latin Biggie, which instantly solidifies his place in Hip Hop mediocrity. If Pun came first, BIG would be the fat black guy trying to be like Pun. Oh, and for the record, Tupac was indeed more popular and more transcendent, but not the better rapper.
2.The Hill district? For starters, New York was the biggest and most well known receivers of Blacks during our migration from the southern states. Black didn’t start moving to Pittsburgh until 10 years later. Which is why the Harlem Renaissance started in the 20′s and the height of prominence of the Hill district started in the 30′s. If that’s not enough for you, I don’t recall Richard Prior and Eddie Murphy starring in “Hill Nights.”.
3.New Rule; If the greatest basketball player of all time was born there, The worlds best players spend their summers bettering their game on it’s playgrounds, and the best player in the NBA today wants play here despite how terrible the team is. Your the Mecca of Basketball. Thats why every spring your beloved Panthers have to travel to MSG for the Big East Tournament. Furthermore, if I walk out into the street and grab 5 kids off 5 courts in NY I’d put up money that they could whoop the asses of 5 kids from any other major city.
4.Like I said, on argument about Rudy, but the world rat population out numbers the human rat population. So don’t say it’s just New York.
5.Your absolutely right, New Yorker’s are no more proud than any other people from any other city. The only difference is why don’t talk shit about other places, we simply go on(at length) about how great our city is. When have you ever seen a “6 overrated things about (insert city here)” On a blog by a New Yorker.
6.This last one is pretty irrelevant. If the Taliban knew the significance of New York why don’t you?
@Tha King,
Jordan >>>> than Kobe is NOT simply cause he came first SMH…thats another convo tho …congrats #23 on the Hall of Fame……
DC folks don’t hate on other cities either LOL
@Tha King,
lol @ “Hill Nights”. That sounds like smthg Cheekie would say if she was from NYC.
But hol’ up! Pun was not mediocre! I dont think he was better than Big but Capital Punishment alone shets on most major releases of its time and thereafter. His wordplay, flow just all out cleverness (this may not be a word…) made him a star to me. I think Pun suffered from a lackluster image. With the right styling and attention I think he would’ve easily outshined contemporaries like DMX, Kurupt and dare I say it…Hov!
@Tha King,
Your absolutely right, New Yorker’s are no more proud than any other people from any other city. The only difference is why don’t talk shit about other places, we simply go on(at length) about how great our city is. When have you ever seen a “6 overrated things about (insert city here)” On a blog by a New Yorker
Not true. I’ve heard a number of New Yorkers make statements such as, “New York is the only city that matters other than LA but the people there are fake.” Essentially, a lot of NYers turn their noses up at ALL cities. And it’s easy to discuss at length how great a place is if you’ve never lived anywhere else (visiting doesn’t count). NY is an amazing place (I’ve lived there and i’m likely going back) and there’s no other city like it, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best; it just means it’s unique.
@Tha King, Hill Nights.
We did have Hill Street Blues, tho. Hate the PLAYA not the game… lmao.
I’m being silly. Like that you know some Pittsburgh history. Score. And welcome – although i’m not on the welcoming committee… I guess they will arrive shortly.
@pgh muse,
Ill Street Blues> Hill Street Blues! POW!
“If you’ont know about G Rap, yall’ont kno bout rap!” (c) Nore
@Tha King,
addressing your points and sh*t
1. no disagreement there
2. lol, i dont think its a good idea to throw a reference to harlem nights in any point you’d ever try to make about anything, ever.
3. you’re 100 percent wrong. while my beloved panthers do have a recruiting pipeline to new york city, pitt’s not exacty producing pros (except for dejuan blair, aaron gray, and sam young…none of whom are from nyc), just good college players with huge flaws…basically your typical NYC baller nowadays.
also, giving nyc props because jordan was just born there is like giving tampa, florida props because the film used to make “saving private ryan” was purchased there, lol.
that analogy made much more sense in my head, but in summary jordan’s from north carolina, nba players now spend their summers working out by themselves, at the goodman league in d.c. or the pro-ams in detroit or chicago, if lebron went anywhere, it would probably be LA or portland, and i came name about ten cities that would probably best nyc in a random sampling of playground players.
4. india doesnt count
5. “The only difference is why don’t talk shit about other places”
lol, until you all visit those other places
6. noone’s arguing nyc’s relevance. in fact, i allude to it in my intro, and the fact that i actually do like the city.
welcome and sh*t, btw.
@The Champ,
lol. Cant front. Never understood why Brooklyn took credit for MJ or Aaliyah…or why Aaliyah repped BK back. There’s some other non-NY stuff I cant think of off the top of my head.
@Me fail english?, “Cant front. Never understood why Brooklyn took credit for MJ or Aaliyah…or why Aaliyah repped BK back. There’s some other non-NY stuff I cant think of off the top of my head.”
Don’t forget about Gang Starr . . . that was all very confusing. “They are from where? WHAT??”
@IVR,
LMAO! I forgot about Boston’s (Texas’???) own GangStarr. How does this stuff get out there like that. I think Cassidy (and his thick Phila. accent) even got assoc’d with us at some point. I’m like, huh?
@me fail english?
You talking about Premier coming from TX huh?! lol
We snuck one in on ya’ll…
@miss t-lee,
Hell yeah! And I coulda sworn Guru was from Boston (could be wrong). I just remember finding out one day that GangStarr, like Ed O.G. and his Bulldogs had nuttin to do with NYC. Ol’ Teddy Riley, Jodeci face so-and-so’s.
I think NYers just used to assume if you didnt have a jheri curl you must be from our city!
@The Champ,
(Hov voice) Allow me to retort,
1. Harlem Nights was a damn good movie. At least I think It was.
2. I wasn’t referring to Pitt’s highway robbery of NYC players. I was referring to the fact that of all the places the Big East conference could hold their tourney they chose NY.
3. LA can’t afford Lebron
Portland can’t afford Lebron
the 10 other cities you had in mind…..can’t afford Lebron, with the exception being Chicago. Also, I don’t see King James running around with a Dodgers fitted on.
4. West 4th, Rucker and Dykman <any other amateur leagues. Kobe's been there, Shaq has been there, Steve Nash has been there, Baron Davis, shall I continue.
5. NYer's talk about other places because once we visit these places we get the "Oh you think you tough cause you from New York Shawty?" Treatment from the local thugs when all we're trying to do is have a nice time and possibly impregnate a few of your women.
6. Didn't believe me about the 5 random kid theory? Google Nike battlegrounds.
Peace and much love
@ orangestar616
I didn’t make myself clear. That’s not the only reason Jordan is better. My point is if when its all said and done their stats are the same and they win the same number of rings Kobe will still go down in most people’s minds as a Jordan knockoff. Tha King bows to his Airness today as he is inducted into the Hall of fame.
@Tha King, oh ok LOL cause I was bout to say LOL and
her Roayl highness bows also, they should retire his number league wide like suggested on Sportscenter this AM
@OrangeStar616,
Co-sign. I am the eternal Jordan stan. I think that no one from this point forth should be able to don the beloved 23.
Bond.
@BlkBond and OrangeStar616, I third this motion. Besides, all these dudes going with the same damn number is some toy sh*t. I could see grandfathering in Lebron…otherwise, all post-Jordan 23s gotta go.
And I’m a Laker fan who HATED Jordan’s Bulls saying this!
I think NYC just momentarily broke VSB. I got all kinds of errors in the past 10 min. Ok, back to normal…for now. *shifty eyes*
@ Me Fail English
He isn’t mediocre, I said he will go down that way because of his image. I would entertain the argument that he might be better. For a dude that big(he was much heavier than BIG) to have that kind of breathe control is unheard of. Dude is a top 10 Lyricist, but he’s never mention because people dismiss him as the Latin Biggie.
@Tha King,
Agreed.
@luvvie My friend said the same thing…I was thinking NY would be the beest place to meet men. Two of my friends told me that everytime they go out they run into men they’ve already dated. I did post a chart saying that NY has wayyyy more women than men. I was surpised by that but not really.
I like this list, I’m surprised no one has showed up outraged about #1. I think the shopping in NY is becoming overrated too. People are now going to LA and Chicago!
@Sojdanielle,
The shopping I shall defend with my last breath…off the strength of sample sales and off 5th boutiques alone!
@Me fail english?, sample sales, yes lawd!
@Sojdanielle, L.A.’s shopping scene is crazy if you know how to work it. Many more places to grip records at for instance. I can’t call it on gear though, this may be a toss up.
Okay so I dint know Big Pun made an album on par with anything Biggie made, and go check Bigges verses in all of his music even his worst is better than Puns best…
Our rappers have careers yalls (if it pertains to your city) have a rapper with a good album or two..dont even last long enuff to have a compilation dics of greatest hits..shoot and ah and today isnt one of those rappers dropping an album on the same date as his other classic..name the rapper in your city comparable to that..your on the clock
…hate us we dont give a flying fuck-we thrive off of hate
dont come here we dont need you have you noticed since the 70′s our population has risen-while your citys population most likely didnt-and that affects city services
when this city in the 70′s was written off-we flipped the country the bird and then created hip hop…what did your city do?
we dont stay up late for yall-we stay up late cause we can…its called a choice..for the record my man works at Morgan Stanley hangs sum nites til 3 am and is at work @ 9am ready to kick ass….
…what overrated about yall cites is driving everywhere for the simplest of things…
everything closes so early
outside of the marquee jobs what am I going to do in your city work at Wal Mart (we dont have one NYC thank God!!!!)
Wal mart is sooooooo overrated-we got Delancey street in Manhattan and Southside Jamaica Queens Coliseum Mall-which are so popular ppl take buses from as far as Virgina to shop in the same stripmall 50 Cent was before his record deal-why would I go your city to shop and another bland “chain” clothing store?
Whenever I travel out of NYC my “old” gear turns heads-even in the age of the web-NYC still dresses the freshest!!!
Queens is the ONLY county in the USA in where blacks make more than whites…your city aint even close…
Diversity in your city is white and blacks dating…yawn
when we build things we employ damn near the whole country: when the Triboro bridge was built it gave work to 12 states, the subway cars are built in St Louis, we travel to more states than any other city residents in the country-we are everywhere
last but not least this was a city before this was a country: we were a city while LA and Chicago were just “settlements”, Harlem has been around far longer than the Hill it didnt bite a damn thing, Bed Stuy is the biggest black nabe in ALL of the US, the dirty gritty South Bronx gave yall fools hip hop-wtf is so cultural about your city?
Last most cities in this country are cookie cutters. Eastside-Westside-Northside-Downtown..zzzz, if you dont get out by 11 the night is over…huh I stayed up later than that in the 6th grade. I’ll end this with I just finished a DVD from an all night party with a bunch of old heads house music-the garage-Frankie Knuckles-types in Bed Stuy- the party ended at 6am (held in a back yard which was three backyards converted into one yard with a dancefloor).
So all you young ppl in these other cities cant hang as long as a bunch of 50yr olds?
Once again we as a city have been thru a lot and still here we are STILL the nations leader what happened to NYC happened to most other cities…fugetabout it!!!!
like there arent hip hop fans on this blog not waiting for Cuban Links 2 and Blueprint 3
@tempsoner,
this comment is pretty entertaining if you read it with a harlem accent in your head
@The Champ,
Lol. I was reading it with a Brooklyn accent (subtle diff) and yeah I was entertained.
@Me fail english?,
Haha! So was I.
@Me fail english?, accent or not its all fact!!!! For a city hated so much why just why does it STILL draw so many different ppl from Iowa to Senegal…why do ppl who come from cleaner-warmer-drive everywhere places come to stinky smelly-and thats just the train-NYC?
Why do so many non New Yorkers put up with such “rude” ppl?
One other thing most other cities are known primarily for one thing-so much they name their pro sport teams after that one thing…but with NYC it aint one thing NOTHING not even the Yankees are bigger than NYC…this aint a city built on hype or a bunch of 20 somethings with money for the 1st time in their lives…
New York the city so nice…they named it twice…Empire State of Mind baby
@tempsoner,
Why do so many non New Yorkers put up with such “rude” ppl?
The commute leaves no time or space,
to punch an A-hole in the face.
@The Champ,
There is no Harlem accent, its called proper pronunciation of sounds.
@tempsoner, I agree with all of this . . . .except maybe this “Wal mart” . . . I think there is one in the bronx . . .off Broadway .. right outside of manhattan . . . I think.
@IVR,
If you have a car just ride out to LI. There might even be one in Queens.
@Voiceofreason,
I was hopin he was right about Wal Mart. I ride for Target (tar-ZHEY)!
IVR must be talkin bout Marble Hill, I dont be out there tho
@tempsoner,
ah and today isnt one of those rappers dropping an album on the same date as his other classic
FYI, it was actually dropped on Tuesday!
@tempsoner,
“Diversity in your city is white and blacks dating…yawn”
LOL…you need more diversity (and people) if you think NYC is the only city that has more than two colors…
Like I always say….if New York’s so friggin great, why did you and your whole family move to Georgia? Let’s see….
1. The existence of a black middle class which translates into lots of attractive, educated black folks
2. Reasonable cost of living (you can get a large 2 br, 2 bath apartment 15 minutes away from Atlanta for $600/mo), sales tax is 8% in the city and 6% in the suburbs
3. Great food–soul food can be had just about everywhere
4. We’re friendly! Men hold doors open for women, grocery boys help you put your stuff in the car, everyone says “Hey, how are you?”
5. HOPE scholarship–earn a 3.0+ GPA in high school and get free in state college tuition
6. You can go to the club without fear of getting shot
7. If it snows–heck, if there’s a little ice on the road–schools shut down and you get a free day off work
8. Home to the best party music ever! (you can’t argue that we get folks to dance)
I could go on, but we’re clearly killing you hoes. LOL!
@brownbelle,
lol. Who the eff is tryna live in GA?!?!?!?!
Only ppl running out to GA are the ones who get sorely disappointed and quickly return from that boring ish…or old ppl waiting to die (but even they prefer FL). In fact my family was thinking of moving to ATL and after a brief reconnaisance (is that how you spell it) did an about face. I could write a book but since its the end of the day I’ll keep it simple:
-Leave your city, get lynched.
@brownbelle,
“7. If it snows–heck, if there’s a little ice on the road–schools shut down and you get a free day off work”
I’m not a NYer, but I gotta say this: This only means ya’ll some punks, though. lol
I ain’t scared of no SNOW. I be cracking up (and secretly envying) when you get .0000001 inch of snow and folks get all up in arms closing down the town and ish.
Come to Chi-town and have your children/kid fam members try to stay home from a public school with 10 in of snow. You will get marked absent. Those mofos will STILL be open. lmfao
@Cheekie,
“I’m not a NYer, but I gotta say this: This only means ya’ll some punks, though. lol”
HEY!!!! I guess we’re some punks too down this way.
We don’t fox with the snow either. Let some snow break out. We’re off from work/school until that ish melts.
I love my state.
@miss t-lee,
Punks jump up to get beat down!! *flexes Rafiki stick*
@miss t-lee,
Ya’ll are, though. Some hospitable punks, though.
But, like I said, I envy those that get random days off work because it sleets a little.
@brownbelle,
I don’t know what part of GA u be in but where I’ve been you can catch that hot one in or anywhere around a club.
I’m mad as hell y’all gonna make a post like this today when I got work to do! LoL DAMN!! Im gonna be here till 7 making up the hours worth of commenting I was forced to do.
I live in NoVA, work in DC, and I am SO New York that I wore my Lawrence Taylor Jersey and Tims to work (shout out to the no dress code but that may change after today lol).
Old HATERS! Brooklynite . . .Brooklyn Technite. . . St. Johns and Albany Ave. Representer . . . I did it when I lived in San Antonio, did it when I “lived” in Alaska, did it while deployed in the middle east, do it now that I live in this mini shameful New York knockoff. Good Post Champ . . . and DAMN you for making me work past 4 . . I was trying to go to Happy Hour. . . one last thing . . .
GO GIANTS! (I will still talk sh!t in the HIGHLY improbable event that we lose .. . hey, im from Brooklyn)
@IVR, not a knock off LOL, more like the NATIONS Capital tho , whole diff vibe, and rhythm
@OrangeStar616, “more like the NATIONS Capital tho , whole diff vibe, and rhythm”
I hear you . . . I only consider the portion of DC right around the mall as the Nation’s capital. Everywhere else kinda feels like Canarsie. But I haven’t been here very long and I am sure this place will grow on me in a few years.
**Peeking in**
400+ comments??
**Peeking back out**
its relationship to basketball
I still don’t get this. People make it seem like they make basketball players like a Florida makes football players.
you wanna talk about resilience and fortitude, forget new york and gimme the guy who’s lived in dover, delaware his entire life, just for the simple fact that he’s spent his entire existance in a place called “dover, delaware”.
This is something else I don’t get. How hard is it really to make it in a place with so much opportunity, culture, etc.? It’s a great city so I can’t buy that it is tough to make it. As far as I’m concerned if you can make it out of Detroit you can make it anywhere.
And as far as being hated on New Yorkers have no idea what being hated on is. Detroit is the national punching bag.
@Humble_One aka Field Ninja,
Not for nothing but much like Memphis, I really dont know anyone who talks about Detroit. I mean yall come up in convos when stuff like yalls Mayor or Its so Coooold in the D comes up, but other than that…
The “make it here, make it anywhere” point is interesting tho. With so much opportunity, you’re bound to get hired somewhere. But its a double-edged sword. With people from all around the world coming into the same 8-mile island (I think they mean Manhattan) to compete for a very limited amount of space/money/time I’ve seen what ppl mean by this. This city attracts the creme de la creme and competition for the most desirable of anything can get fierce. I really do believe competing for jobs succesfully out here means you can write your own ticket elsewhere. I feel this way cuz companies have sent me to our other locations and “big fish in a small pond” doesnt begin to describe how I felt.
@Me fail english?,
“Not for nothing but much like Memphis, I really dont know anyone who talks about Detroit. I mean yall come up in convos when stuff like yalls Mayor or Its so Coooold in the D comes up, but other than that…”
This is true. Detroit is not a “TV” or “media darling” city so most people don’t discuss it. The only people that know about Detroit are people that deal with the underground e.g. music, crime, etc. To be honest NY and LA is shoved down the throats of the rest of the country.
I can see where you are coming from as far as competition. But I still think that there is so much there that you can’t help but to fall into something. Just on image alone NY is at a starting point. Until recently Detroit was one of the 10 largest cities, wealthiest metropolitan areas, and largest markets. But people look at as if it is in Iowa or South Dakota. I’ve met people that thought Detroit was smaller than Boston and San Francisco and both of those cities can fit in Detroit with room to spare.
@Humble_One aka Field Ninja,
It’s hard to make it because everyone comes here from all over the world to make it. If you can make it in Detroit…you must have had military training
As a life long resident of NJ, I would agree that NY is a “tad” overrated but… just a little. I don’t know about NYCers being rude as much as they are all just busy as fcuk! IDK, for some reason I feel more @ home walking about the streets of Manhattan than anywhere. I’m a screenwriter (and hopefully one day film director) , I always gelled with the eccentric/insane vibe of the 90′s art scene in NYC and ever since Guiliani cleaned up the streets- yes it’s less dangerous but IMHO, less interesting.
That being said, I can’t make my assessment of NYC being my “favorite city in the world,” until I come back from
a.) traveling to Paris, Milan and Madrid (possibly Barcelona) next year.
b.) Moving to LA for graduate school.
c.) Living in NYC after I make my billions (I keed, but I’m serious).
However, I love NYC for it’s diverse (yet pretentious/elitist as fcuk) art scene/culture. Plus some of my favorite movie theaters are in Manhattan, the AMC/Loews 13 @ Lincoln Center (66st+Broadway if I’m not mistaken) AMC 34th st., Empire 25 and yes even the PPOS (Pretentious Piece of Shit) called the Angelika. I’ve seen so many great movies in NYC and I’ve only had to take a train/bus or two to go there and find some good food there as well. So many of my creative inspirations have been in Manhattan (esp. @ the museums Whitney/MET/FIT) that I can’t thank the city enough for. Plus, me being a comic book fan, NYC has some pretty sweet CB spots.
Sometimes I get pissed when New Yorkers (erudite/elitist Manhattanites mostly) look down, talk about people from Jersey- for the same things other people out of the Tristate area talk about NYC for: the dirt, crime, smell,corruption,rudeness; some on this same message board. All I have to say about that is….Really? Did Pot meet kettle yet? I don’t go overboard with it, even though I had pride about being from Jersey ( even though some may wonder why), NYC is like the cooler, older brother of NJ (esp. Jersey City/Newark since their so damned close).
In closing, even though I agree with most of the post, I am and forever will be haplessly, romantically in love with NYC. (can’t wait to see Tim Burton’s film fest @ MOMA in November). Yeah I know, I’m such a film-geek. LOL!
@Seeing_Red,
Well said. And in Jersey’s defence, at least I can identify where and why it smells. Nyc, on the other hand…
@Seeing_Red,
“(can’t wait to see Tim Burton’s film fest @ MOMA in November). Yeah I know, I’m such a film-geek. LOL!”
*envy green*
I am definitely on team ny, and Im not even american… I think its global impact as a city is why it tends to dominate the united states…from the slums of west africa to european cities, all people talk about is ‘new york city’. I guess that type of exposure and hype around your city globally will make any people arrogant…and we can say all we want, at the end of the day, how many people from iowa to berlin flock to nyc to ‘make it’? besides…isnt it a big city thing to produce douchy arrogant folks? im sure the rest of france think parisians are the scum of the planet, and most canadians probally hate torontians..big city people get no love !
One thing that nyc must put an end to is the flippin hipster….my god..these people will be the death of that city…
@postmodern pwnage, Indeed.
So right about Big. We need more people to say it.
When Big was comin up in BK, no one paid that much attention to him — not anymore than they did for other up and comers, that is. After Puff, folks acted like they LOVED him before he hit it big.
Quick list of other overrated stuff:
-The NFL and the Super Bowl. Great sport, but it must not be THAT great if it’s only successful in the United States. And every little bit of minutiae needs not be fussed over in the sports press.
-Toyota. The badge does not a great car make. The time of the Supra and Celica was magical…but the bland Camry does nothing for me.
-Beyonce. She’s not the only bad female in the world.
-Oscar-buzz December. Why can’t these oh-so-highbrow movies come out all year long? And why are January-November releases not considered for awards? Sounds bad for all-year business to me.
-Religion. I’m not dumb enough to elaborate on that one.-A lot of what is done in pron. Not even hot half the time, just spitty.
-Common, Mos Def, and Kweli’s level of “consciousness.” I don’t see them as the torch bearers PE, BDP, X-Clan, and Brand Nubian were.
I haven’t posted in ages, but I couldn’t let you get away with calling Biggie overrated. Biggie was a lyrical genius even though he was an ugly egomaniacal narcissist who wasn’t talking bout $hit. He said it himself: “At last, a nigga rappin bout blunts and broads, Tits and bras, ménage à trois, sex in expensive cars”. Imagine if he had rapped about stuff that mattered, people wouldn’t have much problem with him. Just cause his stuff was degrading, doesn’t mean he wasn’t a great rapper–the same can be said about Weezy. Anyways, I don’t care what you say, Biggie was the $HIT. Champie, you just lost 2 cool points for that.
Big pun was a good rapper, but just because he was underrated doesn’t take away from biggie’s greatness.
Oh…I agree with everything else about NY. I can only visit for a day or two before I’m ready to bounce.
@Killa K, I could probably do a solid two weeks in NYC with enough cash.
Ah, I love this post. I love reading the hate. lol People always seem to hate on what they don’t understand.
NYC does piss me off at time, but no matter what you say there is no other place like it or better. I love my home. I have sent years away due to school and crap and I personally can’t wait to get back to my over priced, under size living situation. I love home. It does have its ups and downs but I rather NYC then anywhere else. And about the rats… I have seen more rats in one weekend in Chicago then I have seen in a year back home. I have seen rats the size of puppies in Virginia.
The Biggie argument… I give you that. But it’s Biggie. I mean… accept it and move on. Why fight it? Its not like anyone is going to change their opinion.
Harlem is another world. Its weird. But some really good people/things came out there and so have some really screwed up ones. But don’t act like you never tried to Harlem Shake in your mirror, alone at night. ::cold stare:: everyone did. Thanks.
Basketball… We just say stuff to bother people from other cities. We don’t care. We are too busy taking your money with our tourist attractions, food, and street hustlers.
No one likes Giuliani. Giuliani doesn’t even like Giuliani. He lost me when he took away fireworks. July 4th has never been the same. Asshole
The only thing bigger than NYC pride is Puerto Rican pride. Since I am a Black Puerto Rican New Yorker… I am a lot of fun to be around! Lol
I love my city. No place like it. If you don’t like it then stay the F*&k out of it.
) Lol
This was a fun read. Thanks!
You don’t understand New York, because you can’t work it. It’s not for everyone. New York is a challenge, a puzzle …
I had a little spiel prepared on my observations/opinions being the son of Brooklynite but reading and then skimming the comments on my phone gave me a migraine (word to Terrell Davis).
So i’ll just say I thought it was cool when he mentioned Dover cuz that’s like an hour outside of where I grew up on the Eastern Shore (Salisbury stand up lol!)
P.S. I’m a long time lurker, first time poster. Sup everybody.
I missed a great post. I grew up in upstate NY, but spent time working in Manhattan as an adult. At first I thought New York was somewhat overrated (although LA wins the title for most overrated city), but once you spend some time in the city, you fall in love with the city and it’s hard to live anywhere else. The people are real as they come, the food, nightlife, access to anything, best train system (where else do the trains run 24:7) is unmatched.
“if your nba team hasn’t won a championship in 36 years, your city hasn’t had an ncaa division one champion in 59 years, and if seattle f*cking washington is currently producing more relevant nba players than you are”
I’m from NY and live in Seattle, so I feel double offended lol.
Ready to die ain’t a classic??!!
And check the rosters…i would bet more NBA players come from NYC than any other city.
@sho, “i would bet more NBA players come from NYC than any other city.”
You’d prolly lose that bet, my money’s on Chicago and I’m not even from there…
@Omar,
Now i’m gonna check…. I’m not from NY either but Chi might be a close third to LA
@sho,
here’s a couple links that talk about the breakdown per city/metropolitan area:
http://www.depressedfan.com/basketball/sixers/geographic-nba-teams.php
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6005-hometown-buffet/show_full
la is first with 32, and chicago has 30.
the new york metro area has 17, just ahead of the d.c. metro area 15.
now, if you look at the all-time stats, more players have come from new york than any other city. but today, its not even close
Soon as I saw this post, the first two words that came to mind were – Alicia. Keys.
Don’t kill me, but really, she’s just not all that to me. Beautiful – yes; Talented – yes; but no more so than a million other folks and yet people act like she should be bronzed, like she’s the first black person to sing and play the piano at the same time.
@gs03abr,
I agree with this. She’s very attractive, but she’s lacking in the femininity department at times.
Apparently, today’s post is invisible.
@kamakula,
*snickers*
Sooooo…no post today? How exactly am I supposed to get thru the day?
Is today’s post in NYC? *pouts*
@Cheekie,
I think so.
This is what happens when you talk sh!t about New York City . . . the CAPITAL of the WORLD! Yeah that happened. At work folks need to come up with a topic to discuss. This non VSB work day is not the business.
Damn, Kanye shut down VSB…….
@inakes, Seriously and for real! LOL
whats going on???
Co-sign. i have never liked NYC and have no disire to ever visit or live there. Fuck ‘em
http://myregalthoughts.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-put-on-for-my-city.html
jus take that in fella….and smh at you