I still remember the first time I visited Crenshaw and Slauson. It was a beautiful, sunny day in April and I was there to hang out with my pop-locking mentor, Tick-A-Lott. Back then I was writing about the careers of aspiring rappers from “South Central” LA (or what officials renamed “South” LA). I didn’t know what to expect as I drove through the side streets near Hyde Park, but was surprised to see a neighborhood that appeared vacant. Nobody was in the park, kids weren’t riding bikes or chasing ice cream trucks down the street, and the stoops were empty.
Thank you for this!
Great article. I’ve always said that we (ol head Black folk) have been as guilty as YT-folk in marginalizing our youth. In a lot of ways they are way more smarter, and more importantly, less tolerant of the B-S that we have n still are taking from YT folk.
Call me naive, but I believe that Nipsey rep the “Rule” as opposed to the “Exception”. In other words, they’re way more Bros n Sis out there that care, than those that don’t.
Again, great article.