What was the Worst time in your City's Life..?"

[Dj Pat]

Growing up in Chicago has allways been Bitter / Sweet, but I love this city that some of us share.
But to me, the Worst time's this city ever had was in the late 80's to mid 90's when Crack just went thru Generation's and majority of them isn't here today.
I remember a point in my life when I could sit in front of my old Parent's Home and just chill out with the Friend's and Family with no Worry's.
Thru the 80's until late, it all change on the 800 Block of St. Louis ave.
From People Manicuring there yard's to Zombie's walking the street over night. The Heat, the Crack House's that seem to open overnight to the Killing's, it was just a Fuck up time in Chicago in my kneck of the wood's.
A lot of my Friend's isn't here anymore. Killed or out-rite drug addict's that have no clue of Reality, to this day there trying hard to get that very First High again..fucking Sad.
My Parent's still have there home over there, but there Renting it out and the old hood has came up somewhat.
But I can't go back there. I lost sooooooooo many Friend's over there it aint even funny. In one Point, I was going to Funerals allmost twice a week of People I've grown up with.
I just wonder what would there answers be when the Dope Dealer's and Killer's meet there maker and He/She ask... "why would you commit Genocide on your own People..?"

*phm*

[Bill Blake]

From what I can tell, the detriments-impact of the crack epidemic have been completely ignored by history; it’s as if the people, the communities it devastated where of no concern. How such a plague could be left as a has-been like never was is indicative of the class problems in this country.

And to walk through areas where it’s reminisce still haunts and the connect is not made is a preponderance indeed.

[LEONARD REMIX RROY]

When I went to the Music Box on 22nd & Michigan and it dawned on me....the magic of 16th street (Music Box #1) would never be recreated, that short lived spot was gone!!!

I did enjoy watching JM Silk and Jamie on Stage (stll wish I had brought a camera) but - I still miss 16th Street, the energy, system, vibe, I am so glad that I was there and can look back and live them moments in my mind.

[AD]

The early '90s. We were infested with a major gang problem that included drive-by shootings, extortion of the neighborhood people, kidnapping, rapes, robberies, and tons of car theft. Thankfully, a new mayor was elected (Miguel Pulido) and he invested heavily into our police department to clean up all the shit. It worked and we have our city back. Kids can go out and play now, and people aren't afraid to get hit up or banged at anymore. The Santa Ana Police Department won't put up with shit from anyone now, but it's fine with me because they're keeping us safe.

[Dj Pat]

The early '90s. We were infested with a major gang problem that included drive-by shootings, extortion of the neighborhood people, kidnapping, rapes, robberies, and tons of car theft. Thankfully, a new mayor was elected (Miguel Pulido) and he invested heavily into our police department to clean up all the shit. It worked and we have our city back. Kids can go out and play now, and people aren't afraid to get hit up or banged at anymore. The Santa Ana Police Department won't put up with shit from anyone now, but it's fine with me because they're keeping us safe.


Same thing out west, but a lot has change over the year's.
I honestly think that most of them either Killed themselves off or in Jail.

*phm*

[mhd]

From what I can tell, the detriments-impact of the crack epidemic have been completely ignored by history; it’s as if the people, the communities it devastated where of no concern. How such a plague could be left as a has-been like never was is indicative of the class problems in this country.

And to walk through areas where it’s reminisce still haunts and the connect is not made is a preponderance indeed.

...of no concern...

[Bill Blake]

...of no concern...

Man watching a post-modern art-deco condo going up on top of and next to cracked-out tenements near round here is just a sight; the only benefit being it made land cheaper over the long for developers to come in and build a new rich folk world, on top of a coke-smoked graveyard.

How old are all the crack babies now?

[TAB.]

Growing up in Chicago has allways been Bitter / Sweet, but I love this city that some of us share.
But to me, the Worst time's this city ever had was in the late 80's to mid 90's when Crack just went thru Generation's and majority of them isn't here today.
I remember a point in my life when I could sit in front of my old Parent's Home and just chill out with the Friend's and Family with no Worry's.
Thru the 80's until late, it all change on the 800 Block of St. Louis ave.
From People Manicuring there yard's to Zombie's walking the street over night. The Heat, the Crack House's that seem to open overnight to the Killing's, it was just a Fuck up time in Chicago in my kneck of the wood's.
A lot of my Friend's isn't here anymore. Killed or out-rite drug addict's that have no clue of Reality, to this day there trying hard to get that very First High again..fucking Sad.
My Parent's still have there home over there, but there Renting it out and the old hood has came up somewhat.
But I can't go back there. I lost sooooooooo many Friend's over there it aint even funny. In one Point, I was going to Funerals allmost twice a week of People I've grown up with.
I just wonder what would there answers be when the Dope Dealer's and Killer's meet there maker and He/She ask... "why would you commit Genocide on your own People..?"

*phm*

It would been a similar experience for me if I hadn't moved out of South Shore in 89. I saw the Crack devastation coming and I couldn't stomach seeing brothers I went to school with slangin or fiendin.

However, for the same era, you talking about, for me, the worst was the Aids epidemic. I can count on my fingers, the number of guys who died, that I knew personally. Two of my nieces both lost their fathers, to it. There was so much despair back then. I used to read the obituary, on Sundays, and half the deaths, listed were people under 40-nearly all from Aids. Two guys I started partying with, when we were teens, dead before 30. A guy who got me into spinning and partying, committed suicide when he learned he was sick. Some folks I knew, found religion, or reconnected with it, and quit the scene, after losing friends and associates. 1989-96 may have given me some of the best partying times of my life, but it was also filled with misery from this thing.
I recall, how when Magic Johnson went public, saying he had HIV, it didn't have as much impact on straight brothers, as did the news of Eazy-E and Kool Rock Steady. Brothers started getting in check then.

[Fletch]

Take your pick......

1. NYC's crack epidemic of the 80s. Folk, It was THAT BAD!!!!!!!!!

2. The City's Fiscal Crisis in the 70s. I didn't realise as a kid, though, that there were a lot of bad services because New York had no money!

3. Giuliani's mayoralty. 8 years of a man who didn't care for Black New York. And he's still considered a social liberal! OK!

4. Racial strife of the 70s and 80s. My sister ran home from Madison High constantly. Neighborhoods such as Canarsie, Bensonhurst and Sheepshead Bay didn't want a lot of Black folks in their hood or schools back then; and they let it be known. (quiet as it's kept, though, Black folk did settle on one block in Sheepshead and were there for years!).