The Gangs of NY

Socio-Economics & Politricks Cont'd

Chang “Junkie Massacre” 11K gang members, 70% Puerto Rican

#s largely excluded girl divisions

Gangs to Hip Hop

Continuities: Gang leaders became hip hop leaders (i.e.

Bambaataa) Hip hop “replaced” gang culture and gang “time” Bricolage, or appropriation of symbols Expression through style Graffiti, Dance (Apache Line / Rockin) Empowerment Fame Social justice and community building

The Education of Sonny Carson (1974)

Dir. Michael Campus Based on a true story 1950s Brooklyn Sonny is in The Lords gang Old Mill = Apache Line Dialog is heavily sampled in rap songs

“Apache Line”

Enter, leave or mess up within the gang Apache line is a gang dance known as the

Uprock, Rocking, or The Rock Uprocking morphed into the bboy/girl dance of

“toprocking,” which are any moves that are done standing up!

Fort Apache, The Bronx (1981)

Dir. Daniel Petrie One of Time-Life's first films Stars Pam Grier and Paul Newman Based on a true life book that portrays South

Bronx through the eyes of police Controversy over negative portrayal of ALL

Blacks and Puerto Ricans in film CAFA= Committee Against Fort Apache Joe Conzo, talks about CAFA

The Warriors (1979)

• Dir. Walter Hill

• Based on Sol Yurick's novel and the Greek story of Anabasis by Xenophon

• Futuristic / comic book aesthetic

• Warriors Stranded in the Tremont

• Paramount made Hill cast whites for “commercial reasons”

• Spawned “moral panic” and violence