Miami Beach vs. Hip Hop: Memorial Day sabotage
They're at it again! The City of Miami Beach, FL and their ongoing beef with the urban extravaganza that is Memorial Day Weekend on South Beach has hit a new low.This weekend brings "over 350,000 Participants ... and Transformed The Entire City Into A Four Day Power Packed Urban Paradise (read more)" that attracts artists like Busta Rhymes, P.Diddy, The Neptunes, Russel Simmons, and many more of Hip Hop's elite to party, network, and enjoy the holiday. But ever since 1999 when the crowd and the hype started escalating, the Miami Beach city council, the police, and the most racist among the residents started acting a fool trying to prevent Memorial Day weekend from being so urban ("black").
The Miami Beach police are already known for acts of police brutality against rappers (namely Caliba), but now the city council has purposely scheduled a complete construction project that has gutted Washington Ave (map), the main street of South Beach! This has created a traffic jam catastrophe and is enough of a hassle, with the construction crew & their equipment, to turn you off to being on Miami Beach in the first place.
Who in their right mind would tear up Washington Ave on South Beach for blocks on Memorial Day weekend? Oh wait, the hating ass Miami Beach city council that wants to discomfort the thousands of paying customers who want to enjoy the weekend, too bad most of them are Black and Latino. If they say it isn't a race thing, then what is it, a Hip Hop thing? Regardless of what excuse is used this is an attack on our culture by some hating ass bastards. Ask Uncle Luke from the 2 Live Crew, Disco Rick, or the NAACP how Miami Beach has tried to suppress Hip Hop related events on Memorial Day weekend!
We can't wait until MLK gets put on the US $20 dollar bill (join the movement here) so they can no longer refuse "colored" money on Memorial Day or 365 days a year.
posted by chico-towner @ 5/26/2005
16 commentz
16 Comments:
I went last year from Detroit and it was off the chain out there. It didnt feel like the clubs was hating but the police was. They better not ruin Memorial Day weekend. One time for the Pistons - we got next!!!
There is no FUCKING WAY MLK should be on the 20 dollar bill.
i live in south beach, and if you had actually researched wht was being done on less than a few blocks of washington, out of over 20, you would have realized it was not sabotage. try researching before you publish incorrect facts to increase more hatred.
Thanks for your comments, read part 2 that was posted today. There are countless incidents of animosity towards urban culture and minorities. We're not a news agency, just an independent voice that writes about what's affecting us in our communities and world-wide. There are always two sides to every story and some might see it as sabotage (as we and several other prominent figures in the local Miami music industry see it), and others will not. To each his own, you have the right to your opinion, thanks for commenting and dropping your 2 cents. Peace!
Unfortunatly the hip hop culture is here to stay. But hopefully the crowds will find someplace else to go in the near future to celebrate Memorial Day. I am a Police Officer in Miami Beach and can tell you first hand that a large portion of the hip hoppers are problem makers. For those 5 days each year our city becomes plagued with assaults, robberies, thefts and countless other crimes. Mostly victimizing the people who live and work in this city. This year our arrest totals increased from 127 to 571 in just a 5 day span. Over 100 guns were confiscated and many restraunt owners and hotels compained of damaged property and unpaid bills. These problems don't even occur in Daytona Beach during Bike Week when over 800,000 bikers flow into the city and crowd their streets. I think that speaks volumes as to the differences in cultures. I can only hope that the hip hop culture will fade away into the sunset someday soon.
I think they all should go back to the Africa their "Mother Land" and see if their own people want them back. I would bet the answer is "Fuck No" The Rap culture is the worst group of anybodys in the world, and when you travel, when you ask what neighborhood to avoid, why is it always the black occupied areas.
"The Rap culture is the worst group of anybodys in the world"
too bad all of the white people are making millions off the same rap culture you hate so much. AOL-Time Warner, Universal, Sony, Clear Channel, you name em. They are getting rich of black people you hate so much. Stop being racist, it's not about race. Its about who's exploiting who. Read before you make ignorant comments.
mike
The fact that the "white corporations" make money off of hip-hop has anything to do with the culture being crappy. It is what it is. There are black owned record labels that are doing very well from the sale of hip hop too.
Record companies exploit almost all artists, regardless of color by the way.
I am a Miamian, and I can tell you that many of the repercussions recieved by party revelers this last weekend were deserved. Especially that idiot from the Wizards. HE WAS BLOCKING TRAFFIC. Surely, the police presence is reactionary from the 2001 debaucle and the expectation of "350,000 Party Participants" according the the event's website.
To be fair, the same idiotic behavior would occur if Miami had some big-ass white-trash bash. Or some big-ass frat boy party. Poor behavior and idiocy sees no skin color. However, an event attracting thousands (white, black, asian, whatever) expecting a no-holds-bar party is a recipe for disaster. You cannot deny that.
"Miami is a police state fellas. Has been that way since Alex Penelas took over some years ago and delivered us into the evils of a republican controlled city, state and country. If ya don't believe it, check the election results."
Police state? OK. You sir, are a moron. Obviously you don't remember the crime problem Miami-Dade (ESPECIALLY Miami Beach) struggled with for 20 years! Thanks for your preposterous input.
It is what it is. Making excuses and calling Miami/Miami Beach racist is unacceptable and incites hatred. Face it, the event had its fair share of bad apples (as any big event). If anything, Miami Beach is a place that has embraced diversity and will continue to do so.
On target with the foolishness of hip hop weekend's arrests. I am working with the South Florida NAACP to do something about it. Care to help? EMAIL: achangegoncome@gmail.com or call the South Florida NAACP at 305-685-8694
All I want to do is have a good time on the beach like everyone else.
Holla
I have always considered myself a very fair person. However, I must admit that during my time in South Beach over Memorial Weekend, I was completely saddened by what I saw. Young girls were dressed like hookers, mostly overweight, with no regard for how men were treating them, or how they carried themselves. Men and women were rude to business owners, taxicab drivers, everyone. And I did not view it as racist. Many of these participants were rude to business owners and employees of city businesses of their own race.
I think it was a product of "groupthink" of some sort.
It was sad, that this many people, especially young black girls, would be so influenced by such behavior.
I love hip hop, but I HATE knuckleheads. This gathering ruins a long weekend for all the locals. I'm hoping that this event would go somewhere else as I'm tired of all the crime, harassment, and no holds barred stupidity. I've never met anyone that that lives on Miami Beach that looks forward to this invasion, in fact, we all really wish it would go away. Why not take this event to New Orleans? You can drink in the street, 24-7, and they could use the money.
Hater... Its a constrction plase abandon ur race obsesion. And thank god the costruccion is hapening. the yould now continue with macarthur bridge a block the beach
Everyone is Miami knows that weekend turns South Beach, our little corner of paradise, into Hell's half acre. Most of us leave town or we just dont go out of our apartments. Truly, this weekend and its participates are NOT wanted...
Another year Miami is torn apart with all the violent criminals coming in from Liberty city and Overtown wanting to party with the rest of the urban youth. Most of them think they actually roll with P Diddy, Simmons, Campbell, Jay Z etc..YOU DON'T. This year I was lucky and saved up enough money to vacation in Alaska until the weekend is over. I made sure to shutter up my windows and take all valuables for the 3 day trip. This is not a black and a white thing..this is a violent criminal thing. PS..Alaska was cold.
In addition, has anyone ever noticed the fights or other forms of violence during other events such as the winter music conference, ultra music festival, calle 8 which attracts MILLIONS of latinos, maxim volley ball tournaments, the PGA masters classic, etc??? NO! Nuff said.
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