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Your Neighbors, The Bushwick News
This neighbor was introduced to me by my building’s super. He works for himself as a musician, and works part-time at a restaurant to help pay the rest of the bills. He doesn’t relate well to people whose parents pay their rent but who receive food stamps — “live within your means,” he advises. When asked, “Does work define you,” he replied, “only if you let it.”
music: “Frantic” by The Lovely Feathers
Brandon June 10th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Seems like a good dude.
I don’t think anyone relate well to people whose parents pay their rent and take advantage of food stamps. Grow up.
Jimmy Legs June 10th, 2010 at 9:34 am
this piece is a nice counterpoint to the recent wailing about the ‘transplants’ who move here; not everybody who wasn’t born here is an entitled poseur. i’d like to see more profiles like this to help illuminate the fact that not every new person here is necessarily bad for bushwick.
Matt C June 10th, 2010 at 9:48 am
I really don’t get where these trust fund stories come from. I have yet to meet a trust fund recipient in the 7 years I’ve been in Brooklyn.
Brandon June 10th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Matt, that’s because they don’t tell you… I had the same feeling for the longest time. Then you eventually realize that certain people seem to have so much flexibility and freedom because they have some independent wealth… such people tend to not make a point of letting people know, though. It’s definitely around, although the minority. I know an “heiress” who lives in one of the big loft spaces near Morgan.
joeyfromaroundtheway June 11th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Duh! People should only be on public assistance as a last resort. It is for those who are in a desperate situation. What is so novel about your neighbors opinion on the subject that you have to mention it? AND, why did your super have to introduce you to your neighbor? Just askin’.
@JL, who are these “transplants” anyway that people are complaining about?—-They are entitled “creative types” who have been priced out of Williamsburg and are trying to create a new little extension of their liberal arts colleges. They are creating a self-imposed fake pretentious little ghetto to skip around in and feel kewell. YOU are in DENIAl my friend. After you all have successfully raised the rents and priced out real working folks in
bushwick, the even more recent arriving “creative types” who aren’t subsidized by their parents will move on to another neighborhood and price out another group of hardworking people.
Jimmy Legs June 11th, 2010 at 11:13 am
joey, on one hand you say this guy’s story doesn’t matter and on the other you lament entitled newcomers who implicity don’t work hard and overpay for housing, raising the rental tide for the neighborhood. but this guy works part time and is able to support himself without help. how is he participating in this supposed damage to the area?
yes there are probably people like you describe but you can’t paint every new neighbor with the same brush just because you don’t like them. it makes for a poor argument
joeyfromaroundtheway June 11th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Don’t you get it? I am not talking about him! He seems to be a normal dude who works hard and sees the big picture.
I am talking about the people that get money from their folks and then cry poverty and receive food stamps to pull one over on “the man”, you know, hipster types. They put on “shows” to “help” and “foster community” meanwhile they are just making the neighborhood a bland extension of their liberal arts college campus and pricing out hardworking individuals. I am not anti art,education nor new arrivals to Brooklyn.
I am anti poseur gentrifying a**holes. Get it?
Matt C June 11th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
I certainly wouldn’t “keep it real” by going to some shit job if I had inherited wealth.
GioNYC June 11th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Whaaaaaaaaattt ????? Que that video up at 1:30
Based on his video interview, listen carefully when he compares the working labor force between Bushwick Brooklyn and Manhattan making it seem like Manhattan people don’t work harder than Brooklyn residents. So people in Manhattan don’t work “genuinely” for a living? Fuck you asshole. Go play your fucking drums. Try taking a stroll during an afternoon in Midtown by Bryant Park, see how busy the workforce is there. Or take a stroll thru Canal Street. Oh wait you work at night so you don’t see a sole outside. Fuck you dude!!! I work in Manhattan, and I work my ass off 9-5 M-F.
SonicDefiance June 15th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Hey “my neighbor” (if you’re checking out the comment section here)…
I have a musical project in Bushwick and am in need of a high quality drummer. If you are looking for a local rock band to play with shoot me an e-mail at SonicDefiance83@optonline.net and i’ll get you some mp3′s.