1 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: All media. Los Angeles, California, a place that I love 2 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: almost the tears, which if you know anything about who 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 1: prop is propaganda in me, Jason, this is not news 4 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: to you. A native born and raised lived all over 5 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: the place. I've once I got a bus pass of 6 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: the driver's license. I can't think of any part of 7 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 1: town that I don't have a memory in, whether it 8 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: was a homies house, a kickbag, a party, some hood 9 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: rat things, checking up on some cut paths. You know, 10 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:49,319 Speaker 1: I listen. I love this town. I feel like not 11 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 1: only the town, but the greater Los Angeles area, the SGV. 12 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: You know, I got the six to six tattooed on 13 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: my back. You know, I went to high school in Ie. 14 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: Some of y'all noticed. My sister is still in the Ie, 15 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,919 Speaker 1: My aunt and m still in South Central, my daddy 16 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: in Pomona, and I'm right here in East Lost like 17 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: we were deep here. I married in my wife from 18 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: HP what we would call like Southeast La. So like 19 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: going down to seventeen, not the seventeen that's like your 20 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: South Gates, your cutahee, Bell Gardens, Huntington Park, like my 21 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: in laws are in Bellflower. I love this place. I 22 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 1: got roots all over it and of course the time 23 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: on or tradition that this podcast has used as a springboard, 24 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 1: which is just la gang life. It's a part of 25 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: our experience. But gang life, as in crips and bloods 26 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: is a very specific experience. That of course, is what 27 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: got exported across the world. You know when we did 28 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,279 Speaker 1: the Banging in Little Rock episode, why are there rolling 29 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: sixty crypts in Kansas? You know, we talked about this before. 30 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: A thing that's gotten exported all all over the world. 31 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 1: There are things that come out of your mouth that 32 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: y'all keep calling gen z or you know, hip slang 33 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: that's really gang talk. Things that y'all don't know is 34 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: gang talk is la. We there are Brooklyn Bloods like 35 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: the it's we have exported a certain thing, and not 36 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: only that as an export. As one of the things 37 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: we exported the Chicano culture lowriders, you know, the smile now, 38 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: cry later stuff like all that type of like drawing 39 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: in handstyles and lettering that's Chicano. You look in Japan, 40 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: you go through Osaka, you would think you in East La. 41 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: It's the most bizarre. It's like it messes with your 42 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: brain because it's like, man, y'all do Chicanos sometimes better 43 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,239 Speaker 1: than we do Chicano Like. It's it's the most I 44 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: can't I can't explain it. This is the part of 45 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: LA that I fell in love with that I grew 46 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: up in. Notice I haven't mentioned anything about Hollywood. Of 47 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,679 Speaker 1: course y'all know about that. Of course, this is the 48 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: entertainment capital of the world. Of course, the hollywod signed 49 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: Griffith Park. You know, the La that the Chili Peppers 50 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: talked about, the La that the Doors talked about. LA 51 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 1: from the sixties, the flower Power, the Troubadour as a 52 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: venue that launched a thousand careers, the Laurel Canyon scene 53 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: I have. I'm not even talking about that. Los Angeles 54 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: creates culture, and if you cut me open, I'm a 55 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 1: bleed it. But there's one thing that I want to 56 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: talk about today that has now become a tourist attraction 57 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: that has been in my mind not only what saved 58 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: my life. I mean this quite literally, but as a 59 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: beacon of culture, shaping language, cruise, and fashion, and that 60 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: is our graffiti. We blanket cities with beautiful rainbows of 61 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: art that some may call vandalism. And if those that 62 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: do graffiti are honest. They call it vandalism because that's 63 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: what it is. But I tell you what our newest 64 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: tourist attraction that I would love to talk to y'all 65 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: about right now is the Los Angeles downtown Graphebee towers 66 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: hook politics, y'all, all right, CALLI folk. I love this 67 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: because this is this moment is such a cross section 68 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 1: of politics, culture, you know, urban life, hip hop is 69 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: a cross section in the story we about to see 70 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: right now, economy, everything. So if you're driving, you know, 71 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: down the ten ten Freeway, Chris crosses the entire nation. 72 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: But when you're coming in, let's say you're coming in 73 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: from the you're gonna go through first, You're gonna you know, 74 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: cut through all the deserts, the Palm Springs, Joshua Tree. 75 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: Then you're gonna hit the Inland Empire. And then after 76 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: you hit the end of the Empire, you're gonna hit 77 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: the San Gabriol Valley. The middle part. You know this 78 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: like Alhambra, Rosemead, San Gabriel Right before you get to 79 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: the seven ten, when you hit City Terrace, you're gonna 80 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 1: see col State, La. Once you hit cal this is 81 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: going down the ten, and once you hit Colstaate La, 82 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: you're officially in Los Angeles. You're about to go through 83 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: City Terrace Boyle Heights and then have a chance to 84 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: split and either go up the five to get you 85 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: into Hollywood area or like Schefez Ravine to go to 86 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: the Dodger Stadium, or you're gonna swing a little bit 87 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 1: a few blocks south to connect to the rest of 88 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: the ten alongside the La River. Now this is I'm 89 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: doing this on purpose because it's it's very important for 90 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: the context. Now you're going to be driving through this 91 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: stretch that runs along the downtown bridges where most like 92 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 1: movie scenes when people are driving through the you know, 93 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: having the high speed chases and they're like driving through gutters, 94 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: that's the La River. Now you're on your way going 95 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: into through the Arts District, into downtown Flower District. You 96 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: know Jeelry, the Diamond District, Jewelry, like, all of this 97 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: is happening right here. Now you're about to get into 98 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: La Live. This is where the Lakers play at Crypto Arena, 99 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: used to be Staples, the Oscars. It all happens here 100 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: a place that if you grew up here, you know 101 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: that downtown was blade Runner zombie land. We used to 102 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: think as kids, this was the most lackluster downtown, like 103 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 1: it was nothing, like just nothing, because it had its glory, 104 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 1: like there's like the super beautiful like the Belasco, the 105 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:45,720 Speaker 1: Mayan Theater, Orpheum Theater, these places downtown that you could 106 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 1: tell in like, you know, twenties and thirties was like, oh, 107 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: it must have been cracking over here. Then it died. 108 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: Downtown died until the Lakers left Englewood the form and 109 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 1: they started building La Live when they built the Staples Arena, 110 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 1: and it brought life back to downtown and it became 111 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: a place that now I mean kicking in all the time. 112 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: You get beautiful high rise buildings, dope bars, and just 113 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: a really dope like culture and nightlife. If you're single, 114 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: you know, you can't have kids and lay down there. 115 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: But it's also there's quite a serious homeless issue down there. 116 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: It's back. But a few blocks from Crypto towering over 117 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: are four high rises that are a little different than 118 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: the other high rise builds because they're blanketed with a 119 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: who's who of Los Angeles graffiti riders. And it happened 120 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: this year. It is one of the dopest Okay, wait, 121 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: let me not say how dope I think it is 122 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: because I need to, like, I need to tell you 123 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: the story behind it before we get into it. But like, 124 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: it's the dope. I'm sorry. I said I wouldn't go 125 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: do it, but I have to do it as sciting. 126 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: It's the dopest thing the La Graffiti scene. It's four 127 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: towers right that are abandoned. And I'm going to tell 128 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: you the whole story about this in this podcast, especially 129 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: for the LA folks that are listening to this. If 130 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: you ever wondered, like how this happened and why ain't 131 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: nothing happening? Since I hope they leave it there. They're 132 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: not going to leave it there. But here's the thing. So, 133 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: it's these four towers that were supposed to be these 134 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: fancy lofts, right, fancy high rise apartments overlooking Crypto, overlooking 135 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: downtown luxury apartment lofts that they're supposed to be. Ain't 136 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: nobody worked on them since twenty nineteen, And the La 137 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: Graffiti Scene showed up and showed out every floor from 138 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 1: the bottom all the way up to the top. Each 139 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 1: artist took a floor all the way into the skyline, 140 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: it's burners and pieces from the top all the way 141 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: to the bottom, and it just kept getting bigger. It 142 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: was the greatest gift we got in twenty twenty four. 143 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: It started in January and it got filled in a month. 144 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: It became national news because of what I'm about to explain, 145 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: which is the tics of it all. But before I 146 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: do that, let me talk about graffiti. Graffiti's a Latin word, 147 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 1: maybe it's Greek, one of those, it's argued, but the 148 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: argument is the first graffiti that they've seen came in 149 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: during like the Roman Empire. Graffiti has to do with 150 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 1: usually or historically, by definition, is a political message. It's 151 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: not necessarily vandalism because vandalism has to do with property ownership, 152 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: all right, So if there is no ownership of the 153 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: location of the griffit, we cannot call this vandalism because 154 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: and the eyes of the law, as we know, and 155 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: if you listen to anything on cool Zone, you understand 156 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: that the law really only exists to protect property and 157 00:09:51,440 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: protecting us. You always say you're trying to protect property. Now, 158 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: like anything else, things that were seen as a nuisance, 159 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: if you give it some time, becomes gallery work and 160 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: celebrated right, you take somebody like Basquiat, it's a craft writer. 161 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: We consider him one of the first. Now you pay 162 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: millions of dollars for it. Right, I'm gonna jump around here. 163 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,959 Speaker 1: But like the drawings and illustrations of somebody like a 164 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: mister Cartoon who essentially tattooed every rapper you've ever met. 165 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,080 Speaker 1: You get a mister Cartoon tattooed, right, those faces like 166 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: I said earlier, the smile now cry later. The type 167 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: of lettering, this type of like high calligraphy that you 168 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: guys would be like, oh that's gangster writing. It's mister Cartoon. 169 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 1: Big Sleeps, defer These people like og slick, right, these 170 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 1: guys you know those la the la finger that Esteban 171 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: took of the girl the black and white picture where 172 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 1: she's throwing up la. So he has one. But they're 173 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 1: like Mickey Mouse cartoon hands. So that's slick. If you've 174 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: ever worn a hurly shirt that looked slightly like street wear, 175 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 1: that's Big Sleeps. These names who when I was a preteen, 176 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: these were the guys that I've said before. When I 177 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 1: was a child and driving from this city called Melinda, 178 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: right right, unincorporated area between West Covina and La Pointe, 179 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: twenty minutes east of South Central. Driving there to my 180 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 1: grandmother's house on sixty seventh to San Pedro and south 181 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: on the east side of South Central Los Angeles, you 182 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 1: have to cross over this one of these sections, depending 183 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: on which way we went, you're crossing the La River. 184 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: These since it's paved, it would be these ginormous to me, 185 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: larger than life. I just these paintings, these letterings, this, 186 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: they were these characters. And if y'all know me again, 187 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:13,719 Speaker 1: my first love, before music, before anything, was I went 188 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: to school for illustration. I went to school. I was 189 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: gonna be an artist. And why because of graffiti? Why 190 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 1: I rapped graffiti? This is that was my entry to 191 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: hip hop. Was whatever that is, that's I want to 192 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: be a part of whatever that is. It just it 193 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: was so colorful and vibrant in this area that was 194 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 1: so invested in, you know, infested with violence and gang 195 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: and just knowing that this was like ghetto art, like 196 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:39,679 Speaker 1: we were making this. There wasn't no guy went on, 197 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: no T shirts. We were making this, and it just 198 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: captured my imagination in a way nothing else did. Anyway, 199 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 1: I'm ahead of myself. These people weren't getting paid for 200 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 1: this stuff. These people weren't having you know, mister cartoon 201 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 1: got a Modello commercial. This stuff does not the fifty 202 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 1: years of of hip hop, you know, the hip hop 203 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 1: to infinity, these like interactive like that wasn't happening. These 204 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,559 Speaker 1: people were criminals if we were running from the law. 205 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: One of my favorite one is Chaka, who's from my hood. 206 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: They did a whole, a whole like news expos say 207 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:14,839 Speaker 1: about him because he gets because he used to get 208 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 1: up everywhere. Nobody understood how he was able to get up. 209 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give you some I need to I'm saying 210 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 1: vocabulary before I explain it to you. Get up just 211 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: means he got his name on a wall somewhere. You 212 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: were able to get up somewhere. Anyway, This was the 213 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: world that introduced me to everything. But at the time 214 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: they were the scourge, and to the general public there 215 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: was no distinction between, which made no sense to me. 216 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 1: Sense to me because it was so easy to see 217 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: a distinction between destruction of property, vandalism or like marking 218 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: of territory, because all they saw was writing on the wall, 219 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: and it was so obvious to me. What was the boundary, marking, 220 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 1: markings of a neighborhood gang versus a throw up or 221 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:03,559 Speaker 1: a piece. Now these are again, let me just give 222 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: you those vocabulary. A throw up is like you run up. 223 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: You're scribbling as fast as you can, working on your handstyles. 224 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: The way your handstyles is like the style for which 225 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: you write your letters. So you throw up your handstyle, 226 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: which is your throw up real quick. That's where you 227 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: got up. That's your name. If for me it was props, 228 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 1: because I've always been propaganda. So just my quicks, props, 229 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: my little circle, copyright, my little arrow under the bottom. 230 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: So you just throw that up, get out of there. 231 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: A lot of times you would sometimes you would go 232 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 1: to like you would do sticks where you would go 233 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 1: to a post office and get those like just the 234 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: sticker sheets or the hello my name is. We would 235 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: just give reams of those things and you just practice 236 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: your handstyles and then you would throw them on stop signs, 237 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 1: throw them on this right. So just burner is a 238 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: little takes a little more time. A lot of times 239 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: those are like one or two color kind of bubble letters, 240 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: but they're larger your piece. That's like a mirror. A 241 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: lot of times pieces are done by whole crews. But 242 00:14:54,800 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: they are like the size of the building, multi colored, 243 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: and they they I mean, they take a long time. 244 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: I am trying to take you to a time for 245 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: which we didn't have a place like the Arts District, 246 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: which when you drive through the Arts District in LA 247 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: I'm like, this is graffiti. Like we a lot of 248 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 1: us have records because of this stuff and some of 249 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: the dudes doing it, one of them, the homie Vile. 250 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: I know Vile's work because he used to do these 251 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: eyes and I'm like on fourth and a Lamita, I'm like, 252 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: that's Vile like these like these and he is a 253 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: legend now. But they were criminals. Okay, the culture is 254 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: so strange, but like this thing that became what it 255 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: became in Los Angeles of course, or just as far 256 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: as hip hop's concern comes out of New York, let's 257 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: let's be real comes out of New York. The subway train, 258 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: things that like if you ever see you know, Beach 259 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: Street or Wild Style, which of course it's like it 260 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: is really dated, but if you can, just if you 261 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: could suspend reality, please go see these two movies, like 262 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: to understand the New York of it all. As far 263 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: as like him is concerned. Where a lot of this 264 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: stuff came from. There was a lot that had to do, 265 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: especially with the subway trains, because you only had like 266 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: a few inches to work with in between in between 267 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: these tunnels. And that was part of the game. Was 268 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: you'd go in there in the middle of the night, 269 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: though your burner up, all your peace up on the train, 270 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: and then would like wait for the morning for that 271 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: train to come out. You go up to your little 272 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: to your project building and look down and it was 273 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: nothing more glorious than seeing that train come out of 274 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: the train tunnel and the sunlight hits your piece that 275 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: you didn't that you only saw in the dark, like 276 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: you didn't even really get to see it, you haven't 277 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: seen it from far away. That was part of you know, 278 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: And those props were like now all the ghetto saw 279 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying, your work. That was part 280 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 1: of it. Part of it was the anonymity of like 281 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: like kind of like the vigilanti, like fast as fast 282 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: can be. You can't catch me like you. You can't 283 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: catch these guys like you. You know the mystery of it, 284 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: but like we knew, you knew who that was but 285 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: like that mystery of like you know, hide your face 286 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: and you just see my work Like that was part 287 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: of the adrenaline. Part of the adrenaline of that it 288 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: is illegal and you could get caught, Like that's part 289 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 1: of that was part of the allure. It gets to 290 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: Los Angeles. You know, we have our train bombing, you 291 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:09,880 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying and stuff like that. Of course 292 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: we have that, but like that wasn't our culture. Our 293 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: culture again was flowered by gang life. That was always 294 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 1: a part of our culture. So we created Cruise right now, 295 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: Tagging crews had a very different history because a lot 296 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: of times tagging crews were there as alternatives to gang life, 297 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 1: which is how I got into tag. It was like, 298 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:37,640 Speaker 1: well I don't I like art, but you still get 299 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: the adrenaline, right, And there's still, of course territorial stuff 300 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: to where it's like, you know, you have different things 301 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:45,719 Speaker 1: like consafas, which means like with safety. So like if 302 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tag and I put consavas, that basically means 303 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 1: that like the neighborhood gang said, you can't touch this one, 304 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 1: right if you cross out a khonsafas or if you 305 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: cross out somebody that means we fight, and that's disrespectful anyway. 306 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 1: What also must be mentioned was the development of what 307 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: we would call tag which was in some areas, like 308 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: the tagging crew was almost like a recruiting ground or 309 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 1: entry point into joining the set. So some of them 310 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 1: dudes were like just talented thugs. There were crews that 311 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 1: were like, like, this dude's like a tag banger, so 312 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: he's a tagger, but he's also a gangster and like 313 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: the way that he moved was much more gangway than 314 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 1: some of the other dudes that were like, we're just 315 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: in this for the art. Because again LA has been 316 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: like colored with gang life. That's just a part of 317 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:35,400 Speaker 1: the way colored. So yeah, there was like some dudes 318 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: that were like that was their cover or places where 319 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: like the big homies were recruit you know. So that's 320 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: that's been a part of the culture too. All of 321 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: that's there. The point is what we were able to 322 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: develop as a style, as a community, and as a 323 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: way for which we were able to celebrate our culture, 324 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: our art, our rest in Peace murals, just like in 325 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: New York, you know, are honoring our fallen stars. All 326 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,040 Speaker 1: of that is kind of a part of graffiti and 327 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 1: this was our art programs. Why I understand color theory, 328 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:08,640 Speaker 1: how I was able to get into my ap art 329 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 1: program in high school was because I came from graffiti. 330 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 1: I already knew how to paint, already knew my primary 331 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,919 Speaker 1: and secondary colors, already knew perspective, already knew all that 332 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: stuff because you had to do it for graf already 333 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: knew how to take a drawing from my black book, 334 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: my sketch book, and blow it up bigger. All that 335 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: to say, this has been a historical part of all 336 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: that is California. We used to call it a victimless crime, 337 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 1: although we were lying to ourselves. Like I said before, 338 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: we know there's victims here right now. There was also 339 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: a place in Venice Beach that was one of the 340 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: first that I know of legal yards. There's a skate 341 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: park at the end of Venice Beach, right of course, 342 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: y'all y'all know Muscle Beach, y'all know, the basketball court 343 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 1: was very important. But next to that was a skate 344 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 1: park that that was a legal yard, and a lot 345 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: of graffiti writers would go over there because again it 346 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: was legal. You practice your work, get your skills up, 347 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 1: get your bars up. We would find abandoned places to 348 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 1: go to this anyway, we would find a band in 349 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,400 Speaker 1: places again, go practice your handstyles, like I remember sneaking 350 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: in the tunnels and abandoned storm drains that like you know, 351 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 1: they they re routed the stuff. So we would sneak 352 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: in there and work on our our skills, get you know, 353 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: get our fades together, figure out how to have better 354 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: can control. Why we would do it there is because 355 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: it's not just about how good your art is. The 356 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 1: location is important. That's part of the props. We would 357 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: use a lot of times. That's what we would say. 358 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: We say, look our our our our currency is props, 359 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:31,640 Speaker 1: you know, because there wasn't any money to be made, 360 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 1: so it's it's the props. It's the clout. And part 361 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: of the clout was location. Why we would dangle on 362 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:38,880 Speaker 1: the side of freeways. I know dudes that died because 363 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: they just fell from freeway signs. It was a part 364 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: of it. The adrenaline, the degree of difficulty to get 365 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: the spot, for us to be like, dang, how'd you 366 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: catch the spot? How you figure that out was even 367 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,159 Speaker 1: a part of and the quality for which you know, 368 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:56,360 Speaker 1: your reputation as you know, adult writer would be right. 369 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: I'm not talking about toys, like we'd be here all 370 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 1: night talking about you know what we would consider a 371 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 1: toy and all that good stuff. But all that leads 372 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:09,720 Speaker 1: into why this graffiti tower, Because what a spot to 373 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:14,480 Speaker 1: catch It's perfect, it's abandoned, it's downtown. Every floor is 374 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: completely empty, it's not trashed. It's actually super nice. It's 375 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 1: hiding in plain sight. It's been empty since twenty nineteen. 376 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,679 Speaker 1: No one's touching it. And then one guy gets the 377 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: idea people were like doing their like base jumping and 378 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:32,719 Speaker 1: stuff off of it because it's just sitting there. And 379 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: even it just sitting there is absurd in a city 380 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: that has such a problem with houseless community. It's just 381 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:45,960 Speaker 1: it's just sitting here and them boys all the way 382 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: to the top the lope. You gotta remember, that's why 383 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: I want to give you this context. The location of 384 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 1: your spot is also a part of it. This is 385 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,920 Speaker 1: why it reached legendary status. Twenty twenty four has given us. 386 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 1: Now I can count two legendary hipop moments, this graffiti 387 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 1: Tower and the Kindrick and Drake thing. Now the politics 388 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:37,000 Speaker 1: of it all all right, we're back. Now it's not 389 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 1: so much. This politics I'm gonna give you is something 390 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: that these adult like writers had consciously on their mind. 391 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 1: I'm telling you this as something for us to consider 392 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:50,120 Speaker 1: as a city, how to run a budget, how all 393 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 1: of these things work. Now, flashback to when I said, 394 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:59,959 Speaker 1: you know, downtown died. Downtown died from what I can 395 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 1: gather after the Olympics. The Olympics happened in nineteen eighty four. 396 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,199 Speaker 1: That's when we built the coliseum, you know, which was 397 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: condemned for a while. USC used to play there, but 398 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 1: they just don't work on it lappen. What happened to 399 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:16,159 Speaker 1: La in a lot of ways is what happens to 400 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:21,120 Speaker 1: all these other major cities. People get grossly misplayed or displaced. Right. 401 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 1: You build up this infrastructure and then it just sits there. 402 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 1: We talked, we did a you could rewind way back. 403 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: I want to say it was like episode like eighteen 404 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: nineteen something during the was it twenty twenty Olympics, During 405 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,120 Speaker 1: the Olympics, when we talked about like should we really 406 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: have these right like liking stuff you know you're not 407 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: supposed to like, you know, I obviously I become a 408 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: complete flag waving patriot when it comes to the Olympics. 409 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 1: But the Olympics always has had devastating, decimating effects on 410 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: the city. It just bankrupts it and it displaces hundreds 411 00:23:56,359 --> 00:24:00,200 Speaker 1: of people. Downtown died. Okay, now I'm bringing a care 412 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: you never thought i'd bring in. Who bought up a 413 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,680 Speaker 1: lot of these buildings was the guy who owned the Clippers, 414 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:10,000 Speaker 1: Donald Sterrole, and the Clippers, as we could tell because 415 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: they were so trash, was really just I don't know, 416 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 1: laundering a pet project of Donald Sterling, because he would 417 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: just sit there. We would say, man, he just sit 418 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: there at the Clipper games looking at his investments. He 419 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:25,439 Speaker 1: would just look outside at the buildings he owned that 420 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: he wasn't doing nothing in and just making money off of. 421 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:34,199 Speaker 1: Eventually Downtown got sold to China. We wasn't like they 422 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:36,680 Speaker 1: wasn't doing nothing with it. The city said they ain't 423 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:38,720 Speaker 1: had a bread to fix it up. Who came in 424 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: first was La Live to build Staples Arena. Now, once 425 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,120 Speaker 1: you build Staples Arena, all we need investors. China, as 426 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,160 Speaker 1: we all know, ain't stupid. They got sense and they 427 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: got bread. Now, all this talk about China becoming the 428 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,360 Speaker 1: new World power and all this stuff that like that's 429 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:02,400 Speaker 1: where we as a nation can call because Inas much 430 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 1: as you talking about local grown invest in USA, you 431 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 1: done sold Downtown LA to China. And you think we 432 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: don't know this, everybody out here new that's who owned 433 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,919 Speaker 1: these buildings. China bought them, So don't so don't you know, 434 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: piss on my back and tell me it's raining. Y'all 435 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 1: sold down down to China. Didn't got the nerve to 436 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: talk about tariffs anyway. This particular building or this plaza 437 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:30,560 Speaker 1: was called Ocean Wide Plaza, and it's bankrupt. It was 438 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: development in downtown LA owned by this Chinese company called 439 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 1: ocean Wide Holdings, which clearly sound made up, right like obviously, 440 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,479 Speaker 1: come on, y'all, y'all know out that's y'all made that up. 441 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: That's just that's that's a dva. You done stood up 442 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,399 Speaker 1: so you can invest this money in. Now check this out. Okay. 443 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:55,359 Speaker 1: They started building this thing, ran out of money, and 444 00:25:55,400 --> 00:26:00,680 Speaker 1: they stopped working in twenty nineteen. Right now, since then, 445 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 1: they've been trying to get bidders right to invest in 446 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:07,439 Speaker 1: this and the people who they've been trying to invest in. Now, 447 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,200 Speaker 1: keep in mind, we are in the middle of one 448 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: of the largest housing crises. I mean, like, are we 449 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: lying like ain't enough houses and y'all, y'all, y'all, y'all, 450 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: y'all selling our real estate to other people? Okay, So 451 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: so here go to bidders Blackstone, black Rock, right, and 452 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: some cash rich overseas like sovereign wealth funds like from 453 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 1: the Middle East, like in Asia and Europe. Right, Like, so, y'all, 454 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 1: can you hear this cat, this building just sitting here, 455 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:42,640 Speaker 1: you like, knock it down? It would cost too much 456 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,679 Speaker 1: to knock it down? Is they argument? It would cost 457 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: too much to knock it down, right, But you're finna 458 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 1: sell it to all these other countries while telling us 459 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 1: we need to invest logo while telling us that the 460 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 1: problem is these illegal immigrants coming into our city. Can 461 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,159 Speaker 1: you just what are you talking about now? In a 462 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 1: bankruptcy report? Right, because you had to eventually file bankruptcy, Like, yo, 463 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:09,920 Speaker 1: this thing's okay before I get specifically, like listen, this 464 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 1: thing is about two thirds done and with about it's 465 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:17,440 Speaker 1: one point two billion already invested in it. Like that's 466 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,679 Speaker 1: what A guy that's part of the brokerage team, his 467 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 1: name's Mark Tarzinski. He was like, why would anyone I mean, 468 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: it's a like, why would anyone knock it? There's nothing 469 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:32,200 Speaker 1: wrong with the building. It's actually good bread and look 470 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 1: if it works. He fit a ball out, like cash out, 471 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 1: cuz like, let me not argue with this, the fact 472 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 1: that like there is bread to be made on this, 473 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 1: And I don't blame him for being like, who wont what? 474 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: Now the bankruptcy They said that this thing's market value 475 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,280 Speaker 1: is almost three hundred and thirty four million dollars, right, 476 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: but costs to finish it and to fix it is 477 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: eight hundred and sixty five million, right, And it's only 478 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:04,880 Speaker 1: an it and they're sixty percent finished. But you obviously 479 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:07,880 Speaker 1: got set back because you got to fix all these pieces. Now, 480 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: if it were me, I would leave the pieces in 481 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 1: charge double like I feel like you got a piece 482 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 1: of history. But they don't think like me. Now the developers, right, 483 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 1: which is normal. Developers sometimes stall time from time because 484 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:22,639 Speaker 1: you run out of money, but rarely do they just 485 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 1: give up and walk away and just leave something have done. 486 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:28,000 Speaker 1: And part of why they could do that is because 487 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 1: they don't live here. But it's actually more sinister than that, 488 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: and I'm explaining it to you in a second. Now, 489 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 1: this same company, Ocean Wide Holdings. They bought this parking 490 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: lot across the street from the arena back in twenty fourteen, right, 491 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: and then that's when they started working on the tower. 492 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 1: So they've been working on this for a while. Right. 493 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 1: It was supposed to have apartments, five star hotel right, 494 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: up market stores, restaurants. Right. They were trying to make 495 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: this look like some time square out this mug. They 496 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: was like, we out of money. We good now how 497 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 1: they ran out of money again? And listen to the politics. 498 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:05,280 Speaker 1: Why they couldn't finish this mug wasn't just the natural 499 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 1: like oh we overspent man, you know, we underestimated the costs. 500 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 1: It's because the Chinese government said, we don't like money 501 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: flowing out bound. Y'all need to leave y'all money here. 502 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 1: FAM's it was politics. They said, you you spend it 503 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: too much money other places. You need to spend your 504 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: money here. And since they don't have a free market 505 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: economy like we do, at least they don't lie to 506 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 1: themselves to say they got a free market economy, they 507 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: just they just mask off with it. They was like, 508 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: y'all need to stop spending your money over there. Sometimes 509 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 1: shutting stuff down just works. That's the type stuff Trump 510 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 1: be on. So then you had to stop because the 511 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: contract builders stopped being paid. Now, if you're a general contractor, 512 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 1: you like and the people that paid you filing Chapter 513 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: eleven bankruptcy, you like, okay, cool, I need my money. 514 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 1: Though I did my part, I need my money. So 515 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: ocean wide, they owe back taxes to LA and they 516 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: read to repay the money the city of Los Angeles 517 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 1: for all the security they tried to put in place 518 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 1: in response to the graffiti stuff. The city allotted four 519 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 1: million dollars. Now on one hand, in the city's defense 520 00:30:18,440 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: because I'm gonna drag them later in the city's defense. 521 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: You get a building like that, it's like, oh, dope, 522 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: y'all gonna pay for it. Y'all gonna build it. We 523 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 1: just get to collect taxes on it, run it. That's 524 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 1: quite a play in the defense. If I get to 525 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 1: just collect taxes on some mind spend spin to build 526 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: and you gotta get all the permits and you gotta 527 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: hire niggas here, I'm creating jobs, I'm collecting tax bread 528 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 1: and I ain't gotta invest that. Oh that's a lick 529 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: in they defense. I get it. That's a lick. They 530 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:56,080 Speaker 1: obviously graffiti the furthest thing from their mind also the 531 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:59,440 Speaker 1: furthest thing from their minds. What JJ in king was Finna? 532 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 1: Do you? Was Finna? Just like you mess it up 533 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 1: the play? And they like, we done ran this play before. 534 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 1: It's an easy play. And we get to get on 535 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 1: the camera and say we're doing good for the city. 536 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: Were providing homes. We build it off, like is you 537 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 1: providing homes? Because even if you finished, as you're talking 538 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 1: about these four thousand and five thousand dollars a month 539 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 1: lofts in downtown, who these homes for? But I'll see 540 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 1: the play you running. It just makes sense. We'll make 541 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: the bread off the taxas. However, y'all thought y'all was 542 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 1: gonna get y'all money. Wait hey, so back to my thought. 543 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 1: The city allotted four million dollars to erect the fence 544 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 1: to protect you from the painters. Yo. On our local news, 545 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:47,440 Speaker 1: I loved it. They were doing these like these little 546 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 1: expos a pieces where these people was like, well, we're 547 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: not trying to condone vandalism, but let's interview our l 548 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 1: a graffiti scene and they had like the little Latina 549 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:02,120 Speaker 1: newsperson come inner view these dudes, and I could see 550 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: her trying to like humanize it. I'm looking at this 551 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: lady and I'm like, okay, you look at you around 552 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 1: our as. I was like, oh, you used to tag 553 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 1: when you were younger. I could totally tell anyway. In February, 554 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 1: listen to me, four million dollars to put a fence 555 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 1: up to protect the building that they don't own and 556 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:30,480 Speaker 1: ain't gonna get they money for to protect it from painters. 557 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: Y'all this listen. You have you ever have a friend 558 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 1: that you going out to eat with and they all 559 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: of a sudden being like, oh man, I ain't got 560 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 1: it this week, I get it next week. And you 561 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 1: look at their feet, they wearing a pan new pair 562 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 1: of JS. Oh you got it. You just don't. You 563 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: just spend it in on stuff that don't matter. Let 564 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 1: me get this straight. City in Los Angeles, you you 565 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 1: gonna spend full million dollars to protect the building that 566 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 1: ain't yours, that ain't gonna be done that you're finna 567 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:06,719 Speaker 1: sell to another country? You who you gonna get your 568 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:11,160 Speaker 1: money back? Let me ask you something. You think they 569 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: gonna pay you back? I thought you was from the hood. 570 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,479 Speaker 1: I thought you was from La. You ain't gonna get 571 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 1: you who you gonna get your money back? Y'all really 572 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 1: think you gonna get your money back? You think the 573 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 1: people they're selling this too after the brokers done got 574 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:37,200 Speaker 1: their commission. Come here, come here, come here. Do you 575 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:40,160 Speaker 1: know how much trash we talked to China? You think 576 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:44,360 Speaker 1: Beijing ain't gonna get you your money? Here's my suggestion. 577 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 1: Leave it there, Let it be an art installation, buy 578 00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 1: it yourself, because you know what The Olympics is coming, 579 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 1: and yo, little sorry tal still need to figure out 580 00:33:59,480 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 1: where to put the one hundred and fifty thousand population 581 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 1: of a houseless You also got a housing shortage in 582 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: Los Angeles. I don't understand why your math ain't mathing, 583 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,239 Speaker 1: but I get it. You ain't got it, though, but 584 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:18,400 Speaker 1: I get it. The graffiti is the nuisance, and like 585 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:23,360 Speaker 1: we said, your job is not to protect us but property. 586 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:26,680 Speaker 1: So on behalf of Los Angeles. I want to say 587 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:30,600 Speaker 1: thank you to the La graffiti scene for giving us 588 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 1: something beautiful. And I hope every time our local government 589 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 1: looks at that that they think we really got it 590 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 1: all backwards, don't we. I'm definitely not saying just shove 591 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 1: the homeless into a building, because that's not that's not 592 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:49,200 Speaker 1: loving at all. There's organizations like Path Partners, which I 593 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:52,360 Speaker 1: will link into this show notes, who are doing amazing, 594 00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:57,600 Speaker 1: amazing things to help transition our houseless population. At least 595 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: that I can tell. I'm not one of the ours. Listen, 596 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:02,560 Speaker 1: maybe they got some skeletons in their closet that I 597 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:05,239 Speaker 1: don't know of, if so correct me, But from what 598 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,960 Speaker 1: I've seen, prey dope er, I just think there's a 599 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,239 Speaker 1: better use of your money than four million dollars to 600 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 1: put up a fence to protect something that ain't even yours. 601 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 1: But you know what, don't listen to me. What do 602 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:34,040 Speaker 1: I know? All right? Now, don't you hit stop on 603 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:36,680 Speaker 1: this pod? You better listen to these credits. I need 604 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:39,120 Speaker 1: you to finish this thing so I can get the 605 00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 1: download numbers. Okay, so don't stop it yet, but listen. 606 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:48,040 Speaker 1: This was recorded in East Lost Boyle Heights by your 607 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:51,439 Speaker 1: boy Propaganda. Tap in with me at prop hip hop 608 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:54,799 Speaker 1: dot com. If you're in the Coldbrew coffee we got 609 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,879 Speaker 1: terraform Coldbrew. You can go there dot com and use 610 00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:01,160 Speaker 1: promo code hood get to twenty percent off get yourself 611 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:05,400 Speaker 1: some coffee. This was mixed, edited, and mastered by your 612 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,360 Speaker 1: boy Matt Alsowski Killing the Beat Softly. Check out his 613 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 1: website Mattowsowski dot com. I'm a speller for you because 614 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:17,440 Speaker 1: I know M A T. T O S O W 615 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:22,239 Speaker 1: s ki dot com Matthowsowski dot com. He got more 616 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 1: music and stuff like that on there, so gonna check out. 617 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:28,320 Speaker 1: The Heat Politics is a member of cool Zone Media, 618 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 1: executive produced by Sophie Lichterman, part of the iHeartMedia podcast network. 619 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: Your theme music and scoring is also by the one 620 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 1: and nobly Matt Awsowski. Still killing the beat softly, So listen. 621 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:44,399 Speaker 1: Don't let nobody lie to you. If you understand urban living, 622 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 1: you understand politics. These people is not smarter than you. 623 00:36:47,880 --> 00:37:00,719 Speaker 1: We'll see y'all next week. The