The NY Times: Stars Flock to Atlanta--Reshaping a Center of Black Culture (houses, unemployment)

[muxBuppie]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

My point is basically this.

If we're going to ordain any city as the "Black Mecca," I'm more inclined to give it to DC because cats there are really making moves.

When you're a powerbroker working with high-level members of the FTC and the Antitrust Division to clear a deal between Exxon and a Nigerian energy provider, you're doing it big. When I go to a happy hour and meet a sista who finished with top honors at Yale and gives oral arguments before the Supreme Court, I'm impressed. When I meet a group of brothers, two of whom were Rhodes Scholars, who have started their own consulting firm where they travel to Africa and Eastern bloc countries to meet with clients, yeah, I'm impressed. When I meet a chick at a house party, and then see her name above a column in the New York Times the next day, I'm impressed. You're not going to be have the same type of exposure to those types of people living in Atlanta. That's why I consider DC to be the "mecca," at least over Atlanta.

What's with you and Law?

Also who said Atlanta was a black mecca in this thread?

[readyset]

Originally Posted by oldschoolChevy

And I see this argument is revolving around DC vs Atlanta, but yet you're from NYC. Let's talk about blacks in NYC, because from where I sit blacks in NYC may have raw numbers just off NYC being such a bigger city than everybody else. But do blacks as a whole get money in NYC? Not quite fam, outside of the West Indian blacks, most American blacks in NYC are pretty broke.

Yes, I would like to know about them too. I think D.C. and Atlanta are fairing much better.

You hear about all sorts of different races in Harlem now, WTF happened?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by muxBuppie

I wonder what the white people in this forum think of this thread.

I think it's a fascinating and enlightening thread. I don't know why oldschoolChevy says white people are laughing. I'm not.

[readyset]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

You didn't read anything I wrote. What are the jobs in Atlanta that are going to draw in the most educated blacks? Tell me. What are they? In pretty much every industry, DC destroys Atlanta (unless we're talking about the music industry, which again, attracts more ninjas than buppies). It's not even close. Atlanta is great for a single mother looking to escape Harlem and get a whole house for what she used to pay in rent every month. And that's a good thing. But Atlanta is not drawing in the type of black talent that DC is because it simply doesn't have the industry and the institutions. DC has a much more specialized, highly-skilled job workforce than Atlanta, period. And a stronger affinity for "high culture" comes along with that.

Seriously though, Atlanta actually has a quite a bit of a critical mass in the financial arena over D.C. proper.

Invesco, Suntrust, Equifax, IntercontinentalExchange are all headquartered in Atlanta. They have large regional offices for Wells Fargo, Bank of America, BB&T and Regions Bank etc. Now Citi and PNC and other banks from up north want to enter the Atlanta market.

Even Baltimore is more of a Financial power center than D.C. with T.Rowe, Legg Mason and a slew of smaller investment firms in Baltimore, even venture capital. D.C. proper just has a few branch offices at best but no real headquarters besides maybe Carlye Group and small bundle of other. In fact the real financial power in the D.C. area is in Bethesda/Rockville from NEA, Novak Biddle, Chevy Chase Trust, Thompson Reuters, ProShares/Funds, Nasdaq OMX, American Capital and on and on and on. If Chevy Chase Bank wasn't bought by Capital one (or if their federal charter wasn't in Va) it would have been guaranteed.

[oldschoolChevy]

Your whole entire post right here, which reeks of lies, cliche's, stereotypes and just overall nonsense, pretty much sums up your disdain for the A

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

1. Spinner's were in style about a decade ago, and when they were, everybody was riding them from coast to coast. Please lets not act like cats riding spinners was inclusive to Atlanta. People in NYC ride rims and hook up cars too, it's just different because you're car culture is wack up there. And Atlanta actually did pop off like what you were saying, but it was almost 20 years ago. It sounds like you're talking about Freaknik and that was dead basically around the time the Olympics came. The city doesn't have stuff like that now, not even close. And Freaknik wasn't an Atlanta party as much as it was a party in Atlanta where black people from all over the country came here.

Either you were here in 1987 or you're talking out of your neck. People in Atlanta haven't worn gold teeth like that for years. People wore them, but even back then it wasnt near to the level of what you're talking about. That fad was going out when I still in high school, and that was a minute ago. And even then it wasn't nearly on the scale like you're making it out to be. Truth be told cats from other cities in the south like New Orleans, Miami, Houston, and Memphis always made fun of Atlanta dudes because we didn't rock gold fronts as much as they did. They said we were soft, or trying to be Yankees by not rocking gold teeth like that. So if you've never seen more dudes with gold teeth then I'm assuming you've never been to the black areas of Miami, New Orleans, Memphis, Houston, B-Ham or pretty much any other city in the south.

3. Once again, from 2001-2003, dudes were rocking jerseys EVERYWHERE, don't act like this is inclusive to Atlanta. And the throwback orgin is debatable, I remember seeing the Dungeon Family rock throwbacks in their older videos. Just watch some Outkast, Goodie Mob videos from like '99, '00, and '01. Not saying we were trend setters like that, but there was and still is a store here called Distant Replays that had just as much Mitchell & Ness stuff in at as the store in Philly, back before they even caught on like that.

4. See response #1

5. I'm not even going to touch that one.lol

6. What All Star weekend isn't? And just like with Freaknik, the majority of people who were here for that were not from here, a good number of them were from up your way. I went to the one here, and I went to the one in Vegas, and the Vegas All Star made Atlanta look like a picnic. And it was not on one particular city that made it that way, it was cats from basically every city out there acting a @ss. That's what All Star weekend is, a party for dudes from different cities to come and show off. It is never dominated by one city, even by the locals if the city it's in. I thought everybody knew that?

I think that's more of a testament to you and the circle you travel in than it is Atlanta.

And your point is? This right here kinda rings the bell, because if you think that is a destination for locals here, then you obviously don't know the city as good as you claim. When it first opened for like the first month it was the best thing smoking. But Atlanta night life is fickle, nothing stays hot for long, and Wet Willies burned out extra quick among the locals. It stays open because of tourists. Thats all it is, just like the one in MIA, it's a tourist trap. Locals don't go there.

This is just straight up Lies.com, there is no such thing in this city as Bouldercrest Mall. Im guessing you heard about Bouldercrest on a rap song or something, because there is nothing even close to a mall on Bouldercrest. Not even close, I'm not from that side so I'm not 100% sure, but I doubt Bouldercrest has anything more than just a gas station or two and a few hood corner stores here and there. The part of Bouldercrest I'm familiar is actually kinda rural, with some hood apartments on one side of the street and just open land on the other. So try again on that please sir.

So DC doesnt have slang all of the sudden?

"Aye Aye youngin'"

"Yo youngin a cold bama, he lunchin for rockin that yo"


Like can it get more DC than this right here? ^^^^^^

I've only been to NY a few times so I'm not up on the local lingo, but Im sure it's just as colorful. And when it comes to slang in DC, I actually think that DC has the most creative slang. So # 10 doesn't make any sense to me at all.
And I'm not even knockin it, like I said before, I love the DMV, but you're acting like these types of things only happen in Atlanta.


.

[Indentured Servant]

Originally Posted by muxBuppie

Ok, and I agreed that we are doomed so,what do you want? What are you trying to do here?

Well....I no pied piper....but as a conscious African American we have to recognize trends and stop being on the tail end of trends, and getting burned, and instead be on the front end of trends....and profiting. I think that Altanta is a trend that has largely run its course. Yet, as I stated before, I know many young black folks who have, are planning or who want to move to Atlanta. I mean....they are a day late and a dollar short, to use an old colloquialism.

What I have learned is that change and volatility is how the elites make money. Whether in the stock market, bond market, real-estate market or whatever, they covet change for the opportunity to profit from it. It works like a Ponzi scheme with those who get in ahead of the curve profiting from those who come in latter and when it fizzles those who came in the game late get burned. How many black people got burned in the housing bubble? You have to know when to get in and when to get out of trends.

So, all I want black folks to do is to be more informed. For example, we should not be all running to the suburbs. Yes, I live in the suburbs of Minneapolis now, but I am looking to move back to the city. The US is going to go to a kind of European settlement style were many of the poor people live in the suburbs while the better off live towards the concentration of cultural and employment assets in the city proper. Of course, there are wealth that live in the suburbs in Europe as well, but more the exurban areas. My point is simply that US cities are going to be where VALUE increase most in the coming years. BLacks will be sitting on some prime real estate in the future and blacks with means to develope that potential and not wait until it is gentrified by others while we chase the American dream of a big house in the suburbs.

Again.....Atlanta was one of the only major metropolitan areas that lost jobs year-over-year, the past year. Job growth will return......but the boom growth is gone.....for good. My opinion and advise is born from an objective quality of life view.....in regards to there being places with lower unemployment, less traffic congestion, better schools, less crime, etc. If that is not the core of what we, as a people, value....then ignore everything that I said and get your freak on.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

My point is basically this.

If we're going to ordain any city as the "Black Mecca," I'm more inclined to give it to DC because cats there are really making moves.

This thread was never about who's the Black mecca. Your entry into this thread was to supposedly debunk the notion that Atlanta is undergoing a so-called "Renaissance" due to the Black celebrities setting up shop here when no one with any credibility ever said such a thing. When you failed to adequately prove this point, the discussion digressed into why you think DC and NYC have it all over Atlanta when it comes to Black folks.

[muxBuppie]

Originally Posted by Indentured Servant

Well....I no pied piper....but as a conscious African American we have to recognize trends and stop being on the tail end of trends, and getting burned, and instead be on the front end of trends....and profiting. I think that Altanta is a trend that has largely run its course. Yet, as I stated before, I know many young black folks who have, are planning or who want to move to Atlanta. I mean....they are a day late and a dollar short, to use an old colloquialism.

What I have learned is that change and volatility is how the elites make money. Whether in the stock market, bond market, real-estate market or whatever, they covet change for the opportunity to profit from it. It works like a Ponzi scheme with those who get in ahead of the curve profiting from those who come in latter and when it fizzles those who came in the game late get burned. How many black people got burned in the housing bubble? You have to know when to get in and when to get out of trends.

So, all I want black folks to do is to be more informed. For example, we should not be all running to the suburbs. Yes, I live in the suburbs of Minneapolis now, but I am looking to move back to the city. The US is going to go to a kind of European settlement style were many of the poor people live in the suburbs while the better off live towards the concentration of cultural and employment assets in the city proper. Of course, there are wealth that live in the suburbs in Europe as well, but more the exurban areas. My point is simply that US cities are going to be where VALUE increase most in the coming years. BLacks will be sitting on some prime real estate in the future and blacks with means to develope that potential and not wait until it is gentrified by others while we chase the American dream of a big house in the suburbs.

Again.....Atlanta was one of the only major metropolitan areas that lost jobs year-over-year, the past year. Job growth will return......but the boom growth is gone.....for good.

Most will move back into the city when schools get better and crime drops but it is slowly happening now.

You keep claiming blacks are moving here becuase of hype but do you know that? How do you know they don't have jobs lined up or a plan?

What do you want us, on this forum or as citizen of the city to do to stop the media from influencing people who don't think?

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by Indentured Servant

So, all I want black folks to do is to be more informed. For example, we should not be all running to the suburbs. Yes, I live in the suburbs of Minneapolis now, but I am looking to move back to the city. The US is going to go to a kind of European settlement style were many of the poor people live in the suburbs while the better off live towards the concentration of cultural and employment assets in the city proper. Of course, there are wealth that live in the suburbs in Europe as well, but more the exurban areas. My point is simply that US cities are going to be where VALUE increase most in the coming years. BLacks will be sitting on some prime real estate in the future and blacks with means to develope that potential and not wait until it is gentrified by others while we chase the American dream of a big house in the suburbs.

I don't think the American urban landscape is going to be a duplicate of Europe's for a lot of different reasons. Firstly, the concept of the suburb is an American invention and is completely hardwired into our psyche; suburbs aren't going anywhere and people of means will still gravitate towards them. While I understand that city centers are staging something of a comeback, those who are populating them still come from pretty limited demographics: yuppies, DINKs (including gay couples), and empty nesters (why Blacks tend not to comprise a significant share of these groups is another subject that I have some theories about). Families will still by and large opt for suburbs.

What we see happening here in America isn't a wholesale abandonment of the suburbs, but rather more of a wholesale transformation of them by way of more New Urbanist and mixed-use developments, implementation of transit, and so on. In America, it's more about metropolitan areas as a whole rather than the individual city and that's becoming more obvious as the line between city and suburb continues to blur.

But even in Atlanta, you're still seeing trends that favor the urban core and first-ring suburbs. All of those projects that I listed earlier--the ones that didn't exist when you lived here and said you were "unimpressed" by--are making Atlanta more liveable by the moment. While you're virtually writing Atlanta's obituary, the truth is that what is emerging is Atlanta 5.0 (2.0 being the period after Sherman got happy with some matches, 3.0 was the mid-20th century when the airport was developed, 4.0 was post-Olympics Atlanta). In the long run, I'm hopeful she will impress us all.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

This thread was never about who's the Black mecca. Your entry into this thread was to supposedly debunk the notion that Atlanta is undergoing a so-called "Renaissance" due to the Black celebrities setting up shop here when no one with any credibility ever said such a thing. When you failed to adequately prove this point, the discussion digressed into why you think DC and NYC have it all over Atlanta when it comes to Black folks.

C'mon, bruh. The conversation was already going that direction before I even posted in this thread. I was just rolling with the punches. If you're going to blame anyone for steering this thread off topic, then you need to go back to pages seven and eight and call out Nairobi and all of the other posters (including you) who went down that road.

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Come on dude; you know better than this. Nobody's running around here talking about "Renaissance Atlanta" and you know good and well you can't legitimately come to that conclusion based on a thread that was started almost four years ago by somebody who probably doesn't even post here anymore and that was last commented on a year ago. You had to really go fishing to dredge this anomaly up from the murky depths to begin with. Hell, if you even Google "renaissance" and "Atlanta," the only hits you'll get will be related to hotels.

A bit disingenuous, aren't we? Yes, if you Google "Renaissance" and "Atlanta" then the only hits that come up are hotels. But had you entered something more logical like, say, "Is Atlanta the new Harlem Renaissance?," then you would have noticed it was the very first hit on the page. Yup, I really had to descend into the murky depths of Hades to find that one. At any rate, you could have found any number of articles describing Atlanta as a "cultural mecca" for blacks. While not explicitly stating in bold print, "Atlanta is the New Harlem for Blacks," it's easy for any reader to surmise that the region's undergoing an economic, cultural and political transformation unparalleled in recent times (for blacks anyway). If that's not a "renaissance," then what is?

And please don't ever put words in my mouth again. When did I ever say that "Atlanta is undergoing a renaissance due to black celebrities setting up shop?" Please find that quote. I don't even believe I attributed that view to anyone else. And I don't remember claiming that that "notion" existed in the first place. I do remember saying the following, however.

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

I just take issue with the branding of what's going on down there as a "Renaissance," particularly when the city's primary contributions to black culture in recent years have been snap dances and gospel plays gone to the Big Screen.

In other words, I think Atlanta is a bunch of hype. There's a difference between saying, "Atlanta is a cultural mecca because celebs are moving down there" (or even claiming that's a "notion") and "There's really nothing of cultural value going on down there to merit the title of 'Black Cultural Mecca.'" You may disagree, but let's be clear on what we're disagreeing on.

The article that was supposed to be the focus of this discussion is titled, "Stars Flock to Atlanta, Reshaping a Center of Black Culture," and then goes on to discuss the "gliteratti," the Soooooul Train Awards, Tyler Perry, Diddy and Ludacris. I think the article made it quite clear that the emergence of the "industry" down there is a significant part of a greater demographic and cultural trend, hence the following:

The growth has also been fed by a decade of migration of blacks from the North. Nearly a quarter of a million blacks moved to the greater Atlanta area from outside the South between 2005 and 2010, making it the metro area with the largest number of black residents after New York.

To be sure, Atlanta has long had a high concentration of well-connected, affluent blacks. But the Atlanta area is now home to such a critical mass of successful actors, rappers and entertainment executives that few would argue its position as the center of black culture.

Oh really? The center of black culture? Due to the city being "home to such a critical mass of successful actors, rappers and entertainment executives?" If you want to know where this "notion" came from, then look no further then the article that sparked this thread.

I'm sorry, but I just don't see the positive in this article. It would be one thing if it focused on black theater arts, the poetry slam circuit, or black-run art galleries. But it jumps right out the gate with a reference to the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Epic fail.