Karate Charlie & Bam Bam
The notorious Black Spades was once the largest and most feared gang in New York City. Hailing from the Bronx, the Spades had as their warlord, Hip Hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa. They were the precursors to Hip Hop.. We caught up with many of the members including original leader Bam Bam who gave Bambaataa his name. We spoke with Hip Hop legend Popmaster Fabel who is finishing up a documentary on early gang culture called ‘The Apache line’. We also hear from Karate Charlie who was the President of the Ghetto Brothers which was another large street organization highlighted in Jeff Chang’s book ‘Cant Stop Wont Stop’..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nwsdYU4yKM
We talk with Hip Hop legend Popmaster Fabel who talks to us about the important role early gang culture played in bringing Hip Hop to life. We also talk about how pop culture is exploiting gang life and leading people astray. Fabel explained that early Hip Hop got people out of the gangs.. Today’s rap music gets people into them..
We hear an impassioned Bam Bam, original leader of the Black Spades speaking to young gang bangers in New York, Crips, Bloods, Latin Kings etc and explaining the direction they should really be taking.. powerful words..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGYTeRUWK5k
Popmaster Fabel
At the 40th Anniversary of the Black Spades we see Bam Bam, original leader of the Black Spades re-uniting and talking with Karate Charlie of the Ghetto brothers. They talk about how the two gangs merged together to stop the Hells Angels from coming into the Bronx.
We chop it up with Popmaster Fabel about his new documentary The Apache Line from gangs to Hip Hop.. We also talk to him about the current move to try and pit Black against Brown.. Fabel gives a history of why that happens and talks about how the gangs came together.
We also speak with Karate Charlie who is featured in Fabel’s documentary about the legacy of the Ghetto Brothers. He talks about how the Black Spades the Ghetto Brothers united and became a family. He also talked about how they protected the community against the police… Charlie also explains how he taught martial arts throughout the community and had Ghetto Brothers patrol the subway years before the Guardian Angels under Curtis Sliwa came into being..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ufPt8g617I
Charlie Rock Original Zulu King
We caught up with original B-Boy and Zulu Charlie Rock who hails from the 22cd division of the Black Spades up on Gun Hill road in the Bronx.. He talks about how the Black Spades evolved and became the Zulu Nation..He talks about Disco King Mario and the founding Spade chapters at Bronxdale Housing project which was known as Chuck City…
He also talks about how the early gangs were organized and became targets to corrupt police.. He talks about how three members, Wildman, Soulski and Meathead Ron were murdered by police. He noted that because the Black Spades were organized many of them were targeted by the police who tried to break them up and shrink their numbers…
Charlie Rock also talks about how New York was segregated and runs down all the racial unrest and white gangs the Black Spades and later Zulu Nation had to fight.. He talks about the Golden Guineas and the Ministers up in Parkchester.. He talks about the White Assassins and the White Angels..
Rock also explained how the police used to work in concert with some of these white gangs to try and defeat the Black Spades which was the largest gang in NY.. He talks about how the police hung him over a rooftop and threatened to kill him..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycREFrL6-RA
Respect Davey D,..what a deep insight of my critical man reflections on NYC. But now I am very interested about Popmaster Fabel’s ‘Apache Line’,…where to get it?
With deep respect….
MOST CATS I KNOW WHO WERE IN GANGS AND WERE BREAKERS DOPE DANCERS AND PARTY FREAKS DIDNT HAVE THE FLAVOR INSPIRATION OR INFLUENCE BECAUSE OF THEIR GANG AFFILIATION. AND THOSE OF US (WHO KNEW ENOUGH SPADES FROM THE EAST BRONX) DOUBT VERY MUCH THAT THE SPADES ON THE NORTH EAST SIDE WHO WERE HIP HOP AFFILIATED WERE DOWN BECAUSE OF THEIR GANG TIES. IT SEEMS AS IF EVER SINCE BAM TOLD HIS STORY PEOPLE WHO NEVER LIVED THE HIP HOP OR GANG EXPERIENCE OF THE EARLY AND MID 70S HAVE BEEN QUICK TO RUN WITH IT DRAMATIZE AND ROMANTISIZE IT AND BLOW IT OUT OF PROPORTION ON A HIP HOP LEVEL AS WELL AS A “BRONX UNDER SEIGE” PORTRAYAL WHEN THE BX NEVER HAD A SITUATION LIKE CHITOWN WITH A PEACE STONE NATION GANG 10TIMES THE MEMBERSHIP OF ALL THE GANGS IN THE BX COMBINED. SOMEONE WHO WAS A KID AND NEVER IN A GANG CONCOCTING THESE TIES AS IF THEY ARE WRITTEN IN STONE IS SIMPLY A DISSERVICE TO THE REALITY. MAYBE SOME OF THESE BROTHERS WHO ACTUALLY ARE RELEVANT BUT HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE GAME FOR 30 OR SO YEARS SHOULD STEP BACK AND TAKE A DEEPER VENTURE INTO THEIR HISTORY SO THAT THEY CAN PUT THE FACTS INTO A MORE REALISTIC ABD FACTUAL PERSPECTIVE. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEIR NOT DOING SO IS JUST ADDING TO THE ONGOING MISCONSTRUCTION OF OUR HISTORY.
Are u saying the folks shown in these videos are lying and not factual with their information??
classic right here, green
Davey d, man please continue the lesson, this type of knowledge belongs in a class room!!! Get it!, check that dude out bum b down here in Houston, his info no where, near informative as this… This is REAL HIP HOP,that cat has bamboozled the poor children!
good stuff! -purple
Whats up dave,
I lived the life if you know what i MEAN. Really can’t comment.
All I will say is I guess nothingt becauase that’s all I can say.
I know you have a lot of heart and care about your community !!!!!
Nick
Pioneers…Eternal respect and love for bringing us the HIP HOP culture. These men must be disgusted with the way the artform has been denigrated today. CRIMINAL MINDED.
Poor Charlie Rock talking about being harassed by whites and white gangs. I was a white kid in his turf in the 70s who feared for his life every day in my neighborhood. Assaulted since the age of 6 by gangs of black kids and even young adults. I couldn’t go down to Bronx park because of his Black Spades gang. He’s as guilty as the white gang guys. Don’t respect criminals and bullies. He needs to show remorse for his former life.
The cops used to fuck us up to…all the time and we lost members too…fuck the police…SIC…young Ministers bronx
does anyone remember a guy named ACE from about 1970-1972 he went to Evandar childs back then
he would be about 60-62 now
I wonder if he survived that period
You cant call it hip hop or anything else 101 if the facts are off the mark.