5 Pointz: How ‘Hip Hop Media’ Ignored The Fight But Happily Profits From Its Loss

By
Manny Faces
-
5 Pointz

As the word spread about the overnight whitewashing of the ‘graffiti Mecca’ known as 5 Pointz, many relayed disappointment through their social media channels, even as some were unaware that the site had been engaged in a long, complicated battle for survival. In an age of armchair “slacktivism,” this left others ready to scream “hypocrite,” scolding those who were dismayed by the news, but did little to participate along the way.

While there might be some merit to that, here’s why that is really the wrong thing to do, and some understanding as to why the problem is a bit more insidious than mere indifference or ignorance.

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[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ichael Skolnik, editor-in-chief of schlock entertainment website Global Grind, upon hearing the death-knell of iconic graffiti site 5 Pointz, tweeted:

With no due respect, Mr. Skolnik, what’s “#Whackness” is that on the Russell Simmons-helmed, supposed home for “hip-pop” that you oversee, there was not one prior article to be found that detailed the battle for the rights of the artists to protect and preserve the art and the educational, cultural aspects of this renowned, one-of-a-kind location, a melee that has been raging for years.

No mentions of the rallies. No announcement of the community board meetings open to the public. Nothing with a link to the landmark preservation form. No interviews with 5 Pointz’ caretakers Meres One or Marie.

Not even that typical lazy link-aggregation to the coverage provided by actual media on the scene, like us.

Nothing.

Of course, there was a post about 5 Pointz being painted over. The day when everyone was writing something about it. Typical bandwagon, click-bait approach to journalism that is practiced by bottom-of-the-barrel websites like GlobalGrind.com, but also indicative about something I stated long ago.

Most major hip hop-oriented websites do not care about hip hop culture.

They are, as I often say, enemies from within, capitalizing on the hip hop allure, profiting by any means necessary, but providing little of value in return.

In the case of 5 Pointz, it was absurdly noticeable how many sites were quick to announce the whitewash news, complete with editorialized sadness, but had done next to nothing to publicize the ongoing issue.

Let’s see who else is guilty…

InFlexWeTrust.com, another copy-paste, infringement-rich atrocity, helmed by New York’s broadcasting hall of famer, Funkmaster Flex. The day of the whitewash, a dramatically titled (and poorly written) post appeared: “[PHOTOS] DAMN: Graffiti Mecca 5 Pointz Now Painted Over White.”

Well, DAMN indeed! It seems like it was the first time 5 Pointz was ever mentioned on his site.

Can’t be 100% sure, but it is doubtful the ongoing efforts to preserve what some would call an iconic site, for hip hop, the arts in general AND New York City, were ever publicized on Hot 97 or Power 105 at all. (Marley Marl did recently have Meres One and Marie on his WBLS show, though in the end, it may have been a bit too little, too late.)

As for the major magazines and websites… The Source and HipHopDX each had only one brief mention back in June, with a link to the landmark form, in conjunction with a contest, before jumping on the post-whiteout bandwagon.

XXL? Nothing. Nothing even in the archives at all. As of publishing this, still nothing. It’s as if to XXL, 5 Pointz never existed.

Hip hop on a lower level.

In October, Complex Magazine did post a (fairly insignificant) update to their (also fairly simplistic) June story, but again, as with these other sites, there was no information about the efforts being made to protect the art. No ongoing information on how to get involved, despite 5 Pointz publicizing information about community board meetings and on-site rallies.

Of course now that interest is high, Complex has gone on to post multiple times, including the obligatory “gallery” and (random and insignificant) “Twitter reactions,” build solely to capitalize on the situation by collecting other people’s work for display, placing them in a click-through format to drive traffic to that McDonalds / Funkmaster Flex ad that’s taken over the site, and collect on an undoubtedly lucrative CPM rate.

The irony. I’m not loving it.

As for local, non-hip-hop coverage, it varied in terms of frequency, and accuracy, as 5 Pointz often criticized the bias of stories on sites like Gothamist.com, but to some degree, that was to be expected. Plenty of New Yorkers had mixed feelings, and incomplete information, so no one would expect an overly pro-arts/hip hop friendly media, though some have been particularly fair in their coverage.

The Village Voice at least helped announce the last-ditch rally held on Saturday, November 16, but even they could have done much more along the way, as they seemed to only ramp up coverage in the waning weeks of the conflict.

What is particularly telling is how little the “hip hop media” that continues to survive off of the legacy of the music and culture, particularly in New York City, nearly systematically ignored the entire affair.

Until it was over, and there were page views to be had.

These are painful examples of how willing “hip hop media” are to completely ignore any aspect of hip hop music and culture that is not directly putting money in their pockets, yet inversely, how eager they are to jump on the news of the day, to drive traffic, feigning sadness over a loss to hip hop that they actively helped drown out all along.

The end result in the battle to #save5pointz might have been inevitable, but what is tragic and disheartening is the amount of people who didn’t even know it was happening, or who never knew that their voice actually could be heard, on the record, as I evidenced while covering a community board meeting in early October.

Again, because hip hop media does not actually care about hip hop.

Yes, this is in part a self-centered reminder that outlets like Birthplace Magazine and The NY Hip Hop Report, DO care, and are vitally important to the protection and preservation of the New York hip hop landscape.

Often, we are the only ones who can tell these stories with integrity or with any kind of actual journalism skill.

But we will die too, without support. We will be silenced by bullies and those with big business and big interests to protect. As will other great, New York-centric hip hop organizations, events, artists and businesses, if people don’t support the outlets that help bring those stories to life.

Undoubtedly, the good folks at 5 Pointz are wishing that everyone who is now lamenting their loss, were just as eager to publicize or participate in the cause along the way.

It is clear that the hip hop media vultures and corporate behemoths aren’t going to help us preserve anything outside of their narrow, revenue-earning focus.

So, as we say all the time, support your local hip hop artists, support your local hip hop venues and support your local hip hop organizations.

And support your local hip hop media.

Don’t let 5 Pointz die in vain.

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As we often urge readers and listeners, follow 5 Pointz on Facebook and on Twitter for updates and information, directly from the organization.