Thursday, July 29, 2021
MAYOR DE BLASIO AND ROCKY BUCANO ANNOUNCE “IT’S TIME FOR HIP HOP IN NYC” FREE CONCERTS TO BE HELD DURING NYC HOMECOMING WEEK, AUGUST 14-22
Concerts to air exclusively on Twitch channel Behind The Rhyme
Concerts will include live graffiti, temporary art installations produced with Thrive Collective
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Universal Hip Hop Museum (UHHM) Executive Director and President Rocky Bucano today announced with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie the dynamic lineup of Hip Hop, Latin freestyle, dance, freestyle, techno, and funk artists set to perform at the “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” concerts to be held at outdoor venues in The Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens.
As a celebration of New York City’s comeback during NYC Homecoming Week, between August 14th to 22nd, all tickets for “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” concerts – produced by New York City, the Universal Hip Hop Museum, and IDEKO – will be available for free.
“You don’t want to miss the local, legendary talent performing throughout NYC Homecoming Week,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “As we celebrate this Summer of New York City, we’re proud to partner with Rocky Bucano and the Universal Hip Hop Museum to bring these momentous concerts to our boroughs, free of charge. And if you get a ticket, you can go as long you have proof of your first dose of an approved COVID vaccine.”
“Hip Hop comes home to celebrate NYC Homecoming Week!” said Rocky Bucano, Executive Director and President of the Universal Hip Hop Museum. “Many of the artists performing in these shows are native New Yorkers hailing from the five boroughs. It’s their talent, creativity and passion for the culture that spread it from the stoops, parks and playgrounds to stages worldwide. The Universal Hip Hop Museum is proud to welcome them home, back to where it all began.”
“I’m excited to see this marquee event for NYC’s homecoming kick off in The Bronx. The Birthplace of Hip Hop will set the tone for the upcoming “It’s Time for Hip Hop NYC” concerts around New York City. This will be a show you do not want to miss,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
“NYC Homecoming Week will allow for New Yorkers to celebrate our resiliency during an unprecedented time. As we work towards defeating COVID-19, what way to better come together than with a borough-wide initiative that will bring our small businesses to the forefront which have been so crucial to keeping our communities going through the toughest of times,” said New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie. “Having the Universal Hip Hop museum's participation in this celebration will bring NYC joy. Music has a way of unifying people of all backgrounds and giving soul to our great city. Thank you to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Universal Hip Hop Museum Executive Director and President Rocky Bucano for the “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” concert series. These free events will allow for NYC dwellers to have safe summertime fun as well as a small return to normalcy.”
“At Citywide Events we work with partners across the five boroughs and beyond to ensure that events in our City are both safe and enjoyable for all,” said Citywide Events Executive Director Dan Gross. “We’re honored to produce the “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” free concerts as part of our NYC Homecoming Week celebration that will exemplify the resiliency, strength, and creativity of our city.”
“IDEKO is thrilled to be a part of NYC Homecoming Week and reopening this great City that we all call home,” said Evan Korn, CEO of IDEKO. “We are excited to partner with Mayor de Blasio, Rocky Bucano and the Universal Hip Hop Museum to produce four great nights of concerts in the boroughs. New York City is Back!”
The concert schedule and performers, joining host Ralph McDaniels, are as follows:
First Stop: Orchard Beach in The Bronx on Monday, August 16th from 3:00 to 9:30 p.m.
- KRS One (Headliner)
- Slick Rick (Headliner)
- Remy Ma (Headliner)
- Busy Bee
- CL Smooth
- DJ Hollywood
- DJ Jazzy Joyce
- DJ Kevie Kev
- Fantastic Five
- Furious 5 featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio
- Grand Wizard Theodore
- Joeski Love
- Kid Capri
- Nice & Smooth
- PopMaster Fabel
- Soul Sonic Force
- T La Rock
- Ultra Magnetic MC’s
Second Stop: Richmond County Bank Park on Staten Island on Tuesday, August 17th from 4:00 to 9:30 p.m.
- Raekwon (Headliner)
- Ghostface Killah (Headliner)
- Crystal Waters
- DJ Chuck Chillout
- EMPD
- Force MDs
- Hakim Green
- HeeSun Lee
- Kool Keith
- Lizzy Ashliegh
- Pharoahe Monch
- Rikki
- Rob Base
Third Stop: Brooklyn Army Terminal in Brooklyn on Thursday, August 19th from 4:00 to 9:30 p.m.
- Big Daddy Kane (Headliner)
- Desiigner (Headliner)
- C&C Music Factory
- DJ Mr. Cee
- Elle Varner
- Judy Torres
- Lizzy Ashliegh
- Maino
- Obasi Jackson
- Papoose
- PopMaster Fabel
- Special Ed
- Stetsasonic
- Sweet Sensation
- Young Devyn
- George Clinton + The P-Funk All Stars with Special Guests (Headliner)
- Too $hort (Headliner)
- DJ Hurricane
- DJ Wiz
- EPMD
- Mobb Deep
- Yo-Yo
This is the confirmed list to date.
All attendees must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter the “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” concerts. Reasonable accommodation will be provided for persons unable to get vaccinated because of a disability.
Free tickets for all four concerts will be released to the public in batches at nyc.gov/HomecomingWeek starting on Monday, August 2 at 10 a.m. EDT. Additional free ticket release dates and times are as follows:
- Tuesday, August 3 at 7 a.m. EDT
- Wednesday, August 4 at 9 p.m. EDT
- Thursday, August 5 at 7 a.m. EDT
- Friday, August 6 at 10 a.m. EDT
- Saturday, August 7 at 9 p.m. EDT
A logistical media advisory will be released at a later date. Media questions can be addressed to itstimeforhiphopinnyc@
New York City, UHHM, and IDEKO have teamed with Behind The Rhyme, a channel on Twitch devoted to hip hop and its culture, to livestream the events in The Bronx, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens. The broadcast, produced by Fortress Entertainment and Fuzzy Bunny Films, will feature live performances as well as backstage content and interviews hosted by veteran journalist Shaheem Reid. From August 16th to 17th and August 19th to 20th, fans can watch, chat and share custom emotes at twitch.tv/behindtherhyme.
As part of the “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC” experience and emphasizing the historical connection between hip hop and graffiti art, Thrive Collective – a nonprofit that creates hope and opportunity through arts, sports, and mentoring in and around public schools – will be curating a roster of standout New York City street artists that will create live, temporary art installations during the concerts.
“We’re thrilled to be working in the city that I love and with the NYC Mayor's Office to showcase the “It's Time for Hip Hop in NYC” event to the world,” says Ann Carli, Executive Producer of live streaming partner Behind The Rhyme. “Our channel has found a kindred spirit in the Universal Hip Hop Museum, an organization dedicated to the preservation of Hip Hop music and culture, which were born and raised on the streets of New York City.”
“Hip Hop embodies the creative spirit of resilient New Yorkers. Emcees provide the voice; graffiti writers, the name; breakers, the movement; and DJs, the community. Knowledge inspires us to never, ever give up,” said Jeremy Del Rio, Executive Director of Thrive Collective. “Thrive Collective proudly celebrates that heritage and our City's continuing resilience, and we look forward to bringing live art to these concerts during NYC Homecoming Week."
In addition to “It’s Time for Hip Hop in NYC,” NYC Homecoming Week, a citywide celebration of New York City’s resilience, will also include from August 14th through August 22nd:
- “WE LOVE NYC: The Homecoming Concert produced by New York City, Clive Davis and Live Nation” on Saturday, August 21 at 5 p.m. EDT
- Free movie screenings by Rooftop Films;
- Cultural activities and public art; and
- Iconic events including NYC Restaurant Week and Summer Streets.
This celebration of New York City’s resilience will drive support for the mom-and-pop businesses and local organizations that define our neighborhoods and that kept the heart of our city beating throughout the COVID pandemic. Visit nyc.gov/HomecomingWeek for more information.
159 Days and Counting
Yesterday I showed off my Basketball skills in the Belmont Playground with Bronx Connect/RTG who is an organization that are violence interrupters working to help the youth of today. As you can see I am wearing a RTG (Release The Grip) T-Shirt, and my blue shorts as I put a free throw in the basket. I also had lunch on Arthur Avenue with your future Bronx Borough President, and current Councilwoman, Vanessa Gibson.
Tomorrow I wind up my City Hall in the Bronx, and will return to the Bronx for the Homecoming Concert on Monday August 16th at Orchard Beach. We have an All Star line up of Hip Hop Stars you won't want to miss.
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
MAYOR DE BLASIO DELIVERS REMARKS AT CURE VIOLENCE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
Mayor Bill de Blasio during his City Hall in the Bronx Week stopped at the Belmont playground on East 182nd Street. to meet everyone who was there. Mayor de Blasio in his orange RTG T-shirt, and blue shorts entered the playground with Bronx Connect Director Tara Brown-Arnell. The mayor then greeted Councilman Feliz, and they began a basketball shooting exhibition. Of course it was no match with the mayor putting in free throws, and the councilman missing lay up baskets.
Mayor de Blasio then addressed the crowd of young people. Thank you so much everyone. The work that Bronx Connect is doing is, sacred to me, really sacred. Because it is about saving lives and protecting people. It’s about community. It’s about spreading love, not hate or violence. And Release the Grip is so important. It’s an example to this whole city. What Release The Grip is doing, what RTG is doing is going to show us a way forward. Because in the end, if you want safety, if you want peace, it has to come from the heart. Thank you for being here, we all know lots of things that we can do, the best thing we can do is help the community to achieve it’s dreams and goals, to bring out the best in the people, to support the people. Because the solutions, the answers are at the community level, at the grassroots. Everyone here who is a violence interrupter, you are doing sacred work. You are doing brave work, let’s thank all the violence interrupters, God bless every one of them.
You are brave. You are visionary, you are prophetic in what you’re doing. Because you are showing that people can live a better way. You are stopping violence before it happens which saves lives. But everybody in RTG, everyone in Bronx Connect, we’re giving hope – this is the part we got to remember, we give hope, particularly to our young people, when we show that the adults can solve the problems. When we show that peace works it helps young people find a peaceful, positive path. So today, we are on a beautiful basketball court, with people who care, who love the community, who are showing love for our young people. We do that enough times and the world changes. We see when things go wrong. We were together last week, we’ve seen the impact of gun violence. We know it is unacceptable. Our job is to cherish and protect every young person here because we believe in you. I want to say again, to all our young people, we believe in you, and your potential and your greatness, so we have to keep you alive.
When we are together like this, peace is winning. And hope is winning. Let’s do more of this together. God bless you all.
Mayor de Blasio addresses the crowd on the basketball court, with Councilman Oswald Feliz standing next to him.
It was easy for Mayor de Blasio to make free throw shots, but not for Councilman Feliz who could not make a lay up shot below.
Mayor de Blasio, Councilman Feliz, and Bronx Connect Director Tara Brown-Arnell.
Before leaving Mayor de Blasio got to speak with a couple on police officers from the 48th Precinct about the problems in the area of the playground.
One final photo with the mayor was in front of the Bronx Connect Van and Director Tara Brown-Arnell before he left.
Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - JULY 28, 2021
26,063 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours
7 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.
"There's no doubt that the Delta variant is real - you can see it in the numbers - but we have been through this before and we know how to keep it under control," Governor Cuomo said. "The vaccine is the weapon that will win the war against COVID, and to get our vaccination rates up even more and protect New Yorkers from the Delta variant we are now requiring all patient-facing health care workers in state hospitals to get vaccinated by Labor Day. All State workers will also be required to get vaccinated, and those who do not will be required to be tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis. It's smart, it's fair, it's in everyone's interest and it will put us one step closer to defeating this beast once and for all."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
- Test Results Reported - 98,944
- Total Positive - 2,203
- Percent Positive - 2.23%
- 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 2.04%
- Patient Hospitalization - 591 (+6)
- Patients Newly Admitted - 111
- Patients in ICU - 126 (+8)
- Patients in ICU with Intubation - 50 (+5)
- Total Discharges - 186,488 (+9)
- Deaths - 7
- Total Deaths - 43,068
- Total vaccine doses administered - 22,109,711
- Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 26,063
- Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 228,019
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 72.0%
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 66.5%
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 74.8%
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 68.2%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 60.1%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 55.3%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 62.6%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 56.7%
Leader Of New Rochelle Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced To More Than 7 Years In Prison For Distributing Cocaine
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ULYSSES LOPEZ was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román to 87 months in prison for leading a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed kilograms of cocaine out of a grocery store located in New Rochelle, New York. LOPEZ pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy on August 27, 2020.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Today’s sentence sends a message that destructive drug trafficking in our communities will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep our neighborhoods free of addictive and dangerous narcotics.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, and statements made in court filings and during court proceedings:
From April 2018 up to October 2018, ULYSSES LOPEZ, together with six charged co-defendants, conspired to distribute five kilograms and more of powder cocaine. LOPEZ was the leader and organizer of the drug trafficking conspiracy, which operated out of several buildings in the vicinity of, and including, the SuperMercado Mexico located in New Rochelle, New York, which was owned and operated by LOPEZ and his father and co-defendant, Valentino Lopez (“Valentino”).
After being arrested, and while detained at the Westchester County Jail, LOPEZ attempted to obstruct justice by encouraging one of his charged codefendants, Felipe Barajas, to provide false statements to the Government regarding their relationships and Barajas’s use of his residence to store cocaine on LOPEZ’s behalf.
Six of the charged defendants, including LOPEZ, Valentino, and Barajas, have pled guilty and been sentenced. Valentino was sentenced on June 25, 2021, to 60 months in prison for his role in the drug trafficking conspiracy. The seventh defendant remains a fugitive.
In addition to his prison sentence, LOPEZ, 41, of New Rochelle, New York, was sentenced to four years of supervised release, and forfeiture of $150,000 and a Mercedes Benz ML350.
Ms. Strauss praised the excellent work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Senator Rivera on Restrictive Excluded Workers Fund Regulations Put Forth by Governor Cuomo's Department of Labor
"Earlier this year, the Legislature reached a historic agreement to create a first-in-the-nation $2.1 billion Excluded Workers Fund (EWF) as there was a clear understanding that undocumented workers across the State desperately needed direct financial relief after being denied access to any government relief for more than a year. Now, Governor Cuomo and his administration are restricting the Fund's accessibility to effectively exclude the workers the program is designed to help, similar to the challenges that tenants are facing in accessing the state's rent relief program. This is not the first time this administration tries to bypass the Legislature's authority to create unnecessarily limiting regulations that disregard or override the intent of the law. It is time for the Governor to stop playing absurd and obscene games with the livelihoods of New Yorkers. His administration must ensure that the program's requirements, as well as the application process, are designed to reach our State's hardest-hit communities, which have already experienced too much loss. We need to do better for every New Yorker looking for help from their state as we recover."
PUBLIC ADVOCATE RELEASES MID-YEAR ANALYSIS OF NYC'S WORST LANDLORDS
Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams announced the findings of the first-ever mid-year analysis of the Worst Landlord Watchlist, a supplement to the annual list which is intended to demonstrate the regression and/or progression of the landlords featured.
For the mid-year analysis, Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Housing Maintenance Code Violations were tracked from December 2020 to May 2021 in order to follow developments at these buildings since the original inclusion on the Worst Landlord Watchlist.
Across all buildings on the watchlist, there was a 2.65% decrease in the average number of open violations when comparing the mid-year analysis average and the 2020 watchlist average.
These results, while preliminary, could indicate that some of the worst landlords are taking steps toward repair at their most egregious buildings. However, historical data also indicates that spring and summer months show a reduction in violations generally, as frequent issues such as heat and hot water outages become less prominent. The 2021 list, released in December, will demonstrate a more complete picture of progress or regression by property owners featured.
"The findings of our mid-year analysis are encouraging, suggesting that at least some landlords on the list have responded to their placement on it by attempting to resolve open violations," said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. "At the same time, these six months do not tell the whole story, and this analysis does not account for every bad action. Every violation that remains represents an issue faced by a tenant in our city. If landlords on the 2020 watchlist are able to sustain and expand on this progress across their portfolios, their standing should improve next year- and most importantly, tenants will see the benefits in their homes."
From December 2020 to May 2021, among the top five worst landlords on the 2020 list, these were the results of the analysis:
- Jason Korn had an average of 1137 open violations per month, a 37.60% decrease across buildings featured on the list
- Lewis Barbanel had an average of 1172 open violations per month, a 15.26% decrease across buildings featured on the list
- Robert Raphael had an average of 1123 open violations per month, a 8.62% decrease across buildings featured on the list
- Abdul Khan had an average of 1183 open violations per month, a 1% decrease across buildings featured on the list
- David Blau had an average of 912 open violations per month, a 4.2% decrease across buildings featured on the list
While rankings from the 2020 list are not affected by this analysis, the mid-year assessment offers an opportunity for New Yorkers to see whether bad actors have allowed conditions to stagnate or further deteriorate, spotlighting any changes in conditions of featured buildings - though it does not provide insight into the rest of a landlord's portfolio.
This information empowers tenants to put pressure on bad landlords to more urgently address conditions. It also encourages landlords to improve, presenting an ongoing opportunity for owners operating in good faith to show progress by addressing conditions at their buildings. Landlords will remain in their existing ranking until the new list is released at the end of each calendar year.
Public Advocate Williams also urged tenants to use the resources available to them to correct bad conditions within their buildings, including reporting issues to the city, saying, "Too often tenants suffer in silence instead of employing the tools at their disposal when landlords are unresponsive or problems are persistent. By filing a complaint with 311, tenants create a record of a building or unit issue and increase the urgency of resolving it."
The Public Advocate is currently advancing the Worst Landlord legislative package, which includes measures to expedite HPD' response to immediately hazardous violations and to prevent landlords from self-certifying that a violation has been resolved.