Ghetto Blaster

Written by: Lag

I live in west Harlem. The neighborhood has seen a lot of changes over the years, much like the rest of New York, and it’s going through another one right now. At the moment, the neighborhood is predominantly black and Latino (mostly Dominican, but there are lots of other nationalities, too). But, as rents rise elsewhere and Columbia University buys huge pieces of lower Harlem for its students, the gentrification in New York is inching its way northward.

Historically, New York has always been subject to turbulent, even violent relations between racial and cultural groups as they try to protect their “turf.” From race riots in 1863 to gangs warring over ethnic territory, New York has a long history of tension over change, even though change here is virtually constant. It comes as no surprise, then, that some people in my building see people like me (i.e., young and white) moving in as a threat. I can’t blame them, but I don’t agree with them, either. I’m not trying to invade anyone’s space, I’m just trying to get a toehold in the city, same as everybody else. I work hard for the little income I make, and Harlem is cheaper and closer to where I work than other place. So, I moved there. End of story. I just try to be friendly and respectful to everyone in exchange for the tense but peaceful relationship I have with my neighbors.

As a matter of fact, I love living in my area. I went to school in a mixed Bronx neighborhood and then lived on a Native American reservation, so being in the minority is nothing new to me. I like getting a taste of the other cultures as they mix together around me; just the other day my Korean neighbor taught me how to make traditional rice balls, and my favorite parties are at my friends’ apartment downstairs, where they set up various instruments from saxophones to conga drums to microphones and let people from different backgrounds jam. The block is always alive with music blaring from car windows and stereo speakers, from Reggaeton to hip-hop to salsa to jazz. For the most part, I love being around it and being a part of the community.

But, remember I was cranky? The reason for last night, or technically this morning, at 2:30 a.m., I was jolted awake by mariachi music blasting at full volume from speakers in somebody’s window. The music was so loud that even when I closed my windows and turned my fan on “High,” I could still hear every note and feel every jolt of bass vibrating the legs of my bed. I tried to go back to sleep, but it was no use. It was too loud. The music continued until around 5:00 am, and I didn’t get a wink of sleep. I considered calling the police or the housing authority, but I didn’t know which apartment it was coming from, so I thought calling to ‘tattle’ on them would have been more trouble than it was worth. Plus, I thought, it had to stop soon. Who parties at 4:00 am on Monday morning?

But now, here I am, too tired to get anything accomplished because somebody decided that 2:30 - 5:00 am was fiesta time. I’m sorry if it sounds culturally insensitive, since after all this is a “free country.” But, while freedom in America does give people the right to celebrate their culture, it also gives me the right to share a building with others and be treated with respect, or at least with common courtesy. What blows my mind is nobody else seemed to care, when it’s impossible that I was the only one whose sleep was disturbed. There are a lot of small children or elderly relatives on our block, not to mention people with jobs that they have to get to in the morning. And yet nobody did anything.

This shouldn’t end up being an issue of culture or race, because I think my complaints are justified. But, I’m still afraid to say anything because of my race. I don’t want to be seen as the prissy white girl who doesn’t like Mexican music, and I certainly don’t want my discontent to be a catalyst for tension to turn into hostility. But, I don’t think that I should be forced to sacrifice my health or happiness because somebody else wants to blast their music at inappropriate times, either.

I feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place, and this particular phrase makes me think. Maybe, rather than being diplomatic or just dealing with it, I should fight back. I’ll play some rock and roll, at full volume, out my windows at 4:00 am., or some country music, or Broadway musicals. Maybe some Irish jigs. What then? I can guarantee my neighbors wouldn’t appreciate it, but would they come knocking and tell me to turn it down, even though the Mariachi was apparently fine? Or, would they respect my right to disturb their peace? Is this appropriate, or am I just really tired and looking for revenge?

Tags: Culture, Environment | Jul 23, 2008 |

23 Comments, Comment or Ping

Q.

nice piece.. and i’m with you..

to answer your question (as honestly as possible), as a young white woman, it won’t be a good look for you to try to get your revenge.. i know that some of us feel like the Incredible Hulk.. we’ll act in ways that we want, and then not care about the repercussions.. because we are Black.. i’ll admit that i did it before (so maybe i’m just talking about my own past), but yeah, i’ll blast my music and dare you to blast yours.. it’s stupid, it’s on some ego ish, but i KNOW a lot of ppl feel the same way when it turns to the race thing..

now, i live in the south bronx, so i know the music that you’re talking about.. i have a slightly different dilemma as my neighborhood somehow allowed a club to open in a space that is not a club.. it’s not soundproofed or anything.. so, starting on Thursday (for the last 4 months) at 1AM i hear “thump, thump, thump”, followed by Alicia Keys’ voice singing No One..

pause..

there are a lot of things wrong with that picture.. first, who starts off their club with the same song every night? who does that? and since when does No One become that song to start the party off right? another thing, i’m in San Juan (practically), and i guess i expected to hear Beyonce sing in spanish before Alicia gets airplay..

un-pause..

i’ve actually done the whole 311 thing, which is pretty much a joke.. the congresswoman lives on my block (i KNOW she got her 2 spots for free!), and still nothing.. i have old folks and kids all on my block.. and NONE of us (or No One) would even think about going to that spot.. but no one really says anything.. so i’ve known that i need to be knocked out by that time, or be out (recently, i’ve chosen the latter)..

so i feel your pain.. we don’t respect each other as much as we should.. but with that said, since it sounds like you’re outnumbered, don’t look for revenge.. cuz some cats are crazy.. a couple of weeks ago i was in Harlem chillin’ at my boy’s crib.. we were on the stoop, and this lady starts watering her plants.. she’s known for just dumping water.. so, all of a sudden the water comes our way.. my boy’s neighbor immediately screams up there “yo, stop dumping effing water!”.. when it continued, dude walked into the street and said “don’t make me come up there and stomp your door in!”..

now i know the dude, and he was serious.. so for safety sake, don’t do the eye for an eye thing.. unless you have the numbers.. then by all means, do what you gotta do!!

[Reply]
TROUBLMan

Don’t feel sorry. You pay rent just like everyone else in the building. Yes, it’s fucked up that the gentrification is changing the community by raising rents and displacing residents all for the Universities prestige. It’s sad when new residents come in and don’t respect the community. But its also sad that there are residents who’ve lived in the community their entire lives and don’t respect the shit.

Playing your music at all hours of the night is not cool regardless of if whites are moving into the neighborhood. I’m sure the black and latino people hate that shit too. The sad thing is that they’ve become accustomed to it.

I’m glad you address this because it really speaks to a larger issue, he fact that we allow bullshit in our communities. The music is a small example but it highlights an attitude that persist in the hood. It’s a “he don’t care, so I don’t care” type of attitude. Social scientist call it the broken windows theory.

The article “Broken Windows” written in 1982 by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling first appeared in Atlantic Monthly magazine. They wrote:

“Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it’s unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires inside… Or consider a sidewalk. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of trash from take-out restaurants there or breaking into cars.”

We (and yes the social architects are included) create environments/neighborhoods/hoods where it’s the norm to litter, play loud music at all times of the night, sell dope, pimp, ho, and kill. Again, the powers that be have a role in this also, a large role. But me, I’m the type who takes responsibility for my situation because, on that level, I give myself the power to change it. So with all that said, tell them to turn that shit down. If not, you, in a sense, are a part of the problem.

[Reply]
Malia

LMAO @ “…….too tired to get anything accomplished because somebody decided that 2:30 - 5:00 am was fiesta time…..” —I feel you!

I lived in South Central so that was a staple for my hood! I’m sorry,, sleep is wayyyy too important to me —– I have called the police on their asses so many times that they would give me dirty looks the next day and I would smile and throw up the peace sign……don’t even let me get started on the 5am chicken crowing! Yes, chickens in the damn city! That shit used to make me crazy!

[Reply]
TROUBLMan reply on July 23, 2008 8:20 am:
Damn. Now we got roosters in the hood. LOL. I wish one of my neighbors would have a rooster. I wouldn’t call the cops. I’d catch that shit and fry it.

[Reply]
Malia reply on July 23, 2008 8:27 am:
OMG!!!! You would eat their pet????? You are nuts TROUBLMAN!!!!!

[Reply]
LilMissTROUBL reply on July 23, 2008 7:05 pm:
lmao. wow

[Reply]
brutha66

hell I would have called the police on them

[Reply]
mrschocolatestuff

been there done that. i call the police. they can ticket them for noise pollution. they’ll find the sound- you just give your address and leave it in their hands. doing what they are doing doesnt help matters because they dont care about the noise levels.. a ‘noise off’ is stupid. lol

[Reply]
JaMel

You’re tired…and you have a right to be tired. I had a problem like this once and I left a note.

[Reply]
"A Mom" reply on July 23, 2008 11:39 am:
A note is good for the first warning.

[Reply]
Reuben

F*ck that…I get militant when a neighbor disturbs my sleep. Yes
they have the freedom to listen to whatever they want but you also
have the freedom not to be a part of it.

It sounds like you have some young neighbors. I know I did some
really dumb ass, loud things when I was in my teens.

[Reply]
TROUBLMan reply on July 23, 2008 9:16 am:
I feel you. But would you advise a white girl to get militant? I feel like Q in the first comment. People are crazy.

[Reply]
The Nightmare You Crave

Oh no, this is unacceptable.
I normally give the first shot warning that this is behavior that will not be tolerated.
Then if it occurs again I go ahead and call INS and the police so that they can understand.
If they have some legal papers then I just make sure that their place doesn’t have electricity no more.

[Reply]
"A Mom"

I live in a area that most people would call up the street from the ghetto.
It is one block from the Opera, Symphony, City Hall. There are many nice restaurants, and art gallery, new Condos and lovely shops. There are no blacks in my block and most of the people look at us strangely when they see us go into our building or in our garage. I feel like a stranger in a place where I have been living for over 19 years. Up the street about two blocks it’s a whole different story but I don’t think that area won’t last to much longer. The areas I live in is growing and growing and soon up the street will be no longer. If you know what I mean.

[Reply]
troublsome

I don’t care what type of music is playing! 4:00am is unacceptable for anything.. I wouldn’t even care if it was gospel music… Troublman is right, you pay rent you are untitled to get some shut eye at 4:00am… In that same regard I can understand why whoever was playing the mariachi music felt that they weren’t in the wrong for blasting the music…

There are some things that you can deal with like: a couple engaging in some rough intense sex, for a short period of time. or Maybe or short domestic dispute… Sometimes it may even be a somewhat exciting. But anything that lasts too long is unacceptable, I would have found out what apartment it was and put my foot in someone’s ass..

Shit you were up anyway; you could’ve gone on a mission…

[Reply]
Traci

Now that was just plain rude of them. Where I live, I am able to make a call to the police and am not required to leave my name though through tracking they know it is me that is calling. I wouldn’t care what genre of music they were playing, it is rude and inappropriate for them to play it at those hours. This is not about race or culture. It is about courtesy and consideration. I had a neighbor who lived below me who was emotionally disturbed and he turned his music on so loud that pictures were falling in my house. His music was so loud in fact that after the police arrived when I called them he was unable to hear them banging at the door so they had to go to the street and climb over his 6 foot fence to gain his attention. The area I live in not only has a curfew in place that is enforced for minors, they also have a noise ordinance that forbids the playing of loud music after a certain hour.

[Reply]
Mr.Poppoff

I dont know this is a hard one… In terms of giving advice. Q your right people are crazy so I cant advise Lag to do what I would do. But I would go let these people know that playing there music that loud at that time of night is out of pocket, ulimately were talking about money, livelyhood, and health.. ie. if I only have a few hours of sleep and am late to work and am tired all day and this consistantly happens it can cause health issues. Thats a real problem. I would have to let them know to turn their shit down and I would necessarily take a negative approach but if it got to that point so be it, I need sleep. But I guess some advice I can give is to approach them the next day during daylight hours and ask them if they could keep there music down past a certain hour let them know that you would really appreciate it if they could do that for you.. basically kill the with kindness. If the problem persist Call the police, fuck it you tried.

[Reply]
Gii

It amazes me the similarity between the issues I read y’all writting about, and the issues I end up having to face myself. Of course is different in some sort of ways, as in the kind of music they be playing, but still, I guess human beings are human beings anywhere in the world, and they will act like that anywhere as well, huh?

[Reply]
TROUBLMan reply on July 23, 2008 7:50 pm:
As the saying goes, “Niggas is Niggas.”

[Reply]
LilMissTROUBL

I’m always kinda weary about playing music too loud. One time my ipod volume was all the way up and some dude on the train asked me to turn it down. I felt some kinda way about that… like… it’s MY ipod. But as far as buildings go, I’d be considerate.

[Reply]
Ms F

Just curious, but you stated that “yet nobody did anything”, you had the same power others had, but yet you chose not to excersise that power i.e. call the police, etc…my question to you is why would you subject your neighbors to the same nuisance to get back at one house? Additionally, you still could have called the police and had them figure out which apartment it was coming from if it was that loud, it wouldn’t have been hard. Just curious….

[Reply]
pittershawn palmer

I think it is ludicrous to think that wanting to sleep from 2:30am-5am is racist. I don’t give a damn if martian music was being played. You have a right to voice your displeasure.
You should have called Noise Control. In most phone books, there is a specific number you call for noise issues. You don’t have to feel bad about it, and you should have called.
Consider this. You believe that no one cared, because no one did anything. Is it possible that everyone was laying in their bed thinking the EXACT same thing you just shared with us? And like you, didn’t call for many of the same reasons? So what do you have? A group of people who are afraid to take back their neighborhood so they can, at the very least, get some sleep.
We are always waiting for the messiah, the next man to lead, someone to save us. This is going to be our destruction in general. Fear of being the first has made us immobile. It is maddening. I think it is time we address issues when someone is doing something they shouldn’t–not wait for someone else to address them for us. And playing loud music to get back at them isn’t the way. Because for all you know, the person playing the loud music, was doing it to get someone back. And if you do it, and someone bravely decides to call the authorities, then you will be the problem in the neighborhood, even though that wasn’t your intention.
Bottom line, we ALL need to participate in our lives, and stop being afraid of our neighbors.

[Reply]
"A Mom" reply on July 25, 2008 4:53 pm:
I like your comment Palmer. Makes a lot of sense.

[Reply]

TROUBL

Ghetto Blaster

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