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The gentrification of Spike Lee: He marketed Brooklyn, cashed out and now complains
NY Daily News ^ | 2/26/14 | Errol Louis

Posted on 02/28/2014 8:39:43 AM PST by jimbo123

Spike Lee’s obscenity-filled tirade about the gentrification of inner-city neighborhoods — caught on tape and posted online in all its mother-effing glory — perfectly captured the bitterness, confusion and circular logic that sends most conversations about New York’s ever-changing neighborhoods down a blind alley.

Lee’s torrent of cussing and complaints mostly focused on how well-heeled white newcomers have allegedly ruined Fort Greene, where he grew up. Much of what he said was hilarious (“Have you seen Fort Greene Park in the morning? It’s like the mother-effing Westminster Dog Show!”). But some of it was downright offensive (“You can’t just come in the neighborhood and start bogarting and say, like you’re mother-effing Columbus and kill off the Native Americans.”)

It’s the sacred right of every New Yorker to bewail, blame and bemoan the arrival of the folks who arrive in the neighborhood five minutes after we do, but somebody has to call bull on Lee’s complaints about gentrification. This is a man who has made epic contributions to the phenomenon he finds so troubling. Start with Hatch House, Lee’s 9,000-square-foot palace on East 63rd Street — complete with internal courtyard — which he bought from artist Jasper Johns for $16 million in 2006 and recently put on the market with an asking price of $32 million. My friends in nearby Yorkville have been gnashing their teeth for years, complaining about how rents have risen to insane levels, thanks in part to owners buying and flipping high-end properties.

(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: blackkk; brooklyn; crownheights; gentrification; harlem; limolibs; newyorkcity; spikelee
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Spike Lee hates white people, but as soon as he had the money, he fled Brooklyn for the Upper East Side and started flipping multi-million dollar townhouses and mansions to sell to the white folks!
1 posted on 02/28/2014 8:39:43 AM PST by jimbo123
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To: jimbo123

This was a good article thanks for posting it and thanks to the author for setting the record straight as to just who it was who gentrified Ft. Greene.


2 posted on 02/28/2014 8:44:07 AM PST by jocon307
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To: jimbo123

Spike ain’t authentic no mo.....


3 posted on 02/28/2014 8:44:21 AM PST by clintonh8r (Don't twerk me, Broi)
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To: jimbo123

Spike, Do the Right thing.....


4 posted on 02/28/2014 8:47:42 AM PST by GraceG
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To: jocon307

Spike Lee’s Upper East Side mansion hits market at $32 million

The Brooklyn-bred filmmaker bought the 9,000-square-foot townhouse from artist Jasper Johns in 2000 for $16 million. Also known as the Hatch House, the five-bedroom home on E. 63rd St. was designed by Frederick Sterner in 1916.

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/real-estate/spike-lee-upper-east-side-mansion-hits-market-32-million-article-1.1599306


5 posted on 02/28/2014 8:49:42 AM PST by jimbo123
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To: jimbo123

Does anybody pay any attention to that sawed off loudmouth? I watched a couple of his movies and can’t remember a thing about them that impressed me. I thought the only reason he was lauded was he was the first black director, sorta like the present resident of 1600 Penn. Ave. With all the names the resident has, how is his mailed addressed? Might end the birther debate once and for all if we knew how Soros addresses his check.


6 posted on 02/28/2014 8:52:47 AM PST by Foundahardheadedwoman (God don't have a statute of limitations)
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To: GraceG

Good news is that Spike Lee is having to sell off his mansions to white folk because no one will give him money to make movies any more. So it’s clear he can’t afford the property taxes and maintenance charges any more because he doesn’t have any more money coming in.

Will he move back to Fort Greene after the downsizing?


7 posted on 02/28/2014 8:53:01 AM PST by jimbo123
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To: jimbo123

I have always thought that Spike Lee was the same as the African who caught other Africans for the slaves traders. He cashes in on telling blacks that they should stay true to their victim status while he lives in multimillion dollar homes and his kids are limo’d back and forth to school.


8 posted on 02/28/2014 8:54:22 AM PST by rbbeachkid (Get out of its way and small business can fix the economy.)
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To: FReepers
We're Almost There!


Click The Pic

Support Conservatism, Donate Monthly If You Can


9 posted on 02/28/2014 8:59:53 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
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To: jimbo123

Typical “rules for thee but not for me” liberal. Lee can buy houses in the neighborhood, renovate them and sell them for double the price in a couple years but if anyone else does, they are selling out to the White Man.


10 posted on 02/28/2014 8:59:56 AM PST by Opinionated Blowhard ("When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.")
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To: Foundahardheadedwoman

His latest movie flop:

Oldboy (2013 film)

Budget $30 million
Box office $4,861,022

Box office

The film grossed $850,000 in its first five days, one of the weakest Thanksgiving openings of all time, according to Variety. It opened in 17th place at the box office, and so far has received a worldwide gross of $4,861,022, making it a box office bomb.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldboy_(2013_film)


11 posted on 02/28/2014 9:02:07 AM PST by jimbo123
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To: clintonh8r

Spike, the turd with teeth.


12 posted on 02/28/2014 9:02:27 AM PST by Busko (The only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain.)
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To: jimbo123

Right, so for him it is OK that his property doubled in value in 14 years.

But for everybody else: stay in the ghetto and be picturesque for me.

Spike Lee: self-hating white liberal. Who knew?


13 posted on 02/28/2014 9:02:27 AM PST by jocon307
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To: Opinionated Blowhard

Lee has cash flow problems.


14 posted on 02/28/2014 9:02:48 AM PST by jimbo123
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To: jocon307

Barbara Rutherford Hatch House 32’ Wide

Luxury Homes and Real Estate // New York City Real Estate // Homes for Sale // New York Townhouse

New York, NY, United States
$32,000,000
tax (annual): $65,304

http://www.sothebyshomes.com/nyc/sales/0019184


15 posted on 02/28/2014 9:06:34 AM PST by jimbo123
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To: jimbo123

Nice house, unusual.

If I ever hit mega lotto I’d love to buy a house in manhattan, in Gramercy Park preferably. I’d love to hang out in the Park with the statue of Edwin Booth.


16 posted on 02/28/2014 9:20:59 AM PST by jocon307
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To: jimbo123

IIRC, Brooklyn was predominately a white borough long before Spike was there.


17 posted on 02/28/2014 9:24:32 AM PST by rjsimmon (1-20-2013 The Tree of Liberty Thirsts)
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To: jimbo123

Spike Lee’s 15 minutes of fame is 16 minutes to long...


18 posted on 02/28/2014 9:44:18 AM PST by ExCTCitizen (2014: The Year of DEAD RINOS)
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To: clintonh8r

IIRC, Spike Lee was from a fairly comfortable professional family. He adopted the ghetto persona because it sold better. Kinda like Obama.


19 posted on 02/28/2014 9:44:40 AM PST by livius
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To: jimbo123

And what did the residents of Fort Greene generally look like before Spike Lee’s family and those that look like them moved in?


20 posted on 02/28/2014 2:31:49 PM PST by OldNewYork
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