Rapper Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) has always been proud of his native Brooklyn. He salutes the borough with a childlike enthusiasm and mentions it as often as possible when he rhymes. That's why his concerns with the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn shouldn't be ignored. In addition, Bey recently wrote and performed a poem, called "On.center.stadium.status," which detailed his problems with the arena.
In a recent interview with Vulture, Bey outlined his opposition. "I was concerned about what the stadium's presence in the community might do," Bey told Vulture. He explained that he recently saw men trying to sell bootleg Rolling Stones t-shirts near the arena. "This is the trickle-down economic effect of Barclays in the neighborhood?" he asked. "I didn’t think of it as a positive."
Also in the Vulture piece, Bey said he hopes Barclays Center management engages in the community.
[via HipHopDX]
LIKE COMPLEX MUSIC ON FACEBOOK
