The Real Reason Why You New York Is Losing Its Eccentric Artists
A former New York City whackadoo tells it all.
From 2006 through 2011 (or around that time), I was a raver and go-go dancer in New York City. I was weird. I dressed and smelled like I was the byproduct of a parrot that decided to have sex with a dumpster.
During this time in my life, I squatted with a group of artists in New York City. We squatted in a warehouse with a massive hole in its walls. While only four had “officially” lived there, you could find 16 to 20 of us living in a 25-by-25 portion of the warehouse at any given time.
Among us was a graphic designer and party promoter obsessed with cats, a rapper/DNB star who loved cooking ramen, a girl whose claim to fame was doing ketamine off a messy toilet seat, and a guy who occasionally just slept in a cardboard box because he felt like it.
Our activities at the time included:
Tricking new initiates by asking them to sniff coke, only to replace the “cocaine” with Aunt Jemima pancake mix.
Drawing real tattoos on people who passed out at our parties as a prank.
Video gaming with custom-hacked devices.
Throwing underground raves.
Graffiti art and doing cyphers.
At first glance, you would assume that most of us were complete failures at life. We were, quite literally, the people who most people run away from. However, we are not failures. Quite the opposite.
Among that group of people, we now have an internationally famous lo-fi hip-hop and rap producer, a well-established CEO of a party promotion company, a trained chef, a highly-regarded painter, a noted wrestler, multiple models, and, well, me.
Those days are long gone, and it made me think about something.
Back in the day, I knew of two major Burner-friendly houses. One was House of Yes, which had a similar “live-in eccentric commune” vibe to what I experienced. The other was my friend’s warehouse.
Both of these houses churned out serious talent — and the number of awards we collected as a group proved it. Most of us are fairly well-known in our fields by now. Those who aren’t are getting there on our own terms.
I recently went to some concerts in the city. It was then I noticed something alarming: I couldn’t tell who the artists were unless they dressed up. I also couldn’t tell who were “industry” unless they were going hard.
Everyone looked like everyone else. I didn't see people who smelled like they crawled out of the sewers. I didn’t see a single person try to sneak power drills, rats, or a liter of rum into the party.
In other words, I realized that New York’s artsy eccentrics were nowhere to be found.
I took a closer look to see if I was just imagining things.
Most New Yorkers might remember Piano Man. For those not in the know, Piano Man is a famous busker who literally dragged his own piano out of his apartment to a new spot every day, just so that he could perform for cash.
He’s homeless as of 2023, and while I don’t know what his current situation is, it’s clear that New York hasn’t been kind to him. His piano was vandalized and the price of rent made it impossible for him to keep his standard of life.
If you’re a New Yorker, you might also remember all the B-Boys and B-Girls who would turn the subway into their own personal dance halls. Most of my friends mentioned that this type of entertainment also dropped off.
It’s trend I’ve mentioned before, but it’s becoming too major to ignore. Even major art galleries are sparking up conversations on what people can do to nurture the arts.