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112-406: Lawrence " Kris " Parker (born August 20, 1965), better known by his stage names KRS-One ( / ˌ k eɪ ɑːr ɛ s ˈ w ʌ n / ; an abbreviation of "Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone") and Teacha , is an American rapper from The Bronx . He rose to prominence as part of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions , which he formed with DJ Scott La Rock in the mid-1980s. KRS-One

224-531: A " slavemaster religion" which African-Americans should not follow. During this period, KRS founded the Temple of Hiphop, an organization to preserve and promote "Hiphop Kulture". Subsequent releases included 2003's Kristyles and D.I.G.I.T.A.L. , 2004's Keep Right , and 2006's Life . The only latter-day KRS-One album to gain any significant attention has been Hip Hop Lives , his 2007 collaboration with fellow hip hop veteran Marley Marl , partly attributed to

336-574: A boom period during 1900–1929, with a population growth by a factor of six from 200,000 in 1900 to 1.3 million in 1930. The Great Depression and post World War II years saw a slowing of growth leading into an eventual decline. The mid to late century were hard times, as the Bronx changed during 1950–1985 from a predominantly moderate-income to a predominantly lower-income area with high rates of violent crime and poverty in some areas. The Bronx has experienced an economic and developmental resurgence starting in

448-492: A claim that Queensbridge was the monument of hip-hop, though MC Shan has repeatedly denied this claim. Still, KRS-One "dissed" the song with the BDP record "South Bronx". A second round of volleys ensued with Shan's "Kill That Noise" and BDP's "The Bridge Is Over". KRS-One, demonstrating his nickname "The Blastmaster", gave a live performance against MC Shan, and many conceded he had won the battle. Many believe this live performance to be

560-715: A digital single on iTunes on November 25. The single, titled "Radio", also featured Utah up and comer Eneeone and is dedicated to underground MCs that don't get the radio airplay they deserve. In 2009 KRS-One guest-starred on several albums, including Arts & Entertainment on the song "Pass the Mic" by fellow hip hop veterans Masta Ace and Ed O.G. KRS-One also featured on the posse cut "Mega Fresh X" by Cormega (alongside DJ Red Alert , Parrish Smith , Grand Puba , and Big Daddy Kane ) on his album Born and Raised . KRS-One and Buckshot announced that they would be collaborating on an album set to be released in 2009. The first single, "ROBOT",

672-517: A dispute between teenager and BDP member D-Nice and local hoodlums. During this time KRS-One also gained acclaim as one of the first MCs to incorporate Jamaican style into hip-hop, using the Zung gu zung melody, originally made famous by Yellowman in Jamaican dance halls earlier in the decade. This is particularly evident in the song titled "Remix for P is Free". Dancehall influence is also very prominent in

784-604: A documentary about hip-hop artists who have done jail time. The same year, KRS-One was featured in the title song for the film You Got Served: Beat the World . The song is entitled "Hip Hop Nation", and features K'naan and Lina . It was produced for the film by Frank Fitzpatrick . In 2012, KRS-One toured Australia for the first time. He travelled there by cruise ship, as he hates flying. In December 2020, KRS-One released his 23rd solo album Between Da Protests . In February 2022 he released his 24th one: I M A M C R U 1 2 . The Stop

896-759: A free bridge across the Harlem River. After the American Revolutionary War , the King's Bridge toll was abolished. The territory now contained within Bronx County was originally part of Westchester County , one of the 12 original counties of the English Province of New York . The present Bronx County was contained in the town of Westchester and parts of the towns in Yonkers , Eastchester , and Pelham . In 1846,

1008-596: A friend to hip hop in his early days", but cautioned that " When we say, look, Donald Trump was a friend to hip hop back in the day, so was Bill Clinton". In 1994, KRS-One and illustrator Kyle Baker published a 32 page comic book titled "Break the Chain" about a hero named Big Joe Krash. The comic book was sold with an accompanying 3-song tape by KRS-One. The original idea was pitched to KRS-One from Marshall Chess, who wanted an educationally oriented tape and comic book combo. In an interview with VIBE Magazine, KRS-One says: "People say

1120-486: A gunshot wound to the head, and listed the cause of death as suicide. His son Kris Parker (born 1992) is an aspiring music producer and DJ known as Predator Prime. KRS-One supported Republican Ron Paul for president during his 2012 run . He criticized then-President Barack Obama on Alex Jones ' radio show, stating "[T]hey put a black face on the New World Order and now we all happy. KRS ain’t buying it". During

1232-572: A lead single, "5 Boroughs", was released on The Corruptor soundtrack . However, KRS apparently decided to abort the album's planned release, just as he had secured a position as a Vice-President of A&R at Reprise Records . The shelved album was again scheduled to be released in 2008, but ultimately an unrelated album entitled Maximum Strength 2008 was released in its place. He moved to southern California, and stayed there for two years, ending his relationship with Jive Records with A Retrospective in 2000. In 2000, KRS-One and DJ Tomekk made

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1344-450: A main influence that set off consciousness in rap. KRS-One began his recording career as one third of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions, or BDP, alongside DJ Scott La Rock and Derrick "D-Nice" Jones . Additionally, KRS-One had taken offense to "The Bridge", a song by Marley Marl's protege, MC Shan (KRS-One later reconciled with Marley Marl, producing an album with him in 2007 titled Hip Hop Lives ). The song could be interpreted as

1456-552: A mostly poor African American and Hispanic (largely Puerto Rican ) population in the West Bronx. One significant factor that shifted the racial and economic demographics was the construction of Co-op City , built to house middle-class residents in family-sized apartments. The high-rise complex played a significant role in draining middle-class residents from older tenement buildings in the borough's southern and western fringes. Most predominantly non-Hispanic White communities today are in

1568-947: A new religion on the earth ... I think I have the authority to approach God directly, I don't have to go through any religion [or] train of thought. I can approach God directly myself and so I wrote a book called The Gospel of Hip Hop to free from all this nonsense garbage right now. I respect the Christianity , the Islam , the Judaism but their time is up. ... In a hundred years, everything that I'm saying to you will be common knowledge and people will be like, 'Why did he have to explain this? Wasn't it obvious?' These comments have been referred to by numerous media outlets such as The A.V. Club , which commented that "KRS-One writes 600-page hip-hop bible; blueprint for rap religion", and "KRS-One has never been afraid to court controversy and provoke strong reactions. Now

1680-426: A new town was created by division of Westchester, called West Farms. The town of Morrisania was created, in turn, from West Farms in 1855. In 1873, the town of Kingsbridge was established within the former borders of the town of Yonkers, roughly corresponding to the modern Bronx neighborhoods of Kingsbridge, Riverdale , and Woodlawn Heights , and included Woodlawn Cemetery . Among the famous people who settled in

1792-575: A physical perspective confines individuals to their color, ethnicity, and race. Instead, he advocated for examining history from the standpoint of first causes and origins, allowing for a departure from physical constraints and a focus on ideas rather than tangible matter. Hip Hop History Month (November), founded by the Universal Zulu Nation, is also recognized. In an interview with AllHipHop about his book The Gospel of Hip Hop , KRS-One said: I'm suggesting that in 100 years, this book will be

1904-407: A place for "the vicious elements, bootleggers, gamblers and their friends in all walks of life" to cooperate and to "evade the law, escape punishment for their crimes, [and] to deter the police from doing their duty". Between 1930 and 1960, moderate and upper income Bronxites (predominantly non-Hispanic Whites) began to relocate from the borough's southwestern neighborhoods. This migration has left

2016-456: A population of 1,472,654 at the 2020 census . Of the five boroughs, it has the fourth-largest area, fourth-highest population, and third-highest population density . The Bronx is divided by the Bronx River into a hillier section in the west , and a flatter eastern section. East and west street names are divided by Jerome Avenue . The West Bronx was annexed to New York City in 1874, and

2128-768: A promontory on the Hudson in Riverdale . Nearer the borough's center, and along the Bronx River , is Bronx Park ; its northern end houses the New York Botanical Gardens , which preserve the last patch of the original hemlock forest that once covered the county, and its southern end the Bronx Zoo , the largest urban zoological gardens in the United States. In 1904 the Chestnut Blight pathogen ( Cryphonectria parasitica )

2240-483: A rap album, he'll probably start with a CD by KRS-One." KRS responded with an editorial written for AllHipHop.com , stating: I was asked about why hiphop has not engaged the current situation more (meaning 9/11), my response was "because it does not affect us, or at least we don't perceive that it affects us, 9/11 happened to them". I went on to say that "I am speaking for the culture now; I am not speaking my personal opinion." I continued to say; "9/11 affected them down

2352-426: A steep decline in population, livable housing, and quality of life starting from the mid-to-late 1960s, continuing throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, ultimately culminating in a wave of arson in the late 1970s, a period when hip hop music evolved. The South Bronx , in particular, experienced severe urban decay . The borough began experiencing new population growth starting in the late 1990s and continuing to

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2464-541: A system of major Bronx parks connected by park-like thoroughfares is usually attributed to John Mullaly . Woodlawn Cemetery , located on 400 acres (160 ha) and one of the largest cemeteries in New York City, sits on the western bank of the Bronx River near Yonkers . It opened in 1863, in what was then the town of Yonkers, at the time a rural area. Since the first burial in 1865, more than 300,000 people have been interred there. The borough's northern side includes

2576-504: A time living homeless in New York, before eventually signing himself into a group home in the Bronx. Growing up, Parker had developed a deep love of the emerging hip hop culture in New York, and by that time he was honing his craft as an MC , as well as being an active graffiti writer . In 1984, he left the group home and moved into a homeless shelter in the South Bronx . While he was in

2688-541: A troubled childhood, suffering severe beatings from his American stepfather John Parker when the family lived in Harlem, New York . When his mother left the marriage both he and his younger brother Kenny moved with her to the Bronx , before again moving a year later to Brooklyn. Home life continued to be difficult, including further physical abuse at the hands of his mother's new Jamaican partner, and he ran away from home several times. At age 16 he left home permanently, and spent

2800-545: A video for their single Return of Hip-Hop with German rappers Torch and MC Rene, in which hip-hop was revived by hospital staff. The song stayed in the German charts for nine weeks. KRS resigned from his A&R position at Reprise in 2001, and returned to recording with a string of albums, beginning with 2001's The Sneak Attack on Koch Records . In 2002, he released a gospel -rap album, Spiritual Minded , surprising many longtime fans; he had once denounced Christianity as

2912-654: Is politically active, having started the Stop the Violence Movement after La Rock's death. He is also a vegan activist , expressed in songs such as "Beef". He is widely considered an influence on many hip-hop artists. Lawrence Parker was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn in 1965 to an American mother. His biological father, who was not involved in his upbringing, was from the Caribbean island of Barbados . He had

3024-510: Is New York City's largest remaining tract of the original forest that once covered the city. These open spaces are primarily on land reserved in the late 19th century as urban development progressed north and east from Manhattan. The word "Bronx" originated with Swedish -born (or Faroese -born) Jonas Bronck , who established the first European settlement in the area as part of the New Netherland colony in 1639. European settlers displaced

3136-483: Is a leading figure and founder of several hip hop groups that worked to promote peace and education, such as the Stop the Violence Movement and Human Education Against Lies (H.E.A.L.). He also founded the Temple of Hip Hop, a group dedicated to preserving and expanding hip hop culture and spirituality. Through this, KRS-One intends to decriminalize Hiphop and "raise hip-hop's identity and self-esteem". In an Interview with Aki X in

3248-409: Is based on the Bronx River , while the other strictly separates South Bronx from the rest of the borough. The Bronx River divides the borough nearly in half, putting the earlier-settled, more urban, and hillier sections in the western lobe and the newer, more suburban coastal sections in the eastern lobe. It is an accurate reflection on the Bronx's history considering that the towns that existed in

3360-588: Is directly connected to its strategic location between New England and New York ( Manhattan ). Control over the bridges across the Harlem River plagued the period of British colonial rule. The King's Bridge, built in 1693 where Broadway reached the Spuyten Duyvil Creek , was a possession of Frederick Philipse , lord of Philipse Manor . Local farmers on both sides of the creek resented the tolls, and in 1759, Jacobus Dyckman and Benjamin Palmer led them in building

3472-441: Is known for his songs " Sound of da Police ", "Love's Gonna Get'cha (Material Love)", and "My Philosophy". Boogie Down Productions received numerous awards and critical acclaim in their early years. Following the release of the group's debut album, Criminal Minded , fellow artist Scott La Rock was shot and killed, but KRS-One continued the group, effectively as a solo project. He began releasing records under his own name in 1993. He

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3584-678: Is land and 15 square miles (39 km ) (27%) is water. The Bronx is New York City's northernmost borough, New York State's southernmost mainland county and the only part of New York City that is almost entirely on the North American mainland, unlike the other four boroughs that are either islands or located on islands. The bedrock of the West Bronx is primarily Fordham gneiss , a high-grade heavily banded metamorphic rock containing significant amounts of pink feldspar . Marble Hill – politically part of Manhattan but now physically attached to

3696-476: Is the Word", a 12-inch single produced by David Kenneth Eng and Kenny Beck, was released on indie Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records (under the group name "12:41") but did not enjoy commercial success. Boogie Down Productions released their debut album Criminal Minded in 1987. KRS-One was the first Emcee to be holding a 9mm on the album cover, and Scott La Rock was killed in a shooting later that year after attempting to mediate

3808-554: Is the northernmost borough of New York City , coextensive with Bronx County , in the U.S. state of New York . It is south of Westchester County ; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan , across the Harlem River ; and north of the New York City borough of Queens , across the East River . The Bronx, the only New York City borough not primarily located on an island, has a land area of 42 square miles (109 km ) and

3920-615: Is what it is to be hip-hoppa." In KRS-One's song, "Outta Here", he reflects on the early days of New York hip-hop, influenced by acts like Run-DMC and Whodini, who he heard on the Awesome Two's radio show on WHBI. KRS-One explains how the release of BDP's "Criminal Minded", and Eric B and Rakim's "Paid in Full" had the unintended effect of turning both groups into Hip Hop pioneers. He also claims that his album "By All Means Necessary" and Public Enemy's "It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" were

4032-465: The 2016 United States presidential election , KRS-One indicated he was hesitant to support Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders , arguing he was unconvinced by their professed support for ending police brutality. He stated that Republican candidate Jeb Bush had "some pretty cool” ideas, but added “they’re not our ideas". On Donald Trump , KRS-One stated the Republican candidate "was

4144-502: The Bedford Park neighborhood; the reservoir was built in the 1890s on the site of the former Jerome Park Racetrack . Further south is Crotona Park , home to a 3.3-acre (1.3 ha) lake, 28 species of trees, and a large swimming pool. The land for these parks, and many others, was bought by New York City in 1888, while land was still open and inexpensive, in anticipation of future needs and future pressures for development. Some of

4256-575: The Hutchinson River (named after the religious leader Anne Hutchinson , killed along its banks in 1641), passes through the East Bronx and empties into Eastchester Bay . The Bronx also includes several small islands in the East River and Long Island Sound , such as City Island and Hart Island . Rikers Island in the East River, home to the large jail complex for the entire city, is also part of

4368-505: The New York City Subway contributed to the increase in population as thousands of immigrants came to the Bronx, resulting in a major boom in residential construction. Among these groups, many Irish Americans , Italian Americans , and especially Jewish Americans settled here. In addition, French , German , Polish , and other immigrants moved into the borough. As evidence of the change in population, by 1937, 592,185 Jews lived in

4480-469: The Southern United States , Panamanians , Hondurans , and South Asians . The Bronx contains the poorest congressional district in the United States , New York's 15th . The borough also features upper- and middle-income neighborhoods, such as Riverdale , Fieldston , Spuyten Duyvil , Schuylerville , Pelham Bay , Pelham Gardens , Morris Park , and Country Club . Parts of the Bronx saw

4592-459: The Spuyten Duyvil Creek ; Marble Hill's postal ZIP code , telephonic area codes and fire service, however, are shared with the Bronx and not Manhattan. The Bronx River flows south from Westchester County through the borough, emptying into the East River; it is the only entirely freshwater river in New York City. It separates the West Bronx from the schist of the East Bronx . A smaller river,

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4704-553: The Survival Skills album. The MC Fashawn said in his verse on MC's Act Like They Don't Know , "I did it to make Kris smile / I figured he'd appreciate it". KRS-One was featured as the voice of Chris Cringle in Nike 's Most Valuable Puppets commercials. KRS-One performed in May 2010 at SUNY New Paltz at their annual "Rock Against Racism" concert. He narrated the 2011 film Rhyme and Punishment ,

4816-468: The alternative rock group R.E.M. 's single " Radio Song ", which appeared on the band's album Out of Time , released the same year. In 1992, Bradley Nowell from Sublime featured an acoustic song named "KRS-One" with his voice and DJ's samples. In 1995, KRS organized a group called Channel Live , whose album Station Identification he produced most of, along with Rheji Burrell and Salaam Remi . In 1997, KRS surprised many with his release of

4928-470: The definite article as "the Bronx" or "The Bronx", both legally and colloquially. The "County of the Bronx" also takes "the" immediately before "Bronx" in formal references, like the coextensive "Borough of the Bronx". The United States Postal Service uses "Bronx, NY" for mailing addresses. The region was apparently named after the Bronx River and first appeared in the "Annexed District of The Bronx", created in 1874 out of part of Westchester County . It

5040-427: The trade center we were getting hit over the head by cops, told that we can't come in this building, hustled down to the train station because of the way we dressed and talked, and so on, we were racially profiled . So, when the planes hit the building we were like, "mmmm, justice." And just as I began to say "now of course a lot of our friends and family were lost there as well" I was interrupted ... In late 2005, KRS

5152-438: The 62nd and last county to be created by the state, effective in 1914. Bronx County's courts opened for business on January 2, 1914 (the same day that John P. Mitchel started work as Mayor of New York City ). Marble Hill, Manhattan , was now connected to the Bronx by filling in the former waterway, but it is not part of the borough or county. The history of the Bronx during the 20th century may be divided into four periods:

5264-416: The BDP hit "The Bridge is Over", which uses the same melody as Super Cat 's 1986 dancehall hit "Boops", and lyrical inflections in a Jamaican style. KRS-One is credited as one of the more influential figures to bridge the gap between Jamaican music and American hip-hop. Following the fatal shooting of Scott La Rock in 1987, KRS was determined to continue Boogie Down Productions through the tragedy, releasing

5376-564: The Bomb Squad is credited as an associate producer). The Temple of Hip Hop is a ministry, archive, school, and society (M.A.S.S.) founded by KRS-One. Its goal is to maintain and promote Hip Hop Kulture. Another goal of the temple of Hip-Hop is to finance educational centers which store archives and host lectures devoted to hip-hop culture. The Temple of Hip Hop maintains that hip hop is a genuine political movement, religion, and culture. It calls on all fans to celebrate Hip Hop Appreciation Week on

5488-513: The Boogie Down Productions legend has topped himself by writing The Gospel of Hip Hop: The First Instrument , a mammoth treatise on the spirituality of hip-hop he hopes will some day become a sacred text of a new hip-hop religion". KRS-One is a vocal supporter of veganism . KRS-One's step-son (Randy Parker) was found dead in his Atlanta , Georgia , apartment on July 6, 2007. The Medical Examiner's office stated that Parker had died of

5600-570: The Bridge Wars between the pair, but also the title's apparent response to Nas ' 2006 release Hip-Hop Is Dead . While many critics have commented they would have been more excited had this collaboration occurred twenty years earlier, the album was met with positive reviews. KRS-One has collaborated with other artists including Canadian rap group Hellafactz, Jay-Roc N' Jakebeatz and New York producer Domingo . He and Domingo publicly squashed their beef, which started over financial issues, and released

5712-488: The Bronx (43.9% of the borough's population), while only 54,000 Jews lived in the borough in 2011. Many synagogues still stand in the Bronx, but most have been converted to other uses. Bootleggers and gangs were active in the Bronx during Prohibition (1920–1933). Irish, Italian, Jewish, and Polish gangs smuggled in most of the illegal whiskey, and the oldest sections of the borough became poverty-stricken. Police Commissioner Richard Enright said that speakeasies provided

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5824-544: The Bronx began in 1639. The Bronx was originally part of Westchester County , but it was ceded to New York County in two major parts ( West Bronx , 1874 and East Bronx , 1895) before it became Bronx County. Originally, the area was part of the Lenape 's Lenapehoking territory inhabited by Siwanoy of the Wappinger Confederacy. Over time, European colonists converted the borough into farmlands. The Bronx's development

5936-404: The Bronx during the 19th and early 20th centuries were author Willa Cather , tobacco merchant Pierre Lorillard , and inventor Jordan L. Mott , who established Mott Haven to house the workers at his iron works. The consolidation of the Bronx into New York City proceeded in two stages. In 1873, the state legislature annexed Kingsbridge, West Farms, and Morrisania to New York, effective in 1874;

6048-692: The Bronx was designated an All America City by the National Civic League , acknowledging its comeback from the decline of the mid-century. In 2006, The New York Times reported that "construction cranes have become the borough's new visual metaphor, replacing the window decals of the 1980s in which pictures of potted plants and drawn curtains were placed in the windows of abandoned buildings." The borough has experienced substantial new building construction since 2002. Between 2002 and June 2007, 33,687 new units of housing were built or were under way and $ 4.8 billion has been invested in new housing. In

6160-521: The Bronx – is so-called because of the formation of Inwood marble there as well as in Inwood, Manhattan , and parts of the Bronx and Westchester County. The Hudson River separates the Bronx on the west from Alpine , Tenafly and Englewood Cliffs in Bergen County, New Jersey ; the Harlem River separates it from the island of Manhattan to the southwest; the East River separates it from Queens to

6272-449: The Bronx's decline may have been the development of high-rise housing projects , particularly in the South Bronx . Yet another factor may have been a reduction in the real estate listings and property-related financial services offered in some areas of the Bronx, such as mortgage loans or insurance policies—a process known as redlining . Others have suggested a " planned shrinkage " of municipal services, such as fire-fighting. There

6384-532: The Bronx-based organization Great and Glorious Grand Army of The Bronx, arguing the definite article is part of the proper name. In particular, the Great and Glorious Grand Army of The Bronx is leading efforts to make the city refer to the borough with an uppercase definite article in all uses, comparing the lowercase article in the Bronx's name to "not capitalizing the 's' in 'Staten Island ' ". European colonization of

6496-561: The Bronx. The Bronx's highest elevation at 280 feet (85 m) is in the northwest corner, west of Van Cortlandt Park and in the Chapel Farm area near the Riverdale Country School . The opposite (southeastern) side of the Bronx has four large low peninsulas or "necks" of low-lying land that jut into the waters of the East River and were once salt marsh : Hunt's Point, Clason's Point, Screvin's Neck and Throggs Neck . Further up

6608-605: The January 2003 issue of Thrasher Magazine, KRS-One observes: "Hip-hop has manifested Martin Luther Kings "I Have A Dream" speech where he envisioned that the sons and daughters of former slave owners and sons and daughters of former slaves would join hands in brotherhood towards justice and freedom. Hip-hop express that through Eminem and Dr Dre, through Russell simmons and the Beastie Boys, through MC, search. Run DMC and Aerosmith. This

6720-504: The South Bronx. The IRT White Plains Road Line ( 2 and ​ 5 trains) began to show an increase in riders. Chains such as Marshalls , Staples , and Target opened stores in the Bronx. More bank branches opened in the Bronx as a whole (rising from 106 in 1997 to 149 in 2007), although not primarily in poor or minority neighborhoods, while the Bronx still has fewer branches per person than other boroughs. In 1997,

6832-537: The Third Avenue Bridge as people buy apartments and renovate them. Several boutique and chain hotels opened in the 2010s in the South Bronx . New developments are underway. The Bronx General Post Office on the corner of the Grand Concourse and East 149th Street is being converted into a market place, boutiques, restaurants and office space with a USPS concession. The Kingsbridge Armory , often cited as

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6944-409: The Violence Movement was formed by KRS-One in 1988/1989 in response to violence in the hip hop and black communities. During a concert by Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy , a young fan was killed in a fight. Coming soon after the shooting death of his friend and fellow BDP member Scott La Rock , KRS-One was galvanized into action and formed the Stop the Violence Movement. Composed of some of

7056-430: The World", which became his only song with the label. He was also interviewed in the 1986 cult documentary Big Fun In The Big Town . MCA were not sure about what to do with hip hop, thus he was dismissed from the label. Not long after, Shan signed with Cold Chillin' Records due to his relationship with Marl, and joined Marl's Juice Crew . His debut album Down by Law was released by Warner Bros. in 1987. MC Shan

7168-662: The acquired land was set aside for the Grand Concourse and Pelham Parkway , the first of a series of boulevards and parkways ( thoroughfares lined with trees, vegetation and greenery). Later projects included the Bronx River Parkway , which developed a road while restoring the riverbank and reducing pollution, Mosholu Parkway and the Henry Hudson Parkway . In 2006, a five-year, $ 220-million program of capital improvements and natural restoration in 70 Bronx parks

7280-554: The album By All Means Necessary in 1988. He was joined by beatboxer D-Nice, rapper Ramona "Ms. Melodie" Parker (whose marriage to Kris would last from 1988 to 1992), and Kris's younger brother DJ Kenny Parker, among others. However, Boogie Down Productions would remain KRS' show, and the group's content would become increasingly political through the subsequent releases Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop , Edutainment , Live Hardcore Worldwide and Sex and Violence . KRS-One

7392-548: The album I Got Next . The album's lead single, " Step into a World (Rapture's Delight) ", containing an interpolation of punk and new wave group Blondie , was accompanied by a remix featuring commercial rap icon Puff Daddy ; another track was essentially a rock song. While the record would be his best-selling solo album (reaching #3 on the Billboard 200 ), such collaborations with notably mainstream artists and prominent, easily recognizable samples took many fans and observers of

7504-566: The area prior to annexation to the City of New York generally did not straddle the Bronx River. In addition, what is today the Bronx was annexed to New York City in two stages: areas west of the Bronx River were annexed in 1874 while areas to the east of the river were annexed in 1895. Under this system, the Bronx can be further divided into the following regions: MC Shan In 1985, Shan signed with MCA Records to release his debut single, "Feed

7616-616: The areas east of the Bronx River in 1895. Bronx County was separated from New York County (modern-day Manhattan) in 1914. About a quarter of the Bronx's area is open space, including Woodlawn Cemetery , Van Cortlandt Park , Pelham Bay Park , the New York Botanical Garden , and the Bronx Zoo in the borough's north and center. The Thain Family Forest at the New York Botanical Garden is thousands of years old and

7728-556: The biggest stars in contemporary East Coast hip hop , the movement released a single, " Self Destruction ", in 1989, with all proceeds going to the National Urban League . A music video was created, and a VHS cassette entitled Overcoming Self-Destruction – The Making of the Self-Destruction Video was also released. "Self-Destruction" was produced by KRS-One and D-Nice of Boogie Down Productions ( Hank Shocklee of

7840-401: The block; the rich, the powerful those that are oppressing us as a culture. Sony , RCA or BMG , Universal , the radio stations, Clear Channel , Viacom with BET and MTV , those are our oppressors, those are the people that we're trying to overcome in hiphop everyday, this is a daily thing. We cheered when 9/11 happened in New York and say that proudly here. Because when they were down at

7952-492: The borough's name is sometimes disputed. Generally, the definite article is lowercase in place names ("the Bronx") except in some official references. The definite article is capitalized ("The Bronx") at the beginning of a sentence or in any other situation when a normally lowercase word would be capitalized. However, some people and groups refer to the borough with a capital letter at all times, such as Bronx Borough Historian Lloyd Ultan , The Bronx County Historical Society , and

8064-404: The building they lived in so they could qualify for emergency relocations by city social service agencies to better residences, sometimes being relocated to other parts of the city. Out of 289 census tracts in the Bronx borough, 7 tracts lost more than 97% of their buildings to arson and abandonment between 1970 and 1980; another 44 tracts had more than 50% of their buildings meet the same fate. By

8176-582: The chain was taken off our feet and hands and put onto our minds. Break that chain of slave mentality." KRS-One also released an animated music video, featuring himself as Big Joe Krash. In 2004, KRS said during a panel discussion hosted by The New Yorker magazine that "we cheered when 9/11 happened". His comment was criticized by many sources, including the New York Daily News , which called him an " anarchist " and said that "If Osama bin Laden ever buys

8288-577: The city in 1896. Following these two annexations, the Bronx's territory had moved from Westchester County into New York County, which already included Manhattan and the rest of pre-1874 New York City. On January 1, 1898, the consolidated City of New York was born, including the Bronx as one of the five distinct boroughs . However, it remained part of New York County until Bronx County was created in 1914. On April 19, 1912, those parts of New York County which had been annexed from Westchester County in previous decades were newly constituted as Bronx County,

8400-514: The coastline, Rodman's Neck lies between Pelham Bay Park in the northeast and City Island . The Bronx's irregular shoreline extends for 75 square miles (194 km ). Although Bronx County was the third most densely populated county in the United States in 2022 (after Manhattan and Brooklyn ), 7,000 acres (28 km ) of the Bronx—about one fifth of the Bronx's area, and one quarter of its land area—is given over to parkland. The vision of

8512-412: The early 1980s, the Bronx was considered the most blighted urban area in the country, particularly the South Bronx which experienced a loss of 60% of the population and 40% of housing units. However, starting in the 1990s, many of the burned-out and run-down tenements were replaced by new housing units. In May 1984, New York Supreme Court justice Peter J. McQuillan ruled that Marble Hill, Manhattan ,

8624-491: The eastern and northwestern sections of the borough . From the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, the quality of life changed for some Bronx residents. Historians and social scientists have suggested many factors, including the theory that Robert Moses ' Cross Bronx Expressway destroyed existing residential neighborhoods and created instant slums, as put forward in Robert Caro 's biography The Power Broker . Another factor in

8736-503: The first MC battle where rappers attack each other, instead of a battle between who can get the crowd more hyped. Parker and Sterling decided to form a rap group together, initially calling themselves "Scott La Rock and the Celebrity Three". That was short-lived, however, as the two peripheral members quit, leaving Parker (now calling himself KRS-One) and Sterling. They then decided to call themselves "Boogie Down Productions". "Success

8848-473: The first six months of 2007 alone total investment in new residential development was $ 965 million and 5,187 residential units were scheduled to be completed. Much of the new development is springing up in formerly vacant lots across the South Bronx. In addition there came a revitalization of the existing housing market in areas such as Hunts Point, the Lower Concourse, and the neighborhoods surrounding

8960-486: The highest rated diss track . Somehow all the negative attention went to MC Shan. Years later, MC Shan remade "The Bridge" into "Da Bridge 2001", and strongly denied the bridge "was over", saying: Shan's second album, Born To Be Wild , followed in 1988 and revealed Shan's b-boy persona, with production once again by Marley Marl. 1990's Play it Again, Shan displayed a more mature style but it also proved to be his last album. When Cold Chillin's sub-label Livin' Large

9072-668: The homeless shelter, he was dubbed " Krishna " by the residents due to his curiosity about the Hare Krishna spirituality of some of the anti-poverty workers. During his stay at the community shelter he encountered youth counsellor Scott Sterling a.k.a. DJ Scott La Rock and there began a DJ - MC relationship. He also engaged in the street art activity graffiti under the alias KRS-One (Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone). Together he and Sterling created Boogie Down Productions , releasing their debut album, Criminal Minded , in 1987. KRS-One also practices activism in his career and

9184-411: The largest armory in the world, is currently slated for redevelopment. Under consideration for future development is the construction of a platform over the New York City Subway 's Concourse Yard adjacent to Lehman College . The construction would permit approximately 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m ) of development and would cost US$ 350–500 million . Despite significant investment compared to

9296-537: The largest park in New York City— Pelham Bay Park , which includes Orchard Beach —and the third-largest, Van Cortlandt Park , which is west of Woodlawn Cemetery and borders Yonkers . Also in the northern Bronx, Wave Hill , the former estate of George W. Perkins —known for a historic house, gardens, changing site-specific art installations and concerts—overlooks the New Jersey Palisades from

9408-438: The late 1980s that continues into today. The Bronx was a mostly rural area for many generations, with small farms supplying the city markets. In the late 19th century, however, it grew into a railroad suburb. Faster transportation enabled rapid population growth in the late 19th century, involving the move from horse-drawn street cars to elevated railways and the subway system, which linked to Manhattan in 1904. The South Bronx

9520-556: The mainland immediately north of the Dutch settlement of New Haarlem (on Manhattan Island ), and bought additional tracts from the local tribes. He eventually accumulated 500 acres (200 ha) between the Harlem River and the Aquahung, which became known as Bronck's River or the Bronx [River] . Dutch and English settlers referred to the area as Bronck's Land . The American poet William Bronk

9632-615: The name "Boogie Down Productions", KRS-One decided to set out on his own. On his first solo album, 1993's Return of the Boom Bap , he worked together with producers DJ Premier , Kid Capri and Showbiz , the latter providing the track " Sound of da Police ". His second album, 1995's KRS-One , featured Channel Live on "Free Mumia", a song in which they criticize Civil Rights activist C. Delores Tucker among others. Other prominent guest stars on KRS-One included Mad Lion , Busta Rhymes , Das EFX and Fat Joe . In 1991, KRS-One appeared on

9744-632: The native Lenape after 1643. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Bronx received many immigrant and migrant groups as it was transformed into an urban community, first from European countries particularly Ireland , Germany , Italy , and Eastern Europe , and later from the Caribbean region (particularly Puerto Rico , Trinidad , Haiti , Guyana , Jamaica , Barbados , and the Dominican Republic ), and immigrants from West Africa (particularly from Ghana and Nigeria ), African American migrants from

9856-559: The official maps of the city. Since the late 1980s, significant development has occurred in the Bronx, first stimulated by the city's "Ten-Year Housing Plan" and community members working to rebuild the social, economic and environmental infrastructure by creating affordable housing . Groups affiliated with churches in the South Bronx erected the Nehemiah Homes with about 1,000 units. The grass roots organization Nos Quedamos' endeavor known as Melrose Commons began to rebuild areas in

9968-427: The post war period, many exacerbated social problems remain including high rates of violent crime, substance abuse, overcrowding, and substandard housing conditions. The Bronx has the highest rate of poverty in New York City, and the greater South Bronx is the poorest area. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , Bronx County has a total area of 57 square miles (150 km ), of which 42 square miles (110 km )

10080-600: The present day. The Bronx was called Rananchqua by the native Siwanoy band of Lenape (also known historically as the Delawares ), while other Native Americans knew the Bronx as Keskeskeck . It was divided by the Aquahung River (now known in English as the Bronx River ). The Bronx was named after Jonas Bronck ( c.  1600–1643 ), a European settler whose precise origins are disputed. Documents indicate he

10192-452: The southeast; and to the east, Long Island Sound separates it from Nassau County in western Long Island. Directly north of the Bronx are (from west to east) the adjoining Westchester County communities of Yonkers , Mount Vernon , Pelham Manor and New Rochelle . There is also a short southern land boundary with Marble Hill in the Borough of Manhattan, over the filled-in former course of

10304-540: The story of how his crew got started in Queensbridge Houses, the public housing projects just north of the Queensboro Bridge. It also provided a template for other artists to use it as Queens representative anthem. The B-side is a mild-tempered diss-track aimed at LL Cool J for his song Rock The Bells which took the beat from "Marley Scratch", a promo by Marlon and Shawn from 1985 on NIA Records. Although at

10416-536: The third week of May each year. It encourages DJs and MCs to teach people about the culture of hip hop and to write more socially conscious songs, and radio stations to play more socially conscious hip hop. KRS-One describes Hiphop as a metaphysical principle, "an energy, a consciousness, it is an awareness, it is a behavior, it is an attitude, that's what hip-hop is. KRS-One asserted that due to hip-hop's intangible nature, it cannot be documented using conventional historical methods. He argued that approaching history from

10528-453: The three towns were soon abolished in the process. The whole territory east of the Bronx River was annexed to the city in 1895, three years before New York's consolidation with Brooklyn , Queens , and Staten Island . This included the Town of Westchester (which had voted against consolidation in 1894) and parts of Eastchester and Pelham. The nautical community of City Island voted to join

10640-461: The time this practice was not allowed, KRS-One however responded with a parody of "The Bridge" named "South Bronx," and the Juice Crew sampled that song with a reply, "Kill That Noise." Slate magazine described the conflict: "In 1986, it was a beef that launched the star of KRS-One." A week later, Boogie Down Productions then released " The Bridge is Over ," widely celebrated among hip-hop fans as

10752-458: The vehemently anti-mainstream KRS-One by surprise. In August 1997, in an appearance on Tim Westwood 's BBC Radio 1 , KRS-One criticized the station for not playing underground hip hop while also crediting Westwood for his promotion of hip hop over time. KRS-One said that Jive Records and Radio 1 did not support him, but finished by saluting Westwood with "you know you're my man". In 1999, there were tentative plans to release Maximum Strength ;

10864-577: Was a Swedish-born immigrant from Komstad, Norra Ljunga parish in Småland , Sweden, who arrived in New Netherland during the spring of 1639. Bronck became the first recorded European settler in the present-day Bronx and built a farm named "Emmaus" close to what today is the corner of Willis Avenue and 132nd Street in Mott Haven . He leased land from the Dutch West India Company on the neck of

10976-517: Was a descendant of Pieter Bronck, either Jonas Bronck's son or his younger brother, but most probably a nephew or cousin, as there was an age difference of 16 years. Much work on the Swedish claim has been undertaken by Brian G. Andersson, former Commissioner of New York City's Department of Records, who helped organize a 375th Anniversary celebration in Bronck's hometown in 2014. The Bronx is referred to with

11088-416: Was a manufacturing center for many years and was noted as a center of piano manufacturing in the early part of the 20th century. In 1919, the Bronx was the site of 63 piano factories employing more than 5,000 workers. At the end of World War I , the Bronx hosted the rather small 1918 World's Fair at 177th Street and DeVoe Avenue. The Bronx underwent rapid urban growth after World War I. Extensions of

11200-557: Was active, Shan was listed as one of its artists but only released two singles ("Hip Hop Roughneck" b/w "Watchin' My Style" and "Pee-Nile Reunion" (prod. Large Professor, feat. Kool G Rap, Neek The Exotic, Snow, and Diesel) b/w "Don't Call It A Comeback"). Despite the fact that he focused more on his production career (like Snow's 12 Inches of Snow , which featured " Informer ", on which he appeared) he recorded "Da Bridge 2001" for Nas ' 2000 compilation called QB's Finest , which also featured Mobb Deep , Cormega , and Nature . Shan had

11312-411: Was also much debate as to whether rent control laws had made it less profitable (or more costly) for landlords to maintain existing buildings with their existing tenants than to abandon or destroy those buildings. In the 1970s, parts of the Bronx were plagued by a wave of arson. The burning of buildings was predominantly in the poorest communities, such as the South Bronx. One explanation of this event

11424-477: Was begun (financed by water and sewer revenues) as part of an agreement that allowed a water filtration plant under Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park. One major focus is on opening more of the Bronx River 's banks and restoring them to a natural state. The Bronx adjoins: There are two primary systems for dividing the Bronx into regions, which do not necessarily agree with one another. One system

11536-473: Was continued in the "Borough of The Bronx", created in 1898, which included a larger annexation from Westchester County in 1895. The use of the definite article is attributed to the style of referring to rivers. A time-worn story purportedly explaining the use of the definite article in the borough's name says it stems from the phrase "visiting the Broncks", referring to the settler's family. The capitalization of

11648-574: Was featured alongside Public Enemy's Chuck D on the remix of the song "Bin Laden" by Immortal Technique and DJ Green Lantern , which blames American neo-conservatives , the Reagan Doctrine , and U.S. President George W. Bush for the World Trade Center attacks, and indicates a parallel to the devaluation, destruction, and violence of urban housing project communities. The Bronx The Bronx ( / b r ɒ ŋ k s / BRONKS )

11760-532: Was found for the first time outside of Asia , here, at the Bronx Zoo. Over the next 40 years it spread throughout eastern North America and killed back essentially every American Chestnut ( Castanea dentata ), causing ecological and economic devastation. Just south of Van Cortlandt Park is the Jerome Park Reservoir , surrounded by 2 miles (3 km) of stone walls and bordering several small parks in

11872-479: Was honored, along with Buckshot, by artists Ruste Juxx, Torae & Skyzoo, Sha Stimuli , Promise, J.A.M.E.S. Watts and Team Facelift, on their mixtape Survival Kit , an ode to the 2009 album Survival Skills . The mixtape was released for free download on DuckDown.com. The album features new version of KRS classics "South Bronx", " Sound of da Police " and "MC's Act Like They Don't Know", as well as new versions of well-known Buckshot songs and "Past Present Future" from

11984-414: Was met with generally positive reviews. Steve Juon of RapReviews.com gave the album a flawless 10 out of 10, claiming, "Buckshot and KRS have achieved something rather remarkable here – an album I can't find a single fault with. There's not a bad beat, there's not a whack rhyme, there's not a collaborator on a track that missed the mark, and the disc itself is neither too short nor too long." In 2010 KRS-One

12096-433: Was one of the first hip hop artists to have a major record deal with the label. He also found himself to be a key player in the noted hip-hop rivalry known as the Bridge Wars , between the Juice Crew and Boogie Down Productions . Controversy rose from his 1986 single "The Bridge". The A-side, one of the first song to sample " Impeach The President " (before was "Get Physical" for Steady B, also produced by Marley Marl) tells

12208-561: Was released on May 5, 2009. The music video was directed by Todd Angkasuwan and debuted as the New Joint of the Day on 106 & Park on September 4, 2009. The album itself, called Survival Skills , leaked on the Internet on September 9, 2009, and the album was officially released on September 15, 2009. It debuted at #62, making it onto the Billboard 200 . It sold around 8,500 copies its first week and

12320-512: Was simultaneously part of the Borough of Manhattan (not the Borough of the Bronx) and part of Bronx County (not New York County) and the matter was definitively settled later that year when the New York Legislature overwhelmingly passed legislation declaring the neighborhood part of both New York County and the Borough of Manhattan and made this clarification retroactive to 1938, as reflected on

12432-423: Was that landlords decided to burn their low property-value buildings and take the insurance money, as it was easier for them to get insurance money than to try to refurbish a dilapidated building or sell a building in a severely distressed area. The Bronx became identified with a high rate of poverty and unemployment, which was mainly a persistent problem in the South Bronx. There were cases where tenants set fire to

12544-450: Was the primary initiator behind the H.E.A.L. compilation and the Stop the Violence Movement ; for the latter he would attract many prominent emcees to appear on the 12-inch single " Self Destruction ". As KRS adopted this "humanist", less defensive approach, he turned away from his "Blastmaster" persona and towards that of "The Teacha", although he has constantly used "Blastmaster" throughout his career. After five largely solo albums under

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