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You got half a million subscribers! Support the channel?? Seems those views will support you well. Hope you're giving back to the communities your exploiting??? Really, I hope you're helping these communities.
Bringing back some not so good memories. I went to school there . We used to put a paper note on the windshield when we parked our cars on the street that read "no money, no radio" . One day someone broke my small window in the rear door. The thief obviously didn't find anything valuable, but he had a great sense of humor, he added " just checking" on the note I left under my windshield.
We lost 80% of our buildings in the South Bronx. It was crazy!! My mom came home one night and the landlord literally told her.. the building is finished!! He left!! The building was massive and absolutely beautiful. They don’t build apartments with space like that anymore. The whole block literally died overnight. Even in those hard times we were able to be happy!! We did create a strong sense of community and friendship with our family, friends and neighbors. They always tried to help one another. I still have wonderful memories of those times.
I remembered those days 1989 wow!!!!! Through the grace if God I got clean in October 1 1990 an been clean ever since today its 33 yrs an 8 mos!!! An we are gonna continue to move forward no matter what🎉🎉😂❤🎉😅
This is why what Charlie does is so important because in 30-40 years people will be watching his videos of neighborhoods now to see how much they’ve changed. He’s literally making visual/audio time capsules.
these videos are stupid. Charlie takes only one segment of a neighborhood and portrays it as a complete representation to fit a specific narrative. There were awesome places in Harlem in 1989 and there are shitty places even in 2020. You have to see the entire neighborhood.
@@bigfun7372 I’m pretty sure we get the picture with the “awesome” parts but it’s the ghetto that we should document so that we don’t keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
@@Ayotzi94 ok I get it. You are correct. but why use the filter for extra effect? and If we really want to show where we went wrong, he should show how gentrified many of the ghettos really are in this day and age. east ny, south bronx, jamaica, these neighborhoods are COMPLETELY changing/changed. But then again that would not fit charlie's fabricated narrative.
Thanks for posting this video ! As a Greek, the "old" harlem is what we knew thought the hollywood movies. It was nice to see real footage of its streets!
I drove a City bus in Harlem throughout the 80's and 90's. It's amazing how it's changed. Alot of those burnt out buildings you show in this video were owned by speculators who sat on them for years. The regular people who lived up there used to complain,"Why don't they do something with these buildings". Eventually they did and cashed in.The neighborhood got Gentrified and many long time residents got pushed out. I remember a lady telling me the only place a person can afford to live is the Projects. I have good memories of driving the 8th Ave bus. The people of Harlem were always good to me. Especially my regulars from the Polo Grounds houses.Peace to you all.
Thank you for this piece of information. We assume that the burnt down, smashed up buildings and empty lots were from the people not caring about their neighborhood. But it always comes down to rich real estate owners and gentrification. The people who own the property, but don't care about the neighborhood.
@@ricky-sanchez There was the book about it in eighties (did forgot the title), was about real estate speculation in New York and how they even burn the buildings and how they done to does look "naturally"
Thanks for telling the story of what was really going on. I loved my neighborhood, still do. I have walked many of these street. The gentrification is horrible.
@@Phreshie91 it’s still shitty area but would you rather have what it used to look like or now? As you can see they put effort n money towards Harlem. Can you give NY credit for that at least?
Вот такие картинки нужно было показывать в 80е на Советском ТВ. Как Гарлем 89,похож на С-Пб 90х. И там и там можно было снимать фильмы о войне. Атмосферно было, не то что сейчас, прилизано.
Absolutely! I love the 80s-90s cars.. the boxy body type. Esp in the bmws and Mercedes in the right color it’s gorrrrgeous but even a damn Volvo I’ll take it. It was so cool
Stop 🤥 lying bro, Harlem way worse, Kensington only bad for 2024 ,in 2024 yes Kensington the absolute worse but stop it,Harlem in 1989 was the worse n south Bronx even worse, there's no comparison......
@@chrisd913 south Bronx does not look like bx of 70s 80s n 90s lol bro u talking the infrastructure n buildings? Bro south Bronx was like it was hit by bombs kid,they fixed most of it up bro,not all but def most
Wow what an amazing video. From a lifelong born and bred Bradford (UK) lad this video hits home. We went through a similar resurgence in our area. Growing up we didn't really notice it as we saw everything being built. But just like this video shows. When you do a before and after you see the immense changes.
I moved to Hebden when I was 7 from Dnipro, Ukraine in 02'. Both Dnipro and Hebden / Calder Valley have changed so much since. I wasn't a resident but used to stay in Brooklyn with people I knew there when I was younger and saw it change so rapidly... Now after the Pandemic it's changed drastically again. Places are so dynamic and can change so fast either way. Peoples notions of them usually lag behind.
The Detroit housing shown was huge, those are large, well constructed houses. I'm struck by the extensive use of brick columns in the front of many of these homes, sometimes setting off a single first level porch but often supporting porches on both the first and second levels. But the houses just seem so large and well constructed. What a shame.
This my hood here 148th and 147th between 7th and 8th Avenue. Man so many memories.....truly blessed most of the friends I grew up with died on this two blocks!
I was really young when Harlem looked like that in the 80's and I have to admit, I got sentimental because even though my siblings and I grew up in Harlem and it was rough at times, our parents kept our heads in the books and in Church but we still had great times with our family and friends I will always be in love with Harlem USA
I'm from Argentina and I love the old rap culture from this country, in the 80's and 90's was the best rap... I can imagine walking on the street and listen tupac's song from every house
The US government turned a blind eye to the transportation of cocaine into the USA. At that time it made it's way into low income and poverty stricken communities. Often times those commies were made of the minorities because let's not forget we were still battling with SEGREGATION?!?! The fact that that was even part of our history is simply repulsive. The number of arrest made in the 1980s pertaining to drugs went up significantly and you guessed it! Over 60% of those arrest were of minorities in areas of poverty. This resulted in a very negative outlook on African Americans at the time time which resulted in the lack of funding to certain cities, schools, and districts. In turn, the precious city you loved in the 1960s was made that way intentionally to further degrade and dehumanize the minorities. The fact that shortly before that time we had just ended WW2, MLKJ. was murdered, the outlook on racism was turning tide as many stood up for their human rights says a lot about where the government truly had power. No longer could they physically control the minorities so they turned the communities and the law against them to work in their favor. Its the most hellish thing America could have done. This city looked like this at the hands of our government. We still fight for equal funding to low income areas TO THIS DAY and cities all across the USA are in shambles due to the recklessness of the US government. Not proud to be an American with this historical fact living in my head. We need change then and we need it today and we need it tomorrow. BLM
... unlike some of the artsy crap with "documentary feel" being produced these days.... Get No-Shake Jones a contract with Hollywood ASAP -- he can teach those so-called "filmmakers" a thing or two!
What's interesting in the 1989 vid was that the street level vista was rugged as hell, but look at most of the cars parked on the street - mostly recent model sedans in decent condition.
It’s crazy because I was just in Harlem a couple days ago and when I was there I was “like I wonder what this place looked like during the crack epidemic” thanks for the vid 💯
That video only shows a few tiny sections, though. It wasn't all like that, and the vibe wasn't depressing like the video. Having said that, it definitely wasn't as shiny and new looking like it is today.
It looks crazy. I was kid and I remember it looking just like these videos. We couldn’t even play in the parks because they would be empty crack vials everywhere.
At 2:25 I hurt my knee in that school yard in 87 and needed reconstructive surgery. I was 6 years old. I grew up on that block, my whole family was on crack and BCW came and took me away from them.....the best thing that ever happened to me
I remember visiting New York City for the first time when I was 9, around 1990. We drove from Toronto. Dad took us for the first time. I was super excited. I was expecting glitz and glamour, and when I got there and saw scenes like this, I was horrified.
Everybody that comes to America says the same thing. Its not a different place then everywhere else. There are nice areas and bad areas and sometimes they interchange over time. The good thing about the USA is that there are allot of places in between. If you work modestly hard you can pretty much achieve the in between. That's pretty good odds compared to other places.
@@sheastadium2008 Whole city was bad due to hippies, coming of age baby boomers and people born in the 1930s, democrats, foreigners, etc... When you destroy the old culture of America, you are bound to suffer in the 1960s to present.
People in all world is normal - dont lie on every step like Americans for the even little profit. Most of people in world think, that if country try to teach everyone how to live - it have no problems in it.
I was 20 years old back in 1989. I was a college student upstate New York @ the State University Of New York College at Oswego. I recall very vividly how the city looked back then. I’d say 3/4 of the city was like this. Not just Harlem. Glad to see things got better
Lol that doesn’t mean that nowadays is worse than back then. Back in those days crime was huge so don’t act like they were good times. Plus, you wouldn’t survive without your phone, don’t lie.
@@charlesrusso hell no you would be hearing people getting attacked, maybe you’ll be attacked yourself. So don’t act like those times are better. Plus you’ll be begging to use your phone. Ain’t trying to be rude, my apologies if I am.
Damn Charlie has run out of hoods to roll through in present times, and has stolen the infinity gauntlet to use the time stone in order to keep producing content
This is wild to look at. I lived in NYC in 1989 and it’s like I totally forgot Harlem used to look like this. I definitely avoided certain areas and stuck to more “established” areas of Harlem if I went there, but you still had to be careful. You go down the wrong block and you could find yourself in serious trouble.
Have you watched gringo. Movie about an heroin addict in nyc. It was meant to star Johnny thunders but his parts were cut in the end and they used mr spacelys scenes. Very sad really. They are both dead now.
Especially EXCELLENT for all us history lovers out there. This footage would help me with flashback scenes for a faith-based mystery-thriller on a peculiar dream I had in October of that same year this was shot.
By the grace of God, October 6, 1989 the day I got sober. 33 years of continious sobriety. Living in Hawaii with a paid off house. All of what I had comes from sobriety. Looking at Harlem, is a reminder where I don't want to be, mentally or physically. A lot of people I'm seeing are dead already.😮
@@Blubkeks100 no, I abused the privilege. I never drank socially, always drank to excess. Everything I have in life is directly tied to me getting sober.😀
I was born in Harlem, moved to Pennsylvania when I was 9. When I came back to visit NY was so different from what I remember as a kid and teen going back lol THIS is the ny I remember
"its like a Jungle sometimes it makes me wander how I keep from going under" Grandmaster flash and the furious 5 the message. Definitely the song for this video
I always understood the lyrics of "The Message" but until I watched this video I never realized how grimy their conditions were. "The Message" is the perfect summation of their times and situations.
My aunt moved from my south american country to Harlem with her husband in early 70's. One night, not so late he went for groceries and a gang robbed him and kicked him and told him to stay on the floor where they kept kicking him for one whole block and then he was dumped in a large dumpster where he spent a few hours hiding because he was too scared. Luckily for him, he didn't sustain any major injuries and being young and healthy played a big part. I guess being a white latino in the wrong part of town didn't pay off.
This is the Harlem i remember when i used to visit my auntie in the late 80's through the mid 90's my auntie still lives in Harlem in the same brownstone she bought with her late husband(my late uncle Juan)in 1970 she's now 75 years young still feisty as ever and she still won't move from Harlem even though she's been offered close to $2million for her brownstone she told me God forbid she passes away she's leaving the house to me and my sister
Yes! I am one of those 18 year olds who is 50 (actually 54) today. What makes me a bit upset about this is although it was rough, not all blocks looked like this. Mine didn't. It wasn't pristine either, but not like this video. Same for my Aunt's block, my scout leader's, my church and my school's block. Yes there were too many like these, but it was not the whole story by a long shot.
I'm from Brooklyn. I first went to Harlem in the summer of 1988. I was a little kid and was just shocked and amazed. I've still never seen anywhere as "LIT" as a hot summer night in 1980's Harlem. I'm glad I have those memories.
Coney Island here. I remember walking through Harlem and the Bronx and it looked like bombed out WWII Germany. No life or sense of hope. Gentrification has does wonders, but at what expense ?
@@ignaciopullum9891 expense? What harm has it caused when the alternative is known? Property, especially in high tax high regulation NYC is very expensive. No capital, no upkeep. If landlords can't make money, they burn the place like 1980's Harlem. Only other way to reduce rents is cut the absurd Property taxes but we both know that will never happen.
Washington Heights in 1988 was even worse and lit was an understatement, especially at night. Almost every street east of Broadway was filled with Jehri curl haired hicks with no socks selling cocaine and crack.
@@ignaciopullum9891 I've been in the Bronx for almost 30 years after living in Inwood for 18 years. Yes, a lot of the Bronx was burned out. But a lot of it wasn't, like where I live now. Gentrification has its good side and bad side. I don't worry about gentrifiers coming to my neighborhood. It's too far from "the city" (as they call it) and they wouldn't like the Italian/Albanian vibe in the neighborood. Which I'm good with.
Yeah I’ve noticed this too, I like the old look, they must have picked up on different light or something with the old way, I think digital cameras work quite a bit differently but I’m not entirely sure how
My cousin from Ohio went into real estate with two friends early 90's in Harlem. They bought burned out or run down buildings for almost nothing. Paid the property tax/insurance and just let them sit as is for about ten years, sold them off and made a damn fortune. Wish I had taken the gamble with them but I was too impatient.
@@driveruwsThese apartment buildings have to have been a once in a century investment; there are no global financial markets headquartered in Detroit.
yup that's part of the problem, real estate speculators buying properties and letting them sit dilapidated. it's a shame but i'm not gonna lie and say i wouldn't do that same if i could make money that way.
The drug crack did not do that to the city. This was happening across the U.S. because the rich educated affluent people left big dense cities and instead moved to the suburbs. It started in the 50’s and 60’s. The people not rich enough to move out inhabited dilapidated cities
@@Tommyr Everybody still has a real life to live, besides it is natural for civilizations to advance and better their technology. You must be a very pessimistic person to have that kind of mindset that people today don’t live “real lives” in fact I don’t think you have a “real life” yourself. Happy Mother’s Day you boomer !
Harlem, The South Bronx, Brownsville Brooklyn and the Lower East Side all looked like war zones in the 70's through the 80's.. As messed up as certain parts of the city was it was still magical in a lot of ways.
Because the children of Israel is the Salt of the earth despite the conditions.....Israelites were in these neighborhoods. We are in the hands of our enemies down bad.
@@ebiz2085 That's the reason people like you were in that building that fell and crush those people down in Miami over 100 people gone Mn Wmn and children and I wont feel sorry for you when you're demise come.
This was how it looked in my neighborhood growing up in pittsburgh at that time. When the steel industry went under, alot of people hit real hard times.
My aunt lived in Manhattan in the 1980s. I remember going with my parents to visit her a few times. All of NY was pretty bad. You'd pass by burnt out cars on Wall St. and police investigating a murder scene in the middle of the day a couple of blocks from the WTC. Central Park was pretty bad during the day. At night it was pretty much a no-go area.
*Locations for the 1989 footage* 0:00 - Crossing Frederick Douglas Blvd on W 148TH Street 1:45 - Crossing Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd on W 148th Street 3:45 - Cruising past W 146TH Street on Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd 4:30 - Pulling onto W 145TH Street from Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd 4:53 - Pulling out on to Bradhurst Avenue from W 147TH Street 5:26 - Turns back on to W 148TH Street (from the opposite end to where the video started) 6:24 - Time travels out of W 148TH Street and 31 years into the future crossing W 128th Street on St Nicholas Terrace If I made any mistakes cut me some slack, I'm a Londoner who's never actually been to New York lmao
What's wild is the fact that if you go back 60 years prior to the 1989 footage, the neighborhoods were nice, with everyone dressing sharp. Men wore business suits and hats ... women looked upscale with hats. It was beautiful. The community seemed strong in the 30s.
This is how I remember the city as a kid. It’s amazing how those buildings could be so beautiful if they weren’t so rundown and vacant that’s when they used to put a lot of time and effort into constructing buildings. Am I the only one that’s most intrigued by the old cars? You just don’t see those anymore
You dont see 'em anymore because they were gas guzzlers and were a boat to drive.. thats probably back when they still used metal body work instead of fiberglass
I also liked the cars. Cars nowadays are really so boring, looking apathetic, having no personality. Cars in the old days had some kind of "life" in them.
My Pakistani immigrant father opened up a chicken spot, Harlem Fried Chicken, on the corner of 145 and St. Nick/8th Avenue, across from Willie's Burgers in 85, under a burned down building. My mom and I would take the D train on the weekends and in the summer to help. I was 6, would hang out up front, mingle with the dope dealers, crack heads, gang bangers, everybody, no fear or care in the world, because these were the same people that were putting food on our plates. They appreciated that somebody opened and ran a business to serve their community, skin color be damned. Loved those summer nights, sick cars parked up front, music blasting, fried chicken passed around, people drinking, having a good time. Sunday mornings you would see everybody come in at lunch time dressed to the nines after church, giving us their blessings in exchange for food. During the holidays, the regulars would bring me gifts. Even in poor and dire times, people were better back then. My dad's spot is a PathMark now, couldn't compete with the Popeyes that opened across the street in the 90's. People with money moved in and didn't need the 3 dollar 2 piece dinners with a side, drink, biscuit and a sweet potato pie.
There’s so many people sharing these amazing stories, it’s 3:23 AM where I’m at but I just can’t help soaking up people’s stories from this comment section
@@cinemateaches7185 Потому что США дикий гле за всё платят как в средневековье, поэтому ехали туда что бы заработать. СССР как раз был цивилизованным обществом.
5:23 For you young folks here, that’s what we call a pay phone. This is a device that we had to insert quarters, nickels, or dimes into so we could communicate with each other when we were away from home.
As someone who had grown up in the second half of the 2000's I remember pay phones would be by bus stops, gas stations, and by the McDonald's along with those newspaper stands. Now they are just graffiti'd structures with no phone attached. They started to disappear in the 2010's
I lived in New York City in the summer of 1989 and this video is accurate. I worked with a friend who lived in Harlem with her mother and father and family and their rule was that nobody went out of their apartment after dark for any reason because there were gun shots in their neighborhood every night and it was too dangerous. It was the same way in the Bronx. The cops wouldn't even walk through my neighborhood in Hell's Kitchen during the day and you never saw them at night. They would only roll through in squad cars. There were always little amber-colored glass crack vials all over the sidewalk and they would crunch under my feet. Crack whores were turning tricks in vans parked along the streets and people were smoking crack in broad daylight around the Port Authority station. Many areas of the city looked like something out of a Mad Max movie. Things got a lot better under Mayor Giuliani because of his tough stance on crime but now Mayor De Blasio is taking the city back to the bad old days.
I've always believed that some police use working in a bad area as an excuse not to do their job or to the bare minimum ! If they do t like the work , resign , if they don't like the area they're assigned to transfer out it's simple
@@enriquegranados5179 Did the white people turn Harlem into the shithole it is in this video? No, they didn't. But, they did make it a decent place again. You're welcome.
It's funny how people look at the 80s with nostalgic affection. Yeah, it was generally a great time for me because I was a teenager in LA and loved the heavy metal scene on the Sunset Strip. But people forget that this was also the era of crack addiction, high crime and gang violence, drive by shootings and AIDS. Girls wore oversized flannels and baggy pants, and crunched their hair together with tons of hair spray. It itched when you tried to kiss them. Parents also lost their jobs and we lived off mac and cheese and top ramen. Good times. But I still miss those days.
