The Rock Steady Crew Denied Permits For Annual Event
Published: Thursday - July 8, 2004
Words by Jay Casteel
The Rock Steady Crew (Photo: City Hall Records)
Legendary b-boy crew, Rock Steady Crew, is having major problems in the preparation of their annual outdoor event. City officials denied requests for permits for the event, which usually draws thousands of fans.
The breakdancing crew claims that negative perception of hip-hop played a major role in being denied required permits to hold the event. But, city officials deny the claims, citing lack of infrastructure at that venue to deal with large crowds.
The Rock Steady Crew's attorney, Owen Lamb, said he thought the group had been unfairly tarred by the notoriety attached to others in hip-hop.
"They assumed one thing because they heard 'hip-hop,'" Lamb told the Associated Press last week.
According to founding member of the crew, Richard "Crazy Legs" Colon, they have held the four-day event for over a decade with no security problems.
Crazy Legs hoped to hold this year's event at McCombs Dam Park in the Bronx, but thus far has been denied. He has already arranged to switch locations to Military Park, in Newark, N.J.
New York City Park's Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh denied that hip-hop was the reason for the denial and states that the problem was if McCombs Dam Park was useable for this type of event.
"There's no infrastructure, there's no bathrooms, there's very little water service," explained Kavanagh. "I don't think there was any concern about the promoters of the event itself. There just seemed to be legitimate concerns about managing the flow of people."
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