After receiving backlash from Hip Hop purists and local residents, landlord Samuel Berkowitz has decided to keep the two-story Biggie mural painted on the side of a building on Bedford Avenue and Quincy Street in Brooklyn. One of the artists responsible for the giant tribute, Naoufal “Rocko” Alaoui, spoke to Berkowitz, who admitted he didn’t realize how much Biggie meant to the New York City borough.
“To be honest, he just didn’t know how important Biggie is to Brooklyn,” Alaoui told DNAInfo. “He’s not a bad guy. A lot of people offered to help financially, but he said he don’t need the money, just the respect of his neighbors.”
After the initial story broke, supporters wrote petitions calling for it to be landmarked. Both artists who created the mural, Alaoui and Scott “Zimer” Zimmerman, were inundated with phone calls from people who wanted to help. The Brooklyn Nets also offered their love and support on Sunday (May 21), Biggie’s 45th birthday. Evidently, it worked.
Check out the post below.
(The original article was published May 19 and can be found below.)
The late Notorious B.I.G.’s presence has loomed large for the past two years as part of a mural painted in his likeness, which is prominently displayed on the side of a Brooklyn building on Bedford Avenue and Quincy Street.
The mural, created by Naoufal “Rocko” Alaoui and Scott “Zimer” Zimmerman, will likely be destroyed in the near future, according to DNAInfo. The building’s landlord, Samuel Berkowitz, has renovations planned that require the mural to come down.
Berkowitz seemed to brush off any criticism he’s received so far.
“Let me rephrase the question — why should I keep it?” Berkowitz told DNAInfo. “I don’t even see the point of the discussion. I could demolish the building if I wanted to. I don’t need no permission from anyone except the DOB.”
In an Instagram post uploaded earlier this week, an art collective affiliated with Rocko and Zimer revealed that Berkowitz requested $1,250 a month from them in order to keep the mural up, but they said it’s not something the organization can afford.
“About 4 months ago, he told us about the construction he will be doing which will damage the mural in the process,” Spread ART NYC wrote. “He will be opening Windows on the wall to increase rent profit by $500 according to them. Today Spread Art NYC offered $5000 (which we planned to gather from the community and the fans) not to open the windows. Unfortunately, that offer was declined and it was answered by a counteroffer of $1250 a month. At this point, there is nothing Spread Art NYC can do to save this mural.”
The decision serves as another example of the changing face of New York City’s most populous borough.
In 2013, Biggie’s childhood home, an apartment in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn (formerly Bed-Stuy), was being sold on the market for a staggering $725,000.
That’s gentrification for you. Fuck these greedy, arrogant landlords.
ANGRY LEGITIMATE PROPERY OWNING LANDLORDS WHO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY FUCK HIP HOP!!!! WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!!!! YOU FUCKING CLOWN!!!!
LOL!!! The correct spelling is PROPERTY sir.
BUT YOU’RE STILL A FUCKING CLOWN THO!!!! THE INTERNET IS NOT THE REAL WORLD!!!! DON’T WORRY, IT’LL SLAP THE SHIT OUT YOU EVENTUALLY!!!!
Hate to say it, but the owner’s in the right. Nowhere does it say that he agreed for them to paint Biggie on his property, they just did it. And he owns the rights to the building so it’s perfectly legal for him to do it. I don’t like that he’s destroying it, but it is what it is. Next time the artists should just strike a deal with somebody if they want to make sure their art doesn’t get destroyed
I agree all the way.
Mural is eh, there’s incredible biggie murals around. Done by some guy from Australia. He had one in back of 5 points. This is eh. Step up from the one in Bushwick collective but at best eh
CALLING OUT ALL YOU ” BALLERZ” WHO SPEND MONEY ON FRIVOLOUS BULLSHIT!!!!
Berkowitz? as in “Son of Sam” killer Berkowitz? that’s crazy this guy must be related to the killer
UUhhh… How is that the King of NY? That’s Biggie not King HOV. Also, Spread ART NYC must be the NAS of art world if they can’t afford $1250 a month.
Sit down, young’n. Take this L
Ask Russell Simmons, If HOV is always biggin up his brother he should buy the bldg. or foot the bill…
Will Game poney up the money, since he is willing to spend 2000$ on the ugly Lonzo ball shoes. Or any of the other stupid celebrities buying that ugly ish for the “culture”. Well now is a time to invest in the culture cough couch where you at Charlamagne
Sounds like he just wants to remove because too many black people show up. “why should I keep it?” Instead of “this mural is attracting too many fights, stabbings, robberies and shootings” Catch my drfit? Obviously its iconic. If it was Sammy Davis Jr. it would be a problem
Wait…you got “too many black people show up” out of “why should i keep it?”
Comments like this is why this website is cancer
Naw why vandarlize someones building? why? get permission firts. Explain to me. Hit me up @DjfTheRetard
haha, all the old head 90s hip hop fans are crying their eyes out right now. like yachty said, biggie’s overrated.
It’s clear that you’re trying, but why try and start bullshit? It’s clear you don’t believe this.
Not sure why the outrage . . . Puffy, and now Faith, has been destroying his legacy for years
Exactly lol
It’s a damn mural, and not an original one at that. Hire someone to paint a new one, end of story. Spend the money on permissions, and paint. If I owned that building, and puff, faith or BIGs momma was not paying me considering growth for investment in that area, then damn, chill the fuck out.
Hell, if Puff cared, why doesn’t he buy the fucking building himself.
I’ve just tweeted Jay and Puff about this.
Where is jay-z and puff daddy?
Tell puff to buy the building
For Real!!!!!
damn it!
WHOOP DEE FUCKING WOO!!!! MEANWHILE THERE’S REAL SHIT GOING ON WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY!!!! SAD THIS WILL BE SEEN AS A MAJOR VICTORY FOR ALOT OF BLACKS!!!! LOL!!!! AFTER ALL IT’S JUST A PAINTING ON A BUILDING!!!! SMH!!!!
How you on a Hip Hop dissing Hip Hop?
NOT DISSING HIP HOP YOU MORON!!!! I’M DISSING BLACKS WHO HAVE THEIR PRIORITIES FUCKED UP!!!! A PAINTING OF A RAPPER ON A BUILDING SHOULD HAVE ZERO BEARING ON YOUR LIFE!!!! WHETHER THE PAINTING IS THERE OR REMOVED!!!!
unless people are kicking in money for the upkeep of that building where the mural is on, they shouldn’t have an opinion on what that man does with HIS property. I love Biggie just as much as the next man but if someone wanted to keep the mural up than they should pay for the upkeep. that’s all I’m saying.