You're sweating. Just own up to it. It's all right, though, cause it's July and so is everyone else. Everyone, that is, but Jim Jones. The Byrdgang leader is too cool. So we asked him what gives him his 24-7 crispy kia shine in the hottest temps of the 212.
Interview by Chris Yuscavage
What's it like during the summer in New York City?
I always tell people that Harlem is my backyard and the city is my playground. You know, the city represents big business and when I say lemme chim-char wit you that means lemme holla at you, lemme talk about 1,2,1,2, that mean I'm talking bout big business. It's like one big roller coaster ride. I call it my playground because it's so many ups and downs. I tell people that's what the tall skyscrapers signify, that long way there, that you can't get to the top. And besides that, we set the trends. We set the precedence for everything that goes on in the world. We are still a capital to the whole world and people cannot fail to realize that, you dig? So everything that goes on in New York, give it two seconds and it'll be going on around the world. It's the mecca for, pretty much everything that goes on. For money, there's Wall Street. For music, cause all of these labels are here. For movies, cause it's such a delightful place to make movies. And to our ghettos, that's a part of New York City. You can't beat that, man. It's so much fun and it's so much innocence here aside from everything that people try to paint the nasty picture about, but the ghettos are one of the most funnest place to be inside. When it's the summer time, due to the tournaments, due to the cookouts. There's so much camaraderie because it's so hot outside and everybody's outside just trying to have a hell of a time. So, this one goes to the summer in New York man, cause I can't do without them. And I don't care what's going on in my life or where I'm at in the world, if I'm on a world tour, that I need at least two weeks of New York City for the summer or else I'm not gonna be able to be good for the whole year.
What do you think makes New York summer different from, say, Miami?
Miami is more tropical. You know, that nightlife is a little bit different from ours. You go there with a sense of vacation. With a sense of that whole tropical air. You thinking bout them margaritas, you thinking bout them parties with them exotic women. New York is just straight up nightlife. It's a hustler's dream. Like, you make a date in New York, you can make a date anywhere. So when you step outside in that nightlife and you go in the clubs and the people know who you are, that feeling is like no other feeling in the world. When I was younger that was all I wanted to do. I didn't really want to be famous, I just wanted all the famous people to know who I am, and, if you go out enough in New York, you can make that happen for yourself. You know?
What would you would recommend for people to do in New York in the summer?
I would recommend them to get up to Harlem and go to a Kingdome game on a Saturday when you got somebody like Bad Boy and Dipset playing. The crowd is about six, seven thousand people in the middle of the projects and the game is something like you never seen before. Just the feeling, you can smell the weed in the air, see people passing that champagne around, and just look at what a good time they're having. You know after that you top it off with whatever nightspot is poppin for New York, man. And that's the beauty about in New York in the summer time. This is the city that never sleeps and when the summer comes around, don't nobody go to sleep.
July 10, 2007 @ 6:07 pm
Summer in the City: Jim Jones
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Comments
1.
TheLegend says:
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I think that as a people, African American's should be pulling one another up, especially because of history with slavery and Jim Crow. But instead we as a people, put each other down, break each other down mentally and the worst of all, murder each other for no apparent reason. People like Jim Jones... What kind of integrity and standards is he setting for Black America. Absolutely None. According to the people from the Harlem community, he and his baby boys murdered 15 year-old Phoenix Garrett in cold blood. For what?? There is no justification or answers as to why Jim Jones, feels that he can do God's deeds and take away, a life and inflict pain upon the friends and family of phoenix. Now, What bothers me about this situation is that he is given positive spot light from the media, which likely inspires other young boys to go out there and kill their black brothers in cold blood. The jail system in this country is flooded with black men. We don't need for the ones that we have out on the streets to be shot and robbed of life just because. If we as a people don't take a stand against those who feel like they are untouchable and those who feel like they are entitled to to take a life away, then who will? The white man isn't, the less black people, the more the merrier. Though, this country was set up to mentally enslave and systematically eliminate black people, we as people are eliminating ourselves and giving the power to those who mean no good to us. The time for Justice is not later, The time for justice is now, the time for justice is always now. The rate of young black men gunning each other down will continue to rise. Something has to be done. I hope that if you read this posting that you pass the word on to your friends and encourage them, as well as yourself, to address this issue. This is not a one man fight, this is a black people fight. I also hope that those who have power in their communities, schools or the media will address the issues at hand and hopefully help people become aware, so that a change can be made. The clock is ticking, and as I sat here and typed this plea for justice for Phoenix Garrett and all the other young black men viciously gunned down in the streets, some family has just lost a member done to black on black crime. Secure a safe and bright future for your children and grandchildren. If you don't, who will? As long as we allow cold blooded murders like Jim Jones to walk the streets, he will only continue to murder other babies and cost unbearable pain to families. Help to bring him and murders just like him to justice before you experience the pain the family of Phoenix Garrett has. To read about the tragic murder of Phoenix Garrett, Google his name and see the pain that his family and friends has suffered. It's real and it could happen to you.
February 8, 2008 at 2:30 pm
2.
livestrong says:
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Young Phoenix Garrett did not deserve to die at the hands of cold blooded executioners, nor does he deserve to die in vain. If the Harlem Community will take a blind eye to his death, what would they not take a blind eye to? Apparently, a blind eye has been taken to Phoenix's demise. on a bright sunny day in the sweltering hot summer heat, with many people outside, Phoenix was gunned down with many eyes watching.
when I watch the news, I hear Al Sharpton protesting against police brutality and when a white man takes out a black man. Why is that every day a young black man in Brooklyn is being shoot to death..or in the Bronx young black boys are murdering one another. Or in Manhattan, blacks and Hispanics are killing each other off. The numbers for black on black on or on Hispanics are rising as is the number of black men in jail for those crimes.
Should we just sit back and allow this to go because of the race and a police isn't involved. This is a form of corruption and no corruption should ever be allowed. I must add that black people are making a history for themselves. A history that will leave all our little black boys and little girls DEAD. All because we have this sense of pride where we are afraid to speak out against those who tear our communities apart. Or simply, we just sit back and say its ok, because its just another brother dead and one more in jail. Let it be known that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought against injustice and fought help black people gain the right to vote, peacefully assemble and help make to make the lives of all Americans better, especially Black people. Don't forgot he preached for peace and solidarity. Also, you shouldn't forget that he was assassinated, so that people like myself can dream big and achieve those dreams. Because apparently, people have forgotten this man's dream, his the sacrifice of his life. Do not let this man's dream go deferred. Don't let Phoenix's murder be in vain, because as Dr. King once said "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." This quote says a lot in many different aspects. Think about!!
January 22, 2008 at 6:06 pm
3.
iceman1 says:
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As a resident of the Harlem community I am totally disgusted by the cold blooded and calculated murder of this young man. Jim Jones's hands are as dirty as a sanitation man picking up garbage. The Black community should be ashamed to allow our children to be murdered in the streets and stay silent. If, young Phoenix's killers were white the community would have been outraged. There would be riots in the streets, the black media would be outraged. But since Phoenix killers were black and hispanic and did not even live in the neighborhood business goes on as usual. The worse thing you can do to another human is to kill his children. Black people have become the greatest killers of our children. When you kill children you promate hatred and madness that can never be repaired. We have become the greatest oppressors of black people. We have become the the klu klux klan in black face. For a community to allow this piece of trash to continue to infect our community with his poison is unthinkable. Think of all the children being murdered in our community. Joseph Guillermo Jones "your government name". You are so sad an individual that you borrowed your name from Jim Jones of the people's temple who orchestrated the suicide of hundreds of people. You say your mother sold crack but somebody sent you the Cardinal Hayes HIGH SCHOOL which is private.
If the black media refuses the address this urban terrorist then maybe we should contact right wing radio. The white folks would love to talk about how blacks allow scum like Jones the kill our children, while a community stays silent. We are living in a time when a Black man truly has a chance to become President of these United States. How can white america expect him to lead when we can't even lead ourselves.
January 16, 2008 at 11:45 am
4.
quasi says:
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It's a shame in today's society that our youths have a role model such as Jim Jones to look up to.
What happened to us as a race of people? This thug is responsible for the death of Phoenix Garrett and still he is allowed to walk the streets encouraging his "NO SNITCHING" propaganda. He doesn't embody or personify any of the qualities or character that our predecessors fought and died for. He is a murderous, low-life, deviant who will one day have to answer for the sense-less murder of a 14 year old boy, who was shot dead in the streets of Harlem.
We, as a people, should boycott any music that Jim Jones is associate with just as we boycotted segregation in the South back in the 60's.
Jim Jones should not be allowed another day free
until he answers for this hideous crime of murder.
January 14, 2008 at 11:22 am
5.
justice says:
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Sadly Jim Jones has been bragging on SMACK DVDs about how he "had beef on 4-5th and had to gear up." This is an allusion to Young Garrett's tragic and unfortunate demise. I feel that black shouldn't be the only ones to stop buying Jim Jone's music. ALL people should stop buying Jim Jones' music and supporting his arrogance.
Yes, Jim Jones has the power and spot light to reinforce the positive aspects of the community. But he chooses to use the opportunity in a negative way and gives the media something else to paint black people as ignorant. Those who listen to Jim Jones, buy his music, and Glorify his devilish swag, are just as ignorant as he is. I say to those who buy the music and wanna be "ballinn" like Jim Jones, you are committing one of the worst crimes against yourself. That crime is, a lost of integrity, without your integrity, you are nothing and will never be nothing.
January 9, 2008 at 12:26 am
6.
NYEquire says:
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Hot lyrics aside, Jim Jones should have to answer for his involvment in the tragic and senseless death of Phoenix Garrett. Young Garrett's death is just another tragic example of when people like Jones has the power to make positive change use their abilities to only re-enforce the negative things in the community. The cowards who killed young Garrett were supposedly followers of Jones. He is probably going to make a song about Young Garrett's death.Black people, please stop supporting negative people like Jim Jones.
January 6, 2008 at 1:20 pm
7.
justice says:
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babiigirl19, I assure you, all that is being said about JIM JONES aren't rumors. babiigirl19, you said that his lyrics are hot, well if his lyrics are so hot, you would notice that in his lyrics he said he said that he gets little boys to do his shootings for him. That's no coincidence that 15 year-old Phoenix Garret was murdered on the streets of Harlem by one of Jim Jones' little boys. We must wake up and stop glorifying those rappers who kill our young black men and degrade women. Jim Jones has brought nothing but tragedy to the Harlem community. He has hurt gravely hurt the family and friends of Phoenix Garrett. A hurt that the entire community has witnessed and has suffered from. We need to educate our selves and realize that if we don't make a change, many more of our young brother', sisters and relatives will die violently and senselessly like Phoenix did. Phoenix didn't deserve what happened to him and neither did his family, but as long as the media and those who don't educate themselves glorify people like Jim Jones, sadly we will see many more fatal bloodshed and deaths of those like Phoenix Garrett's.
Please spread the word and call those people like Jim Jones to answer to what he has done to the Harlem community and to the family and Friends of Phoenix Garrett.
You can save a life, possibly your brother's life, if you educate yourself with the facts and get this gangster Jim Jones off the streets.
December 30, 2007 at 4:20 pm
8.
justice says:
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly..” An event carried in my neighborhood proves true to this quote and brings the substance of its meaning light. On June 16, 2005, an innocent 15-year-old, Phoenix Garrett was maliciously murdered on the corner of 144th street and Broadway in Harlem, New York City. What makes this incident troubling and extremely disturbing is that Phoenix’s death occurred during rush hour on a crowded intersection. Numerous people witnessed this tragedy and crime against Phoenix and our community. Ironically, about six people attacked Phoenix, however only one, a in jail is a 13- year-old-boy was detained. So far, due to the “NO SNITCHIN’” climate the 13-year-old has opted to take the rap for the older men involved in this gang attack. For the record, one of the older men involved in Phoenix’s death is the JIM JONES “CAPO” as he calls himself of the Diplomats rap group, commonly called DipSet. His involvement in this crime is an open secret in the community, yet he’s free to glamorize this crime and other criminal activities in his lyrics based on the NO SNITCHIN’ code. Why is JIM JONES is continuously praised and glorified in the media? The answer is the media is some how more interested ratings than integrity. The media has helped to continuously cast a blind eye to the treacherous actions of JIM JONES. This man still walking the streets with today’s children and tomorrow’s future. Sadly, they are all in danger. Children are tomorrow’s leaders, and it should stay that way. But, with the likes of Jim Jones and people like him roaming our streets, it is hard to say if our children would live to see tomorrow. Phoenix came from a decent family and showed this in every aspect of his life. Phoenix could have been the person find a cure for AIDS, or a great president of our country, or the next person to command the financial district. We will never know because he was senselessly grabbed from his family and our community on his way home from school.
As a young community member, I want to see justice for Phoenix and for our community. I want to see that our children will be safe when walking our streets. One day, I too will have children walking home from school. My worst fear is to have one of my children beaten, shot down, and murdered in cold blood like Phoenix Garrett. Our community was deeply saddened by Phoenix’s death because of the vicious nature of his of the crime and because we are a growing family- despite our diversity, Harlem is a growing family. While some of us were affected directly, others were affected indirectly. The others are the mother’s and fathers of our community who must worry about their babies not making it home from school, the store and other places. The pain and sorrow in the eyes of Phoenix’s parents and family members, is a pain no one else should have to bear. In our minds we live in constant fear of experiencing their pain and sorrow.
If we have justice at the end of this battle, we can hope to save Phoenix’s family and other families the pain and agony of losing a child to violence. With that being said, I am calling out for help. I know that change takes time and hard work to see this happen. Change is a long and auditious journey. But, I am willing to invest the time and hard work. I want to have a sense of hope for my generation and tomorrow’s generation. I want us to be able to walk our streets safely. One less criminal and murderer on our street, the less society has to worry about and the safer the streets will become. Help me to bring Jim Jones; help me to expose him for the real gang member that he truly is. Listen to his music and lyrics speak volumes. The death of Phoenix Garrett should not go unnoticed and unpunished because JIM JONES Ability to buy justice and the NO SNITCHIN’ code- as he states in one of his songs he can beat charges, he has Jewish lawyers. Than The time and work invested in making a change will last. The time and work invested in bringing about a change will help to preserve tomorrow’s future.
December 30, 2007 at 4:13 pm
9.
justice says:
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babiigirl19, I assure you, all that is being said about JIM JONES aren't rumors. babiigirl19, you said that his lyrics are hot, well if his lyrics are so hot, you would notice that in his lyrics he said he said that he gets little boys to do his shootings for him. That's no coincidence that 15 year-old Phoenix Garret was murdered on the streets of Harlem by one of Jim Jones' little boys. We must wake up and stop glorifying those rappers who kill our young black men and degrade women. Jim Jones has brought nothing but tragedy to the Harlem community. He has hurt gravely hurt the family and friends of Phoenix Garrett. A hurt that the entire community has witnessed and has suffered from. We need to educate our selves and realize that if we don't make a change, many more of our young brother', sisters and relatives will die violently and senselessly like Phoenix did. Phoenix didn't deserve what happened to him and neither did his family, but as long as the media and those who don't educate themselves glorify people like Jim Jones, sadly we will see many more fatal bloodshed and deaths of those like Phoenix Garrett's.
Please spread the word and call those people like Jim Jones to answer to what he has done to the Harlem community and to the family and Friends of Phoenix Garrett.
You can save a life, possibly your brother's life, if you educate yourself with the facts and get this gangster Jim Jones off the streets.
December 30, 2007 at 4:11 pm
10.
justice says:
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babiigirl19, I assure you, all that is being said about JIM JONES aren't rumors. babiigirl19, you said that his lyrics are hot, well if his lyrics are so hot, you would notice that in his lyrics he said he said that he gets little boys to do his shootings for him. That's no coincidence that 15 year-old Phoenix Garret was murdered on the streets of Harlem by one of Jim Jones' little boys. We must wake up and stop glorifying those rappers who kill our young black men and degrade women. Jim Jones has brought nothing but tragedy to the Harlem community. He has hurt gravely hurt the family and friends of Phoenix Garrett. A hurt that the entire community has witnessed and has suffered from. We need to educate our selves and realize that if we don't make a change, many more of our young brother', sisters and relatives will die violently and senselessly like Phoenix did. Phoenix didn't deserve what happened to him and neither did his family, but as long as the media and those who don't educate themselves glorify people like Jim Jones, sadly we will see many more fatal bloodshed and deaths of those like Phoenix Garrett's.
Please spread the word and call those people like Jim Jones to answer to what he has done to the Harlem community and to the family and Friends of Phoenix Garrett.
You can save a life, possibly your brother's life, if you educate yourself with the facts and get this gangster Jim Jones off the streets.
December 30, 2007 at 4:09 pm
11.
sexybitch1 says:
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There is no excuse for senseless violence, especially when it is used for self gradification. As a mother of three young black males, i am dissappointed that Jim Jones is being glorified by media, radio and television. Jim Jones is linked with brutal crimes associations with death of innocent youth. The death of Phoenix Garrett was a tragedy, a young black man was gun down in the streets of harlem as if his life was useless. Vibe Magazine and the media must address these social issues, especially the so called celebraties that appear on the front pages. People in the black community must wake up and realize that we are glorifying individuals who cause suffering and pain within our communities, moreover we are providing them with the leverage when we buy their music and allow our children to listen.
December 26, 2007 at 11:10 am
12.
babiigirl19 says:
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yo jim jones is that nigga on some real..he keep it real and hiz lyrics is hot..so rumors or no rumors he still dat dude
November 26, 2007 at 1:32 pm
13.
Jeanine says:
JIM JONES IS A CHILD KILLER...HE IS DENOUNCING THAT HE HAD INVOLVEMENT IN THE MURDER OF 15 YEAR PHOENIX GARRETT. HE SAYS THAT IT IS A RUMOR...IT IS NO RUMOR IT IS THE ENTIRE TRUTH. THERE WERE STREET CAMERAS AND PLENTY OF EYE WITNESSES THAT CAN CONFIRM HIS INVOLVEMENT. HE IS TRYING TO BE A ROLE MODEL FOR CHILDREN AND INSPIRE THEM BY HOLDING A POETRY CONTEST. IT'S ALL A FRONT TO COVER HIS TRACKS, HE DOESNT CARE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN OR THE COMMUNITY. ALL HE WANTS TO DO IS KILL OUR BABIES.
August 1, 2007 at 7:32 pm
14.
TRUE HARLEMITE says:
Yeah your are right Harlem is your back yard...You come here fr New Jersey, where you live. sell drugs in our projects, buy illegal guns on the streets, get into in fights with eveyone and have teenagers follow you around as your body guards and fighters. When you and your posse murdered 15 year old Phoenix Garret , a stranger to you and an innocent child on his way home from school, was the beating he got and five shots that ripped through his body, was that play and were you staying cool??
VIBE MAGAZINE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF INTERVIEWING YOU...YOU DO NOT REPRESENT THE HONESTY AND DIGNITY THAT YOU TRY SOO VERY HARD TO PORTRAY.
WHENEVER PEOPLE HERE YOUR NAME IN HARLEM, THEY NEXT SENTENCE FROM THEIR MOUTH IS HE KILLED PHOENIX GARRET AND INNOCENT 15 YEAR OLD. GROWN MAN AND KID KILLER YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED...REMEMBER, YOU TOO HAVE A SON, AND WHAT YOU DDON'T WANT DONE TO YOURS, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE TO SOMEONE ELSES.
July 15, 2007 at 10:01 am
15.
iceman says:
Harlem may be your playground but the people in the hood know you for the spineless punk you are. You help kill a child on 144th st. and broadway on june 16th 2005. Harlem will be a better place when you go to jail.
July 15, 2007 at 9:14 am
16.
B~Starr says:
uummm, what in the world? pls dont interview him again. Ok? "lemme chim-char wit you that means lemme holla at you, lemme talk about 1,2,1,2, that mean I'm talking bout big business." what that have 2 do w/ the question at hand? dont do again. there are too many other inteligent rappers out there.
July 14, 2007 at 8:18 am
17.
dwayne says:
f**k the nigga that think this a good story stupid ass story i think this will be the only comment in this storu
July 12, 2007 at 4:42 pm