I will never forget the first time I ever went to Fat Beats in NYC, where I picked up an Arsonists mixtape and the 12-inch of De La Soul's "Keepin' the Faith". I have many memories of that store, from meeting such local greats as Percee P and Creature selling their CDs outside the store to running into Q-Tip shopping for vinyl to watching Stretch Armstrong spin a set on a random Saturday afternoon in the late 90s. Walking up that flight of steps opened up a world to me that I know many of my friends and fellow fans of hip-hop know all too well. It was a pilgrimage to head up to that store when I was at SUNY New Paltz, and a regular spot on my record shopping circuit when I lived on Long Island. The legendary shop on the Avenue of the Americas is shutting its doors today, thus closing a chapter of East Coast hip-hop history that will NEVER be replaced. RIP to a true mecca of NYC.
If you are reading this and feel inspired to share your favorite Fat Beats story with IRT, please do so in the comments. Thank you. -Ed.
Shopping at Fat Beats:
Jean Grae and Talib Kweli performing live at Fat Beats:
Homeboy Sandman performing "Angels with Dirty Faces" at Fat Beats:
No comments:
Post a Comment