GANGFEST
I crossed in the spring semester of 2004 (Shout out to all my Sands…). Since then I haven’t missed Greek Fest, whether it was Jones Beach or Hempstead Turnpike. When I first went as a Neo, I ran into a few Sigma’s, a few AKA’s and there were like four Delta’s. Total, there were about twenty Greeks there. TWENTY! At a Greek Fest? Isn’t there something wrong with this picture? Well it did rain my first time there, so let’s blame 2004 on the weather. Sun was out and shining in 2005 but I don’t think there were more than thirty Greeks at that one. I believe 2006 is when they moved it outside of Jones Beach and brought it to the ‘hood. Wow. Does that even make sense? Well—let’s not prejudge I thought; so I went. A couple of my conversations went like this:
“Oh what’s up Frat? What chapter you from?”
“Frat? You mean that Alpha Beta Beta shit?”
“Oh you not a Nupe? My bad, the red tee threw me off…”
“Unless Nupe mean Blood in Swahili, this is BLOOD, NIGGA!”
I bounced. I figured I’m a loooooooong way from Brooklyn. He could possibly make it real hard for me to get back to the Belt. I let it ride. I headed toward the stage in 2007 where I did, however, see some familiar faces. I ran into Ralph, my neo and Rico, a Sigma from my yard. I looked over Rico’s shoulder and saw some more Blue. I know Blu-n-White roll kind of deep so I went on over. Saw Krystal and Julie—two Zetas from my yard—and figured it was all good. But since when did Sigma’s wear blue bead-like necklaces and bandanas around the neck? I mean, I had seen Karl with it a few times but the one he wears has Phi Beta Sigma written on it. That’s Para. This wasn’t Para. Those are flags.
I ain’t even gonna front, I saw Suede from afar and he threw up my Frat signal, the Yo. I just gave him a head nod like, “What’s good Frat?” Shit, I wasn’t throwing up my Yo for it to be mistaken as a Blood sign… shit, those two are too close. Walking over, I noticed my Frat was the only team of Steppers. It’s kind of weird because there were several Hip-Hop acts, C-Walkers, B-Hoppers, singers, guns, weed, alcohol… You name it, it was in the building. Well, not the Greeks of course. I don’t know about you but I want to see a change. Who is going to bring Greek back to Summer New York? Compared to Philly’s Greek Fest—which seems to be spiraling as well—we ain’t shit. Am I the only one mad?
-Paul Johnson Jr.
