BROOKLYN BABY

Words and Images by Philip Shung

Roy Ayers said it best in his 1972 classic song, “We Live in Brooklyn, Baby.’’ The culture and essence of Brooklyn are in its people. Brooklyn has evolved tremendously since my years growing up in the 80’s in Bed Stuy "Do or Die.'' It was a time of Big Wheels, flipping on discarded mattresses (pre-bed bugs), slap boxing, Hot Peas n’ Butter, and nobody who grew up in the 80’s can forget the random packs of angry stray dogs. Wtf was that about?

This was a time where survival of the fittest applied to old and young. Whether you walked a few blocks too far past your own neighborhood and found yourself in foreign territory or simply got caught slippin’ and ended up hearing the proverbial stick up kid mantra “you know what time it is,'' Brooklyn was a sort of boot camp for life in the real world – beyond our small neighborhoods. In my book, "We Live in Brooklyn" (the title was inspired by Roy's song), you will see #beautifulpeople from the neighborhoods of Bushwick, Williamsburg, Dumbo, Bedford Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Crown Heights, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Prospect Park, and Park Slope, to name a few.

Gentrification has been a hot topic in NYC and has become a major factor in the shrinking Black populace in Brooklyn. My book explores their thoughts and experiences in and about BK, along with the historical and current conditions that leave many black families without homes. Ownership and generational wealth are things that many families in inner cities across America simply do not have access to as a result of systemic racism and a host of other insurmountable hurdles. So through portraiture and street photography, I celebrate the beauty that I see in my borough.

Working professionally as a designer/creative director for the past two decades, I saw a void when it came to Black and brown faces in print publications and often in media as a whole. In print and online, I have always been inspired whenever I see reflections of myself and my people. This holds true outside of media as well.

In Brooklyn and beyond, Black culture is often celebrated through large cultural gatherings like AFROPUNK, an annual music festival centered around style, self-expression, and individualism; or DanceAfrica, a celebration of African identity in the heart of Fort Greene. I have used these and a few other outdoor events as an opportunity to capture the people of Brooklyn.

Whether Fort Greene’s Soul Summit outdoor dance party, Curlfest in Prospect Park, a celebration of natural beauty, or simply walking through the streets of Bed Stuy, I have taken these opportunities to memorialize our #BlackBrilliance. As a people, we shine bright and hopefully. Through the images captured in my book, you will see some of the beauty that I see on a daily basis just walking through New York’s best borough.