December 28, 1991. A celebrity charity basketball game at City College in New York ends in a crowd crush at the bottom of a gymnasium staircase. Nine young people are killed, nearly 30 injured.
From the Geraldo Rivera Show vault, this is the full 'Rap on Rap' town hall taped in the aftermath. Geraldo brings together three grieving families - Mr. Nelson, father of 17-year-old Leonard Nelson, Christina Brown, mother of 28-year-old Darren Brown, and Mrs. Dargan, mother of 24-year-old Yul Dargan - with the rap stars on the bill that night, Doug E. Fresh, Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew, Sister Souljah and Young MC, plus rap promoter Van Silk, security expert Jim Garfield of Tite Security, and victims attorney Mark Maness.
The first half is grief and eyewitness account. Christina Brown describes losing her only child and learning his body was robbed. Doug E. Fresh, who was there for the AIDS benefit but not performing, describes grabbing the mic to call for ambulances and CPR. The Dargan family says Yul came for basketball, not rap.The second half is blame and solutions. Luther Campbell argues media bias blows rap violence out of proportion compared to rock concerts and defends provocative lyrics as entertainment. Sister Souljah defends her lyrics as truth about racism in America and links low self-esteem and poverty to crowd behavior.
Young MC argues for parental responsibility over music censorship. Van Silk explains why pent-up demand and no large venues for rap made disaster predictable. Garfield lays out the industry standard the show returns to again and again - one guard for every 30 patrons vs. an estimated 200 to 300 to 1 at City College - plus inward-opening doors, slow police and paramedic response, and college liability.
A raw early-90s time capsule on concert safety and crowd crush prevention, 90s hip-hop and media coverage of rap, race and policing in New York, and parental grief.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro: The Night 9 Died at City College
00:51 Meet the Families and the Rap Stars
01:52 A Father's Anger: Mr. Nelson on Promoters, College, Police
03:54 A Mother's Loss: Christina Brown on Darren Brown
06:02 Doug E. Fresh: Give Me the Mic
08:57 The Dargan Family: Yul Came for Basketball
11:09 Luther Campbell: Is Rap Being Blamed?
12:47 Sister Souljah: Lyrics, Racism and Responsibility
16:52 Young MC: Parents, Not Music
19:09 Afraid to Go: Audience and Terrence Newell
21:08 Promoter Van Silk: Why This Was Predictable
26:10 1 Guard Per 30 Fans? Security Expert Jim Garfield
29:35 Who Secures the Show? Police and Promoters
31:23 Doors, Response Time and Liability
33:12 Attorney Mark Maness: The Civil Cases
35:02 Closing: Self-Control, Self-Respect and Sympathy
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For more than 50 years, Geraldo Rivera has covered the stories that divide and define us. This upload is part of the Geraldo Rivera vault restoration - uncut classic broadcasts remastered from the original tapes.
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1991 City College Crush: 9 Dead at Charity Rap Game, Families Confront Stars, Geraldo Rivera
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