Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5 - New York, NY
Uploaded by iameternal. - Watch more music videos, in HD!
"New York New York, big city of dreams
And everything in New York ain't always what it seems
You might get fooled if you come from out of town
But I'm down by law and I know my way around
Too much, too many people, too much (aha-ha)
Too much, too many people, too much, Raaah!"
Ah, the classic sounds of old school Hip Hop, there is nothing like it! This classic verse is provided by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (1) for the city that they love New York. As this gem was released in 1983, you would figure that by the arrival of the 21st Century times would be better but alas this is further from the truth. A New York Times article (2) reported that more than half of low-wage workers are cheated of fair pay. Jobs such as deliverymen, grocery baggers, and health care aides are grossly underpaid for weekly salaries and even overtime pay. Communities that have a larger base of minorities and immigrants that live in the city are affected. New York Department of Labor is aware of the ill business practices of employers in the low-wage industries and they are planning “aggressive” approach to correct such action.
There are several theories from Marx are in play here. From the determination of wages to give just enough to survive and be dependent to the owner, surplus value to increase profits for the employer plus the competition among the owners who are utilizing the divisions of labor to depreciate the wages to take advantage of the poor.
These issues have been going on since the introduction of money was used for trade. Business people will always find a way to cheat the common man so they can increase profits for themselves. People need to fight for their rights so their voices are heard by either voting, the Internet via message boards/blogging or take to airwaves by putting out a song. Nothing will be changed unless everyone acts.
1."New York, New York" Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - Greatest Message's 1983 Sugar Hill/MCA Records
2. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/patrick-mcgeehan-wage-post/
