Grammy-nominated artist pens novel
encompassing jazz-hip-hop folklore
BY JASON COHEN
A Bronx native, who
has spent his life in the
arts and music, recently
wrote a book about the
jazz-hip-hop folklore
that originated in the
borough.
In February, Grammy
nominated, artist
Mwalim released
his fi rst novel ‘Land of
the Black Squirrels, A
Bronx Boheme Novel.’
It is part of a series of
four novels, which is
written in a jazz-poetry
style and tells the story
of the underground music
scene in the Bronx
and NYC during the 70s,
80s and 90s.
“This book is a way
to remember New York
from the 80s and 90s,”
Mwalim said.
The book begins in
1969, when Black squirrels
began to appear in
the Bronx. Obatunde
Bey a jazz musician and
painter leaves his desk
job at the NYC Parks
Department to open
an arts academy in his
northeast Bronx neighborhood,
Available Household Size2
BRONX TIMES R 18 EPORTER, MARCH 20-26, 2020 BTR
‘The Valley.’
Afterwards, his home
and neighborhood became
one of the centers
for hip-hop and jazz.
Mwalim ‘DaPhunkee
Professor’ (Morgan
James Peters) is a
multi-award-winning
performer, writer and
educator whose works
span the mediums of
Mwalim, who recently wrote his fi rst novel,Land of the Black
Squirrels, A Bronx Boheme Novel. Photo Courtesy Russ Price
spoken-word, literature,
music, theater and fi lm.
Mwalim, 51, was born
and raised in Co-op
City in a family of musicians.
His grandfather
Allan Nurse played piano,
his mother Shirley
Nurse Peters was an opera
singer and Mwalim
plays piano.
The Massachusetts
resident lived in the
Bronx until 1986, came
back in 1999 and has
been in New England
since 2003 as a professor
at UMass Dartmouth.
He explained that his
upbringing and culture
had a profound impact
on his life.
“Growing up hip hop
was coming about,” he
said. “The 70s and 80s
were a golden period for
the arts.”
Some of his favorite
musicians as a kid were
Duke Ellington, Thelonious
Monk, James
Brown, Wilson Pickett,
Kenny Kirkwood and
Marcus Miller.
However, writing
has also been a passion
of his. In middle school
he won awards for writing
and in college, he
began his career as a
storyteller and spokenword
artist. In 2003, he
published ‘The Bronx
Boheme’ as a long-form
storytelling piece.
But about a year
ago he felt compelled
to tell the story of jazz
and hip-hop in the borough.
While the book
is fi ctional, it is based
on people in the music
scene that he was
around.
During that time underground
clubs dominated
the music scene.
Mwalim performed in
many of these places
and witnessed the rise
of jazz and hip-hop fi rsthand.
Whether it was
the Bronx, Lower East
Side or Harlem, these
places were everywhere.
“The underground
scene was raw and creative
energy,” Mwalim
said. “People weren’t
worried about genres
and format. A lot of rap
groups came out of the
underground scene.”
He told the Bronx
Times a lot of people
have read the book and
told him how nostalgic
it is.
“It’s the memory of
that crumby apartment
you had when you fi rst
got out of college,” he
said. “Read the book
and most likely if they
don’t fi nd themselves,
they will at least fi nd
people they know.”
Affordable Housing for Rent
Convivium Apartments
35 NEWLY CONSTRUCTED UNITS AT 515 East 86th Street, New York, NY 10028
Upper East Side
Amenities: Laundry center*, childrensʼ playroom*, media lounge*, pet spa*, lobby lounge, ground floor lounge,
outside terrace with grilling stations*, ground floor office carrels*, reading room/co-working space*, dog run*, roof
terrace*, central landscaped interior courtyard*, bike storage*, individual storage facilities*, fitness center*, yoga
studio*, Spectrum-managed WiFi & cable TV* (*additional fees apply)
Transit: Trains: 4, 5, 6, Q; Buses: M31, M15
No application fee • No brokerʼs fee • Smoke-free building
This building is being constructed through the Inclusionary Housing Program and is anticipated to receive a tax exemption through the
421a tax incentive program of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Who Should
Apply?
Individuals or households who meet the income and
household size requirements listed in the table below
may apply. Qualified applicants will be required to
meet additional selection criteria. Applicants who live
in New York City receive a general preference for
apartments.
A percentage of units is set aside for:
o Mobility–disabled applicants (5%)
o Vision/Hearing–disabled applicants (2%).
Preference for a percentage of units goes to:
o Residents of Manhattan Community Board 8 (50%)
o Municipal employees (5%)
AVAILABLE UNITS AND INCOME REQUIREMENTS
Unit Size
40% AREA
MEDIAN INCOME
(AMI) UNITS
Monthly Rent1 Units
Annual Household Income3
Minimum – Maximum4
Studio $747 14
1 person $ 25,612 - $ 29,880
2 people $ 25,612 - $ 34,160
Studio
60% AREA MEDIAN INCOME (AMI)
UNITS
$1,002 1
1 person $ 34,355 - $ 44,820
2 people $ 34,355 - $ 51,240
Studio $1,120 7
1 person $ 38,400 - $ 44,820
2 people $ 38,400 - $ 51,240
1 bedroom $1,074 1
1 person $ 36,823 - $ 44,820
2 people $ 36,823 - $ 51,240
3 people $ 36,823 - $ 57,660
1 bedroom $1,200 5
1 person $ 41,143 - $ 44,820
2 people $ 41,143 - $ 51,240
3 people $ 41,143 - $ 57,660
2 bedroom
80% AREA
MEDIAN
INCOME (AMI)
UNITS
$1,718 3
2 people $ 58,903 - $ 68,320
3 people $ 58,903 - $ 76,880
4 people $ 58,903 - $ 85,360
5 people $ 58,903 - $ 92,240
2 bedroom
130% AREA
MEDIAN
INCOME
(AMI) UNITS
$3,123 4
2 people $ 107,075 - $ 111,020
3 people $ 107,075 - $ 124,930
4 people $ 107,075 - $ 138,710
5 people $ 107,075 - $ 149,890
1 Landlord is responsible for all utilities.
2 Household size includes everyone who will live with you, including parents and children. Subject to occupancy criteria.
3 Household earnings includes salary, hourly wages, tips, Social Security, child support, and other income. Income guidelines subject to change.
4 Minimum income listed may not apply to applicants with Section 8 or other qualifying rental subsidies. Asset limits also apply.
How Do You Apply?
Apply online or through mail. To apply online, please go to nyc.gov/housingconnect. To request an application by mail, send a self-addressed envelope to:
CONVIVIUM APARTMENTS c/o 253 West 35th St., 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001. Only send one application per development. Do not submit duplicate
applications. Do not apply online and also send in a paper application. Applicants who submit more than one application may be disqualified.
When is the Deadline?
Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than May 18, 2020. Late applications will not be considered.
What Happens After You Submit an Application?
After the deadline, applications are selected for review through a lottery process. If yours is selected and you appear to qualify, you will be invited to an
appointment of eligibility to continue the process of determining your eligibility. Appointments are usually scheduled from 2 to 10 months after the application
deadline. You will be asked to bring documents that verify your household size, identity of members of your household, and your household income.
Español Presente una solicitud en línea en nyc.gov/housingconnect. Para recibir una traducción de español de este anuncio y la solicitud impresa,
envíe un sobre con la dirección a: CONVIVIUM APARTMENTS c/o 253 West 35th St., 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001. En el reverso del
sobre, escriba en inglés la palabra “SPANISH.” Las solicitudes se deben enviar en línea o con sello postal antes de 18 de mayo 2020.
nyc.gov/housingconnect : CONVIVIUM APARTMENTS
c/o 253 West 35th St.,3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001. “CHINESE”
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