Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Video: Meet "Notorious PhD", The Professor Who Raps About Gentrification
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 25, 2011
Modified Aug 25, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 25, 2011
Modified Aug 25, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
We already know that the onslaught of gentrification has swept through Manhattan and pillaged Brooklyn of its soul, from Bed-Stuy to ProCro. But one "funky fresh" rapping Professor is warning that the Bronx may be next. "The Bronx is the last refuge for working-class, immigrant New York. I don't want to walk through the Bronx and see Park Slope," said Professor Mark Naison, who has lived in Park Slope since 1976.
Professor Naison, who teaches at Fordham University, has taken to rapping under the moniker "Notorious PhD." He found that if he did a little rapping, students were more receptive to what he had to say about rent prices and Bronx history. He believes the signs of gentrification are already apparent around Yankee Stadium, and points to a housing complex with hundreds of market-rate rental units planned for West Farms Road along the Sheridan Expressway. In "Not in the Bronx," he raps: "Without immigrants and workers / It's a rich man's town / The Bronx is our home / Let's keep the rents down." Hmm...who does THAT sound like?
Naison will perform "Not in the Bronx" Thursday at the Urban Plunge, an annual community service event just for Fordham freshmen. Below, check out "Not in the Bronx," as well as a rap about trickle-down economics. And while you watch, you can consider whether we are currently in a golden age of rapping old white guys.
Update: As commenter Sarah pointed out, Naison was once featured on Chapelle's Show for the skit/game show, "I Know Black People." Check out a clip, as well as a screenshot, of him below:
Chappelles ShowI Know Black People Pt. 1www.comedycentral.com
Buy Chappelle's Show DVDsBlack ComedyTrue Hollywood Story
Tagged
bronx
fordham
gentrification
notorious phd
park slope
rap
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .