Ghetto Brothers
Encyclopedia
The Ghetto Brothers were a gang
(or club) and music group
founded in New York City
's South Bronx in the late 1960s. The gang eventually spread to much of the Northeastern United States. Like the Young Lords
, they were involved in Puerto Rican
nationalism, including, in the case of the Ghetto Brothers, an association with the then-new Puerto Rican Socialist Party
.
Ghetto Brothers founder Benjamin Melendez
, who left the organization in 1976, was also known as a guitar
ist. He led a band, also known as the Ghetto Brothers, which included his late brother Victor Melendez on bass
. They released one album Ghetto Brothers - Power-Fuerza in 1971, which had only informal, local distribution. It has since been re-released on CD.
The Ghetto Brothers, especially in their early years, had a reputation as one of the more politically minded and less vengeful of New York-area gangs. After Cornell "Black Benjy" Benjamin was killed in 1971 trying to prevent a fight between two rival gangs, the Ghetto Brothers did not seek the expected revenge on those responsible for his death. Instead, under Melendez's leadership (and that of Carlos Antonio Suarez, also known as Carlos Melendez), they were instrumental in achieving a moderately successful truce among South Bronx and other New York-area gangs at the Hoe Avenue peace meeting
which occurred December 8, 1971. Among those present was Afrika Bambaataa
, then a 14-year-old Black Spade warlord known on the streets as Bambaataa.
Under Melendez's leadership, the Ghetto Brothers represented one end of the spectrum in terms of how they treated the women involved with the gang. Referred to as the Ghetto Sisters—the respectful term contrasted sharply with the names used for the women attached to other New York gangs of the period—the women were generally viewed as organization members and as girlfriends, whereas many other gangs treated women almost entirely as sexual property.
Former Hartford, Connecticut
mayor and convicted extortion
ist, Eddie Perez
was a member of the Ghetto Brothers when young. New York Daily News columnist Robert Dominguez was the leader of a Ghetto Brothers division in the Bronx when he was a teen.
Recorded at Fintone Studio. Produced by Bobby Marin.
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
(or club) and music group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
founded in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's South Bronx in the late 1960s. The gang eventually spread to much of the Northeastern United States. Like the Young Lords
Young Lords
The Young Lords, later Young Lords Organization and in New York , Young Lords Party, was a Puerto Rican nationalist group in several United States cities, notably New York City and Chicago.-Founding:...
, they were involved in Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
nationalism, including, in the case of the Ghetto Brothers, an association with the then-new Puerto Rican Socialist Party
Puerto Rican Socialist Party
The Puerto Rican Socialist Party was a Marxist and pro-independence political party in Puerto Rico seeking the end of United States of America control on the Hispanic and Caribbean island...
.
Ghetto Brothers founder Benjamin Melendez
Benjamin Melendez
Benjamin Melendez is best known for brokering the gang truce in the Bronx and Harlem in 1971. At that time, he was President of the Ghetto Brothers, a mainly ethnically Puerto Rican South Bronx gang, and lead guitarist of a musical group also known as the Ghetto Brothers.Melendez was heavily...
, who left the organization in 1976, was also known as a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist. He led a band, also known as the Ghetto Brothers, which included his late brother Victor Melendez on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. They released one album Ghetto Brothers - Power-Fuerza in 1971, which had only informal, local distribution. It has since been re-released on CD.
The Ghetto Brothers, especially in their early years, had a reputation as one of the more politically minded and less vengeful of New York-area gangs. After Cornell "Black Benjy" Benjamin was killed in 1971 trying to prevent a fight between two rival gangs, the Ghetto Brothers did not seek the expected revenge on those responsible for his death. Instead, under Melendez's leadership (and that of Carlos Antonio Suarez, also known as Carlos Melendez), they were instrumental in achieving a moderately successful truce among South Bronx and other New York-area gangs at the Hoe Avenue peace meeting
Hoe Avenue peace meeting
The Hoe Avenue Peace Meeting was an important gathering of New York gangs on December 7, 1971 in The Bronx.It was called to propose a general truce and an unprecedented inter-gang alliance. The impetus for the meeting was the murder of "Black Benjie", a leader of the gang Ghetto Brothers...
which occurred December 8, 1971. Among those present was Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa
Afrika Bambaataa is an American DJ from the South Bronx, New York who was instrumental in the early development of hip hop throughout the 1980s. Afrika Bambaataa is one of the three originators of break-beat deejaying, and is respectfully known as the "Grandfather" and the Amen Ra of Universal...
, then a 14-year-old Black Spade warlord known on the streets as Bambaataa.
Under Melendez's leadership, the Ghetto Brothers represented one end of the spectrum in terms of how they treated the women involved with the gang. Referred to as the Ghetto Sisters—the respectful term contrasted sharply with the names used for the women attached to other New York gangs of the period—the women were generally viewed as organization members and as girlfriends, whereas many other gangs treated women almost entirely as sexual property.
Former Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
mayor and convicted extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
ist, Eddie Perez
Eddie Pérez (politician)
Eduardo Alberto "Eddie" Perez is a politician of Puerto Rican origin and former Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut. Prior to entering politics, Perez worked as a community activist...
was a member of the Ghetto Brothers when young. New York Daily News columnist Robert Dominguez was the leader of a Ghetto Brothers division in the Bronx when he was a teen.
Other uses of the name
- The name Ghetto Brothers was also used by an unrelated 1990s technoTechnoTechno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
duo featuring Orlando VoornOrlando VoornOrlando Voorn is a Dutch DJ and electronic music producer. As a solo artist he has released work since the early 80s under a large amount of aliases containing Balance, Frequency, Baruka, Basic Bastard, Fix, Dope Dog, Boy, Stalker and The Nighttripper...
and Blake BaxterBlake BaxterBlake Baxter is an American techno musician, associated with the first wave of Detroit techno. Allmusic called him "perhaps the most underrated figure" of the early Detroit techno scene....
.
Discography
- 1971 – Ghetto Brothers - Power-Fuerza (Salsa Records - SLP 2008)
Recorded at Fintone Studio. Produced by Bobby Marin.