Fat Joe had an interesting way of describing the vibes in the New York City right now.
The Bronx rapper and New York Knicks superfan was at NBA Finals Media Day as the San Antonio Spurs roll into town down 0-2 for the first Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999. He told a scrum of reporters that Knicks have brought the city together.
“I’ve seen Hasidic Jews breakdancing with Black kids outside the stadium,” he said according to AP (fans on X have confirmed this phenomenon.) “This is the greatest unification you’ve ever seen of this New York City in your life since 9/11. If you want to know what we felt like in 9/11 after the tragedy, it’s what you’re seeing around New York City, is everybody together. This is insane.”
Adding, “I’ve got a friend, he puts a screen in his backyard. He said the whole neighborhood, people he’s never talked to in his life are walking through his house, opening the refrigerator. This is like, unbelievable. And you know? Last night, I had a random guy tell me, ‘Joe, I never thought in my lifetime I’d see this,’ and I had to think right then and there, and said, ‘You know what? I never thought we’d win a chip either.’”
His Joe and Jada co-host Jadakiss also agrees that New York feels different during this historic Knicks Finals run. “The city is linking up and turning it into beautiful chaos, man,” he said. Joe added, “They making Mamdani look like the king of Bel Air, huh? They saying crime is down. Nobody’s arguing. The city’s just all together, unified like it’s never been.”
The Knicks are currently on a 13-game playoff winning streak, good for second best in NBA history behind the 2017 Golden State Warriors who won 15 straight on their way to winning their second title in four years.
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