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Mike Payne Lets be real though. Both parties have screwed the American working class. Was it Republican or Democrat business owners who shipped jobs overseas leaving places like Detroit in ruin? Usually wealthy businessmen are Republican. Not always but usually. Both parties have screwed us. Dont act like the Republicans are some kind of saviors. If republicans ran things thered be no social programs. At least the democrats try to help the poor working class more than Republicans
Graham Wellington There are hundreds of cities run by republicans that are dirt poor ad well. See West Virginia and small rural Appalachia for starters. Charlie is showing inner city hoods. It could just as easy be the rural poor in their shacks and trailers.
Yeah but there's hoods within the hoods. Rs .. Its like subdivisions in a white town. (The shields, weathers, the gomps, etc) many more but idc to name them all.
I grew up on 62 street, moved to 74th street in the 70’s. Attended Martin Luther King Jr. High School and graduated from Assumption. I have friends still living and working in East St. Louis. There are many good people trying to do right and make a difference there. Great memories!
I wish i could contact my half siblings from your home town, mark and Margaret; theyvare twins that i think would be about your age. I have never seen them but maybey once. I talked to them on the phone way back in the seventies........
I live about 50 miles north of East St. Louis/ St. Louis. I'm a 53 year old white lady, and I gotta say, I really enjoy your videos. You keep things real, you don't try to sugar coat things, or add more drama than there really is. Keep up the good work...
@@jamesarmstrong88 stand what? 50 miles north is a whole different world. you think it looks like this 50 miles out? Nah, hell it done look like this 4 miles out. 5 miles out theres mansions and shit. This is just a very small area of st louis.
For a lot of people on here, this is East Saint Louis, in Illinois! If you go across any bridge, across the Mississippi River, you will be in Saint Louis, Missouri! Different cities, different states! This city is East of Saint Louis, that's why it's called East Saint Louis! And yes, it was once beautiful! My great grandmother and grandmother told me so! They had stores, clubs, grocery stores, and famous people would come there to have a nice time! Yes, there are many issues with this city, but it's not as cut and dry as some may think! This is my city, and although it is in sure need of help, I still love it and my people!
I could see that at one time it was prosperous, my Uncle John had a bakery in your town. I sure do hope the city makes a comeback, most of the houses and apartments look good, just need more businesses to grow back the economy, maybe worker owned enterprises?
Keep y'all heads up to everybody still in EastSTL. Im gone to college now. But I'm comin back. And when I come back we gon bring ourselves back up. We gon make it far. Don't lose hope
I've never been to St. Louis, my father spent the last few years of his life there, he had family there who I had never met. He bought a home in East St. Louis and I had no idea what the area looked like until after his death. Don't understand why he would choose to live there, he had the means to do better. Ironically, when he died it wasn't neighborhood criminals who plundered his estate, it would be his own family.
VANgazmic Voyage Did u know east St.Louis is really Illinois. Once you cross the Missouri bridge your in Illinois. which is east of St. Louis. This not Saint Louis MO
VANgazmic Voyage Both St.Louis, and East St.Louis have interesting histories. Both very different, yet very similar. I was born and raised in University City, and had friends who lived in E.St.L. So I’m familiar with both. I can understand why one can have an attachment to even E.St.L. It was dangerous for sure, but back then, I never had any problems ( and I’m white). The city has very little tax base , and seems no matter who was in power, politics has always been corrupt. So very little ever gets done. Very sad for the decent people trying to scratch out a living, trying to survive.
Yeah it's across the river but it's still connected..... It's all the same city really. It's like saying the Bronx NY isn't in net York City ... All the boroughs make up New York City . Every major city like that and that's why they are so big cause they swallow up all the smaller towns around it over time.... Just like saint Louis MO is made up of a bunch of smaller towns that are connected
To be honest, it looks like a town that was developed in the 20's-60's, and just stopped there dead in it's tracks for 50+ years, architecturally, and residentially speaking
East St. Louis has a really long history which is part of why it is now. Look up the East St. Louis riots. White people (I’m white) were incredibly nasty to the people living in East St. Louis and killed a lot of people there. It’s honestly disgusting. East St. Louis was once an industrial town but the switch from using boats to railroads very negatively effected the local economy. Over the years the town has been seeded with corruption in nearly every facet. Landlords of East St. Louis houses often find ways to take advantage of renters. The police force and public officials have long been corrupt. Historic racism is a large part as to why it’s remained underfunded for so long.
ESL was founded in the 1800s and was basically the Pittsburgh of the Midwest. It was full of industry. Railroads, meatpacking, coal, steel. A lot of goods were made and/or stored there back in the day. But local tax laws changed, workers began unionizing and eventually, they built the interstate through the city. So, some businesses relocated to areas with lower taxes, others like the St. Louis Stockyards left after the interstate was built because they no longer needed to use the railroad to ship cattle to the meatpacking plant so they built new plants closer to the cattle ranches and no longer employed unionized labor. The interstate also allowed residents to move into new homes that were being built in St. Louis County, those newly founded subdivisions also had better schools, so moving was a no-brainer. The locals in East St. Louis will all say to "bring back the white people" but the truth is they don't need white people to save them, ESL needs to produce again. They need an economy that's run from within. The real estate market in ESL is mostly run by Sieron & Associates. And they run predatory practices, sellers put a down payment on a house and pay the rest over the course of a year. By the end of the year, the seller most pay the remaining debt on the house or be evicted. Few of the businesses left there are actually run by people who live there. So none of the revenue ever returns to the city. It goes to wherever the business owners live.
I experienced a carjacking in St.Louis. Then about two weeks later, the police told me my car was found in east S t.Louis. Things got too overwhelming and I was just a student in USA for two month.
There are pockets of bad areas in St. Louis. I really hope this didn’t turn you away from it though. St. Louis can be and is a beautiful place. Sorry you went through that.
This is my hometown! Born & raised!! I almost felt like I were in the vehicle with you. This may just have been the push I needed to relocate out of state. (Never looked at it through this lense before)
you see any crazy things growing up there? I'm from alton and went down there to get some burnt cd's with a friend of mine at a flea market. we went further into the city and my friend said he could get bud and that he had done it before. I have no idea why I ever agreed but I did, turns out he didnt have the money!!!. It was during the summer and instead of heading straight out, he pulled a U turn and a crack head jumped in front of us and stopped our car. Before I knew it he was asking for a ride and he climbs in the whip sitting right behind me in the back seat. he seen an amp screwed into the seat and started ripping it off the seat. Once he had it he just calmly walked away. DUMBEST SHIT I EVER DID IN MY LIFE.
Douglas Kasten it’s not a wasteland, that’s just how it is on a rainy day in winter. Nobody wants to go out because it’s too cold. Go to St. Louis on a warm day, and it’s a pretty lively place.
Douglas Kasten I’m assuming you mean buildings and yes there are buildings in St. Louis. Just because there aren’t very many in a small part of the city doesn’t mean that the rest isn’t populated and ,like I said, lively.
This comment section (including the replies) demonstrates that we, as Americans, are not working together for a better society. Consequently, society will not improve until everyone is working together rather than for themselves. Race, socioeconomic status, religion, etc. is so important to many of you that you refuse to cooperate with anyone that thinks differently from yourselves. That leads to isolation and even greater homogenous ideologies. This is what is driving a great divide between people.
Hell, that looks good compared to the last time I was back there. I can't tell State St. from Missouri Avenue. It all looks the same. This is my home and I'm not ashamed to say it. But the shame is the decades of corruption that has always existed in East St. Louis, way before white flight. It would take a miracle to turn it around. Blessings be upon you, East St. Louis.
I remember driving through St. Louis many years ago. Got turned around in the daytime trying to get back from the outskirts and ended up driving down the same neighborhood back road for like 15-20 minutes towards downtown again. Nothing but boarded up homes the entire way.
I am so glad that you uploaded this video. They are always showing how beautiful the arch grounds are with all of the new renovations but they don't show you the slums that you have to go through to get there. It's a total embarrassment.
Notice how near enough every pedestrian stares at the car, like they're waiting for the car to stop to jack it or something. I'd be shitting myself if a gang of 4-5 turned and looked at my car lol
I travel a lot for work and Cairo, IL is the scariest place I've been to. I lived close to East St. Louis and worked in North St. Louis for five years.
Jeff Ha, I gotta agree, I took a side trip there out of my way to ESL once just to see the Ohio & Mississippi Confluence and I was shocked and dumbfounded by what ever happened there. I had to read the history to find out. Bigotry is a mutha, the prejudice wasn't nearly as bad in ESL. I am into urbexing, but I had no desire to explore this place. It's just eerie.
I live in Cairo now and used to live in East St Louis. Cairo does have a nice hood far off the main drag where I live, but yeah otherwise its crap. ESL much, much worse, has been for decades. Total hopeless wasteland. Some crazy stuff always happening in ESL 24/7.
I live about 10 minutes from east STL. And need to go through it to get to STL. Never had a problem driving through there. Seen some pretty kind people while I’m at it. But yes there are definitely streets and blocks you don’t want to get caught on.
He simply means the people don't bother anyone as long as you mind your business they mind theirs. No one is gonna assault you or jack you for your possessions. Hell, you rarely even see anyone out unless you're on State Street. You rarely see crowds exceeding two or three walking around or sitting on the front porch.
Just keep your car moving. If you stop for too long, you might get an interrogation. If your car is too nice, it might get a few dents and scratches. If your car breaks down, call someone you know that can get there fast. (Uber won't help you in the hood.) But if you just keep moving and mind your business, you'll be fine.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE POOR NEIGHBORHOOD OF NORTH ST LOUIS... I CELEBRATED MY 21ST BIRTHDAY OVER THE RIVER INTO E.ST LOUIS... THAT WAS IN 1959.. I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA IN 1962... BEST DECISION I EVER MADE...
Notice the lack of proper infrastructure like Storm drains. Then notice that the deteriorating buildings/business are far away from where people actually live. Does it actually take a Rocket Scientist to even point that out?
Passed through East St. Louis so many times in my car and on the MetroLink. Never truly been deep in it though. It’s a shame. Looks like such a beautiful place. Seedy politics, corruption, historic socioeconomic issues... it all adds together.
I went to see Mike Epps live some years ago in St. Louis and he mentioned going over to East St. Louis. People started clapping, he paused and blurted out, "East Saint Louis look like Baghdad!"
I remember riding thru East St Louis back in the early 80's on my way to Texas. It was a very run down and scary looking place back then and see it hasn't changed much in 40 years. Thankfully I was safe on a Greyhound bus at the time. Never would have driven a car thru there.
I'm so glad I don't live in East Saint Louis but it's trifling everywhere though I stayed on the outskirts of East st. Louis all my life but as an adult I got the move wherever I wanted to!!!
My stepdads side of the family lives here and my brothers and I use to DREAD coming here every summer to see our cousins. We’re from Nashville, TN and this a totally different environment that we were not used too. It’s crazy as hell. I would make it my missions to move up out of there!
Me and my husband drove by these neighborhoods and was in awe. I didn't realize it could get this bad. So many abandoned houses it looked dead but then randomly I'd see someone on a porch or parking in a driveway into their homes which were right next to homes that were either collapsing or abandoned or both.
When i grew up in estl the street i lived on was like a huge family. Everyone knew each other, huge block parties and everything. The violence was never this bad, its sad.
my friend is from St. Louis Mo. I told her we stayed in E. St Louis, IL. When traveling. She told me "you don't know what danger you were in." So much bloodshed there.
a damn lie, ESL was never beautiful. It was surrounded by industry that polluted everything in the city. There were pockets of beauty, but don't ever tell that lie again
He also said that when your takin in the hood and your aware of it you can automatically brace yourself to seeing wild stuff but when you don't have a clue it's different
@WORDto BIGbird You are right. I lived there amost all my life. Still have family there. You will get robbed but they ain't gonna kill you. Unless you did something real bad.
East Coast ghettos always look worse than Midwest/South counterparts. I guess that's because cities on the East are more urban. It's just gritty af. Midwest and South have that suburban look, well at most a suburb nobody is taking care of, but it doesn't look as run down as Bmore, Philly and DC. I know it has nothing to do with how dangerous they are, just saying visually they look better, but Chicago, Detroit, St Louis, NOLA, etc. are, as we all know, really dangerous.
Sum b I'm from Europe acrually. Yeah, East coast is definitely more urban and dense, but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with liberalism. Here we don't have big properties because Europe is way more dense than USA. Plus it's architecture is way older. It's hard to describe how much. I live in an average neighborhood of an average European city, none of them famous for being too old or historic, yet both far older than any American city. Any, literally.
Sum b Whoa whoa dude, chill. I didn't say anything offensive, only that I don't see a connection between liberalism and dense housing. 1st of all I'm not a foreigner. My ancestor have been on this land since the 7th century probably, while yours... most likely your grandpa came where you are, if that. 2nd yeah, I'm brainwashed... 3rd learn geography Europe is a fucking CONTINENT, not a COUNTRY. So, if Sweden is socialist, doesn't mean that my country idk how many 1000s of km far away is. 4th I don't hate guns, but you guys over there have a big gun problem. Facts. Toughest Eu cities would be considered safe in USA and vice versa cities like Seattle and Denver (considered safe in USA) would be god damn dangerous here in Europe. So it's either a gun problem or you guys are naturally more crazy and violent. Pick one. 5th aren't SF and cities like that richer than Iowa and Texas?
none of your damn business Yeah, older, that's true. But midwestern/southern hoods look suburban-ish, if that makes sense. Nice big house with a decent amount of soace. Vacant, half ruined, I agree, but still like a decent house. Northeast is all too dense, looks like people are living too close to each other, also everything is stone/brick/whatever and it makes it look way worse, visually that is.
me and my wife had to get gas passing through east st Louis . the gas station lady came out to tell us to leave and it wasn't safe for our 6 month old baby. it had a car wash right beside it which seemed to be the local hangout. was scary if im honest. not for me but for my wife and child .
Born and raised in E St Louis. 33 years old now and all this still is the same from when I was little.. politicians taking all the money. All we have is liquor stores and churches on every corner that one liquor store he went in I will never forget someone started shooting at me when I was 19 years old trying to steal my car
That A & S Market looks like a fortress. Man, I'm in Toronto and some people here think we have tough areas. You guys would laugh at our "tough" areas.
I'm from upper michigan and i've heard people call green bay tough. There isn't a street in green bay I wouldn't walk down at night. There isn't a street in E stL that I would walk down at night, maybe even during the day
This is not Saint Louis MO. This is Illinois, once you cross Saint Louis Bridge downtown your in Illinois Which is east of Saint Louis. That's why this area is called east Saint Louis. THIS IS ILLINOIS
East St. Louis is sad. I lived in STL for a couple years and I would go sometimes to the Illinois side of the river. It's really part of STL metro, but because it's outside of Missouri, Missouri can't help it. And because it's so far from any of the major Illinois cities, it's also ignored by Illinois state government. Lots of sketchy strip clubs, bars, and abandoned neighborhoods around there. Once you go further east into Illinois, it becomes like nicer suburbs and stuff. But along the river, it's scary.
The greater St. Louis metro area is a bit like the greater New York City metro area, which includes suburbs that span four states and about two dozen counties. Metro New York has a population of over 20 million people. There is an organization known as the Regional Plan Association (RPA) that seeks to develop policies to support political coordination and infrastructure integration. RPA could be a model for the metro St. Louis area.
Hey I was in St. Louis for the first time and I wanted to cross the Mississippi River so I did. I had no idea what was on the other side. About 3 or 4 minutes into ESL I said I have to get out of here. This looks like the area right off where you get off from crossing the river......can anyone confirm it is???
Well, I lived there for a time. I was glad to get out. But .... some of the most famous people were born and raised there. World famous musician,Miles Davis, Dancer /actress Katharine Dunham, Olympic athletes Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Hollywood film producers the Hudlin brothers, actress of Sanford and Son fame, basketball players Darius Miles, Brian Cox, Alphonso Ellis,
Carmen Munoz that’s the beauty of my black brothers and sisters. In the face of insurmountable odds, so much beauty and excellence has and will continue to come from the darkest places. One love
Born and raised in Chicago and have been to the roughest neighborhoods here on the Southside and Westside. That said, I got lost in East St.Louis at night around twenty years ago and can honestly say that hood was far more scary than Chicago's. Thankfully I found my way out of there but man I was scared...
I'm from Milwaukee and have been to; what I thought were the worst neighborhoods, and 2 months ago my daughter graduated from boot camp down in Oklahoma. Naturally I had to drive home and I went through st Louis & east st Louis at like 2am.. As I was going over the bridge from st. Louis downtown area to east st.louis I couldn't really see as NO LIGHTS were on... Found out real quick that I was in a 3rd world country! That place was on another level of "what the f*CK"!
East St. Louis has a story similar to many other small cities throughout the U.S. Booming into the mid 20th century. Jobs, culture, low crime and a thriving working class. Then the industry leaves, most likely moving overseas. Then the working class leaves, seeking opportunity elsewhere. This is what's left. This is not a political commentary, just my observation.
I live near toronto canada and I've been to Detroit and Buffalo. I thought that was ghetto until I saw your videos. So crazy just crossing the border everything changed even how dark everything looked. Hard to understand how places get like this.
simonriddick, the government has a hand in it! Believe it or not, this city is a GOLD MINE because of the land/property! Politicians from other cities are trying to get their hands on it! If only the politicians in ESTL could get it together and work on one accord to treat this city like the land of milk and honey......that it can become.
Tommie Brooks, I want to believe your conspiracy story, and it's not that outlandish especially when you read the editorials in the Belleville Democrat that has done everything to kill any chance the city has to revitalize from a Busch Gardens Zoo proposal, to a central transportation terminal to Big 3 boneyard for new cars moving to dealerships to a Reading Terminal-type market . this list goes on. The only problem I see is with the conspiracy theory is what will the politicians and white men get , except a riverfront which overlooks STL, a true working dock that's falling apart. There are no pristine views worth paying millions for until you spend millions to clean-up Cargill, Front Street and the old horse stockyards. Going south you run into the old Power plant, so that riverfront is no bargain at any price.
simonriddick Check out Keele Finch Colony in Toronto aka little Sudan. But don't go at night. It's gunfire time. Or check Flemmington Park or Thorncliffe. US style shit holes in Toronto that u never hear about cuz whitey stays away. Lol!
@@tommiebrooks8573 You're absolutely right, government has a HUGE hand in it. Spiritual warfare my friend, it's purposely don't to blacks and other minorities in America, but that's about to change real soon ..
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CharlieBo313 Not trying to be political but hasn’t every city you’ve driven in been controlled by Democrats for the past 50+ yrs?
Mike Payne All the southern states are Republican run. The poorest states are just about all Republican
Mike Payne Lets be real though. Both parties have screwed the American working class. Was it Republican or Democrat business owners who shipped jobs overseas leaving places like Detroit in ruin? Usually wealthy businessmen are Republican. Not always but usually. Both parties have screwed us. Dont act like the Republicans are some kind of saviors. If republicans ran things thered be no social programs. At least the democrats try to help the poor working class more than Republicans
States? The cities in question are run by dems.
Graham Wellington There are hundreds of cities run by republicans that are dirt poor ad well. See West Virginia and small rural Appalachia for starters. Charlie is showing inner city hoods. It could just as easy be the rural poor in their shacks and trailers.
"East St. Louis Hoods" is a misnomer. East St. Louis is a hood.
Yeah but there's hoods within the hoods. Rs .. Its like subdivisions in a white town. (The shields, weathers, the gomps, etc) many more but idc to name them all.
East Los Angeles is a hood too
No.... what he means is the whole city of East St Louis is the hood.. ain’t no cops coming to save you
Hang Geng los angelos hoods are soft
@@hanggeng7269 in the 90s they were tuff
I grew up on 62 street, moved to 74th street in the 70’s. Attended Martin Luther King Jr. High School and graduated from Assumption. I have friends still living and working in East St. Louis. There are many good people trying to do right and make a difference there. Great memories!
pswilson1000 that’s nice to know
What's your point!
Stop
pswilson1000
I know some of the Best families that lived in E St. Louis, ILL.🥰
I wish i could contact my half siblings from your home town, mark and Margaret; theyvare twins that i think would be about your age. I have never seen them but maybey once. I talked to them on the phone way back in the seventies........
I live about 50 miles north of East St. Louis/ St. Louis. I'm a 53 year old white lady, and I gotta say, I really enjoy your videos. You keep things real, you don't try to sugar coat things, or add more drama than there really is. Keep up the good work...
@@jamesarmstrong88 stand what? 50 miles north is a whole different world. you think it looks like this 50 miles out? Nah, hell it done look like this 4 miles out. 5 miles out theres mansions and shit. This is just a very small area of st louis.
For a lot of people on here, this is East Saint Louis, in Illinois! If you go across any bridge, across the Mississippi River, you will be in Saint Louis, Missouri! Different cities, different states! This city is East of Saint Louis, that's why it's called East Saint Louis! And yes, it was once beautiful! My great grandmother and grandmother told me so! They had stores, clubs, grocery stores, and famous people would come there to have a nice time! Yes, there are many issues with this city, but it's not as cut and dry as some may think! This is my city, and although it is in sure need of help, I still love it and my people!
Keep the faith!
@@barrackhussein464 you was in special ed huh? She said ESL is il.. It's it own city and it is east of STL.
I could see that at one time it was prosperous, my Uncle John had a bakery in your town. I sure do hope the city makes a comeback, most of the houses and apartments look good, just need more businesses to grow back the economy, maybe worker owned enterprises?
Good for you. Move back and live in it. No one is stopping you. Have at it lover of ESL
@@joeass883 To whom are you referring?!
Keep y'all heads up to everybody still in EastSTL. Im gone to college now. But I'm comin back. And when I come back we gon bring ourselves back up. We gon make it far. Don't lose hope
Mychael Hunt that is awesome bro 🙏🏽
Keep the faith Mychael Hunt..don't pay ant attention to the haters.
Mychael Hunt you going to graduate with gangsta degree, well done, you going to be promoted to mob boss
Hope is already lost. Just look at the video! ROTFLOL
UNCLE JED bruddah is going to bring business to the place, lots of opportunities will be created, we going to have a drug corporation
I've never been to St. Louis, my father spent the last few years of his life there, he had family there who I had never met. He bought a home in East St. Louis and I had no idea what the area looked like until after his death. Don't understand why he would choose to live there, he had the means to do better. Ironically, when he died it wasn't neighborhood criminals who plundered his estate, it would be his own family.
VANgazmic Voyage Did u know east St.Louis is really Illinois. Once you cross the Missouri bridge your in Illinois. which is east of St. Louis. This not Saint Louis MO
LL Henderson I knew that.
Yea it really is fucked up overthere n that is so stupid for them to do that
VANgazmic Voyage
Both St.Louis, and East St.Louis have interesting histories.
Both very different, yet very similar.
I was born and raised in University City, and had friends who lived in E.St.L. So I’m familiar with both.
I can understand why one can have an attachment to even E.St.L. It was dangerous for sure, but back then, I never had any problems ( and I’m white).
The city has very little tax base , and seems no matter who was in power, politics has always been corrupt.
So very little ever gets done. Very sad for the decent people trying to scratch out a living, trying to survive.
love
I like watching your videos because they give me a perspective that I didn't have before, thanks :D
Thats why I love them too, feels like I'm ridin shotgun!
Dre they sure do ...shows how the economy really is ✌
Y'all can come chill on the stoop with me sometime, up close, give you a nice perspective of the Economy 🕵️🕵️😁 YFAMC THRUSHLIFE
I live in a rich, white neighborhood. The economy is doing great. #TRUMP2020
@@tishkerrville8942 It doesn't count in areas where people don't want to work.
east st. louis is in illinois, its own city across the river from st. louis missouri...
215Christ yea no shit
215Christ day St. Louis is even worse
Missouri can have it
No duh
Yeah it's across the river but it's still connected..... It's all the same city really. It's like saying the Bronx NY isn't in net York City ... All the boroughs make up New York City . Every major city like that and that's why they are so big cause they swallow up all the smaller towns around it over time.... Just like saint Louis MO is made up of a bunch of smaller towns that are connected
To be honest, it looks like a town that was developed in the 20's-60's, and just stopped there dead in it's tracks for 50+ years, architecturally, and residentially speaking
Typical Midwest city .
That is exactly what happened
East St. Louis has a really long history which is part of why it is now. Look up the East St. Louis riots. White people (I’m white) were incredibly nasty to the people living in East St. Louis and killed a lot of people there. It’s honestly disgusting. East St. Louis was once an industrial town but the switch from using boats to railroads very negatively effected the local economy. Over the years the town has been seeded with corruption in nearly every facet. Landlords of East St. Louis houses often find ways to take advantage of renters. The police force and public officials have long been corrupt. Historic racism is a large part as to why it’s remained underfunded for so long.
ESL was founded in the 1800s and was basically the Pittsburgh of the Midwest. It was full of industry. Railroads, meatpacking, coal, steel. A lot of goods were made and/or stored there back in the day. But local tax laws changed, workers began unionizing and eventually, they built the interstate through the city. So, some businesses relocated to areas with lower taxes, others like the St. Louis Stockyards left after the interstate was built because they no longer needed to use the railroad to ship cattle to the meatpacking plant so they built new plants closer to the cattle ranches and no longer employed unionized labor. The interstate also allowed residents to move into new homes that were being built in St. Louis County, those newly founded subdivisions also had better schools, so moving was a no-brainer. The locals in East St. Louis will all say to "bring back the white people" but the truth is they don't need white people to save them, ESL needs to produce again. They need an economy that's run from within.
The real estate market in ESL is mostly run by Sieron & Associates. And they run predatory practices, sellers put a down payment on a house and pay the rest over the course of a year. By the end of the year, the seller most pay the remaining debt on the house or be evicted. Few of the businesses left there are actually run by people who live there. So none of the revenue ever returns to the city. It goes to wherever the business owners live.
It's way more intimidating at night. Trust me.
Glenn Pettiford I am from London, I want to go there
PoofyHD they are a friendly bunch
Only the strong survive so keep ur scary ass where u are.
Very very true I had the pleasure of that experience on Martin Luther king jr drive last night
Nathan Flecke bruddah I want to go there, and I am from London, I want to fight there, looks like the right place
East boogie city of champions 💯💯💯
On the folkzzz
I experienced a carjacking in St.Louis. Then about two weeks later, the police told me my car was found in east S t.Louis. Things got too overwhelming and I was just a student in USA for two month.
Welcome to America lol
SLU还是Washu？
Xiaotian Zhu China Man U should have done Kung fu on the thieve
There are pockets of bad areas in St. Louis. I really hope this didn’t turn you away from it though. St. Louis can be and is a beautiful place. Sorry you went through that.
CelticWolf am I welcome too?
You should start commentary and talk about the history of each city. Just a suggestion. Otherwise great videos and very unique idea you have here
Agreed. Even better is if Charlie offers both the commentary and non-commentary versions
Charlie we like the vlogs just the way you do them with no music and no commentary Thanks.
Sure seems like these areas are growing by the day here in America. Sad reality. Looks like a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Sum b milwaukee is exactly what you’ve just described.
Kyle Niquette You obviously never seen the Bronx in 80´s
@NATIONALIST #PATRIOT
"good majority black/diverse neighborhoods"
Ah, fantasy land. Those don't exist.
U ain't lying
NATIONALIST #PATRIOT Are there any nice black neighborhoods ?
8:30 guy in the white tshirt is frozen in time
You growing dawg🙏🏿 keep grindin
This is my hometown! Born & raised!! I almost felt like I were in the vehicle with you. This may just have been the push I needed to relocate out of state. (Never looked at it through this lense before)
East Saint
Hey neighbor. From Cahokia. Spent many days in East St. Louis.
Miss D. Do you know the howard family from east stl sister?
No! Doesn't ring a bell.
you see any crazy things growing up there? I'm from alton and went down there to get some burnt cd's with a friend of mine at a flea market. we went further into the city and my friend said he could get bud and that he had done it before. I have no idea why I ever agreed but I did, turns out he didnt have the money!!!. It was during the summer and instead of heading straight out, he pulled a U turn and a crack head jumped in front of us and stopped our car. Before I knew it he was asking for a ride and he climbs in the whip sitting right behind me in the back seat. he seen an amp screwed into the seat and started ripping it off the seat. Once he had it he just calmly walked away. DUMBEST SHIT I EVER DID IN MY LIFE.
Damn, just a wasteland, keep showing the truth charlie. Btw, congrats on 70k subs
Douglas Kasten Fuck you hating ass Bitch this my City Born and Raised love my City you must not be from here why you Hating!!
David Canada 1975 cool, glad you stayed, but can't deny the truth, it's 1/2 dead
Douglas Kasten it’s not a wasteland, that’s just how it is on a rainy day in winter. Nobody wants to go out because it’s too cold. Go to St. Louis on a warm day, and it’s a pretty lively place.
Rakedog do the bldgs come out when it warms up too???? That's the wasteland
Douglas Kasten I’m assuming you mean buildings and yes there are buildings in St. Louis. Just because there aren’t very many in a small part of the city doesn’t mean that the rest isn’t populated and ,like I said, lively.
First 39 seconds is straight up nice, way better than I expected.
I aint gon lie, look alot like Detroit..
Same builders
Stuntman Beatz it’s worse than Detroit though.
Yeah the houses n streets . They houses just not as big ( speaking of west side )
Tank Shots yeah way higher murder rate
fr fr
Keep on bringing those videos, Charlie.
John Davis ok then SUPPORT! Contribute to help him.
This comment section (including the replies) demonstrates that we, as Americans, are not working together for a better society. Consequently, society will not improve until everyone is working together rather than for themselves. Race, socioeconomic status, religion, etc. is so important to many of you that you refuse to cooperate with anyone that thinks differently from yourselves. That leads to isolation and even greater homogenous ideologies. This is what is driving a great divide between people.
Amen brother very well spoken. Facts tho.
Hay hommey know where i can get a set of hubcaps for my Family Truckster!
Hell, that looks good compared to the last time I was back there. I can't tell State St. from Missouri Avenue. It all looks the same. This is my home and I'm not ashamed to say it. But the shame is the decades of corruption that has always existed in East St. Louis, way before white flight. It would take a miracle to turn it around. Blessings be upon you, East St. Louis.
Quit voting those pigs back in there. The tax payers should demand better.
My home too in 70s Belleville is starting to go down too
People don’t realize when you walking thru it’s a different scenery you see a lot of shit walking thru the hood
I remember driving through St. Louis many years ago. Got turned around in the daytime trying to get back from the outskirts and ended up driving down the same neighborhood back road for like 15-20 minutes towards downtown again. Nothing but boarded up homes the entire way.
This not St Louis , This is Illinois🤦🏽♂️
Bitch it says east st.louis
@@nathanhoernis161 i use to think it was in Missouri too...dont get mad or feel stupid..we learning everyday fam
Not even 10min,a bridge away
Respect 💯 keep doing y’all thing St. Louis
Been there don't want to go back.
Me too!..
I am so glad that you uploaded this video. They are always showing how beautiful the arch grounds are with all of the new renovations but they don't show you the slums that you have to go through to get there. It's a total embarrassment.
Congrats 70k awesome other people do these but yours are the best . Keep on truckin.
Thanks for watching.
Cool video bro.
Notice how near enough every pedestrian stares at the car, like they're waiting for the car to stop to jack it or something. I'd be shitting myself if a gang of 4-5 turned and looked at my car lol
I travel a lot for work and Cairo, IL is the scariest place I've been to. I lived close to East St. Louis and worked in North St. Louis for five years.
Jeff Ha I went thru Cairo a year ago , most shocking place I’ve seen in the USA. I’m in Guatemala now and feeel much safer than that place
ball keith
Bullshit, there's no one or nothing in Cairo, so who's after you there, except the ghosts of what once was?
Jeff Ha,
I gotta agree, I took a side trip there out of my way to ESL once just to see the Ohio & Mississippi Confluence and I was shocked and dumbfounded by what ever happened there. I had to read the history to find out. Bigotry is a mutha, the prejudice wasn't nearly as bad in ESL.
I am into urbexing, but I had no desire to explore this place. It's just eerie.
Jeff Ha I’ve heard this so many times. Never been down there. How is it scary?
I live in Cairo now and used to live in East St Louis. Cairo does have a nice hood far off the main drag where I live, but yeah otherwise its crap. ESL much, much worse, has been for decades. Total hopeless wasteland. Some crazy stuff always happening in ESL 24/7.
How are you filming? With a body cam?
Are you going to visit any hoods in Florida? That would be very interesting to see
I love this. It's like from the vantage point of a ghost.
8:48 they look like they cn @ghost
I live about 10 minutes from east STL. And need to go through it to get to STL. Never had a problem driving through there. Seen some pretty kind people while I’m at it. But yes there are definitely streets and blocks you don’t want to get caught on.
Jacob Becker Yeah, I've been through there and most people are pretty cool. Like you said, just certain places.
What do you mean caught on and what would happen
He simply means the people don't bother anyone as long as you mind your business they mind theirs. No one is gonna assault you or jack you for your possessions. Hell, you rarely even see anyone out unless you're on State Street. You rarely see crowds exceeding two or three walking around or sitting on the front porch.
that's because East St.Louis is too empty now. North is where the hoods at
Just keep your car moving. If you stop for too long, you might get an interrogation. If your car is too nice, it might get a few dents and scratches. If your car breaks down, call someone you know that can get there fast. (Uber won't help you in the hood.) But if you just keep moving and mind your business, you'll be fine.
This allowed me to look at my old hood from an objective perspective and I have to say it’s an eye opener
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE POOR NEIGHBORHOOD OF NORTH ST LOUIS...
I CELEBRATED MY 21ST BIRTHDAY OVER THE RIVER INTO E.ST LOUIS... THAT WAS IN 1959..
I MOVED TO CALIFORNIA IN 1962... BEST DECISION I EVER MADE...
Notice the lack of proper infrastructure like Storm drains. Then notice that the deteriorating buildings/business are far away from where people actually live. Does it actually take a Rocket Scientist to even point that out?
Passed through East St. Louis so many times in my car and on the MetroLink. Never truly been deep in it though. It’s a shame. Looks like such a beautiful place. Seedy politics, corruption, historic socioeconomic issues... it all adds together.
I fall sleep to your videos , this is a type of ASMR for me
Your videos give the next hood hope😂
These videos are on point
K Hardy It starts with self to insight people to do better for the community.
what kind of hope? that some dumbass can drive around a cesspit shithole bum fucked wasteland without getting capped? ROFLMFAO
People come see dupo this can't be blamed on anyone but white people shame on them and the mayor
I went to see Mike Epps live some years ago in St. Louis and he mentioned going over to East St. Louis. People started clapping, he paused and blurted out, "East Saint Louis look like Baghdad!"
Charlie, what was happening at the 9:00 mark - looks like you broke something up. Did they see your dash cam and make you out for a cop?
kd8poi for sure
Shit I live 10 mins away I know how estl works. Them boys had some shit on em forsure
Thats the city lol yu cant b just posted up at the store . thats opp shit in those boys eyes omm
Until people give their hearts and lives to JESUS CHRIST this world will always be a sinful nation
Erin Jones really?
Charlie, I was wondering, is there any place that's so bad that you won't go there or you will only go there during the day?
A KKK mixer
Charlie , are you by yourself on these trips ?
dude your videos make me glad to live in North End Michigan
I remember riding thru East St Louis back in the early 80's on my way to Texas. It was a very run down and scary looking place back then and see it hasn't changed much in 40 years. Thankfully I was safe on a Greyhound bus at the time. Never would have driven a car thru there.
It's STL Will ..some places you go some you don't ..from 80s-2022 .. a grad.from O'Fallon tech 88 some places in the school you didn't go..lol
I'm so glad I don't live in East Saint Louis but it's trifling everywhere though I stayed on the outskirts of East st. Louis all my life but as an adult I got the move wherever I wanted to!!!
My stepdads side of the family lives here and my brothers and I use to DREAD coming here every summer to see our cousins. We’re from Nashville, TN and this a totally different environment that we were not used too. It’s crazy as hell. I would make it my missions to move up out of there!
"We can't close our eyes to the plight of the city. Kids, you noticing all this plight? (Gunshot, followed by screams.) Roll 'em up."
You guys do realize this is Illinois in the fall/winter where we have all four seasons in a week. Everywhere looks dreary this time of year.
Right! they always record places at this time of year making everything look so horrifying 🙄🙄
@@yahinessness5669 you’ve clearly have never been to ESTL
Picked a good day to joy ride through my city it was all wet and had rained. We don’t go outside too much when it’s like this, come on hot day😉
There's no sharks in that water! Grab some soap!
Me and my husband drove by these neighborhoods and was in awe. I didn't realize it could get this bad. So many abandoned houses it looked dead but then randomly I'd see someone on a porch or parking in a driveway into their homes which were right next to homes that were either collapsing or abandoned or both.
When i grew up in estl the street i lived on was like a huge family. Everyone knew each other, huge block parties and everything. The violence was never this bad, its sad.
One thing leads to another.
You only traveled from 10th in State to Bond Ave. You passed by all the projects.
Cuz he spooked
@@thefolks5199 this is the same guy who gets out of his car to interview gang members....at night.
@@thefolks5199 or he just didnt feel like it it was raining
my friend is from St. Louis Mo. I told her we stayed in E. St Louis, IL. When traveling. She told me "you don't know what danger you were in." So much bloodshed there.
Yeah, STL brings a lot of their shit into that poor downtrodden city. 1/2 the murders recorded are STL residents dumped there.
How many miles do you do a year my guy? 👊🏻
Those dark brick places around the 7:00 mark look like barracks; nice to have a roof over your head but kind of depressing.
H. Dumpty Esq.
Government housing ( aka "The Projects" ) at its finest... Our taxpayers money at work...
At 1 time east st louis was a beautiful city
a damn lie, ESL was never beautiful. It was surrounded by industry that polluted everything in the city. There were pockets of beauty, but don't ever tell that lie again
Yeah after all the coloreds moved in and turned it into Africa
actually it was .
Shut the fuck up coward.
I think it was actually expensive AF to live there 2 back then
Charliebo313 where ya from? Been watching ya vids.. good stuff
He also said that when your takin in the hood and your aware of it you can automatically brace yourself to seeing wild stuff but when you don't have a clue it's different
EAST ST LOUIS AINT DAT BAD IT JUST LOOK RUFF U MIND YO BUSINESS U A HAVE NO PROBLEM
Nigga please
Lord Loc if only that were true. Victims are often doing nothing but minding their own business.
@WORDto BIGbird You are right. I lived there amost all my life. Still have family there. You will get robbed but they ain't gonna kill you. Unless you did something real bad.
Lord Loc you spoke the whole truth!! I love home!! It was love there for me! Born and Raised in East Saint Rock Warrior stand up!
TNisia Dunn the whole truth they only kill you if you done something!!
East Coast ghettos always look worse than Midwest/South counterparts. I guess that's because cities on the East are more urban. It's just gritty af. Midwest and South have that suburban look, well at most a suburb nobody is taking care of, but it doesn't look as run down as Bmore, Philly and DC. I know it has nothing to do with how dangerous they are, just saying visually they look better, but Chicago, Detroit, St Louis, NOLA, etc. are, as we all know, really dangerous.
big abandoned building vs fucked up dalapted houses built in the 1900's
Sum b
I'm from Europe acrually. Yeah, East coast is definitely more urban and dense, but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with liberalism. Here we don't have big properties because Europe is way more dense than USA. Plus it's architecture is way older. It's hard to describe how much. I live in an average neighborhood of an average European city, none of them famous for being too old or historic, yet both far older than any American city. Any, literally.
Sum b
Whoa whoa dude, chill.
I didn't say anything offensive, only that I don't see a connection between liberalism and dense housing.
1st of all I'm not a foreigner. My ancestor have been on this land since the 7th century probably, while yours... most likely your grandpa came where you are, if that.
2nd yeah, I'm brainwashed...
3rd learn geography Europe is a fucking CONTINENT, not a COUNTRY. So, if Sweden is socialist, doesn't mean that my country idk how many 1000s of km far away is.
4th I don't hate guns, but you guys over there have a big gun problem. Facts. Toughest Eu cities would be considered safe in USA and vice versa cities like Seattle and Denver (considered safe in USA) would be god damn dangerous here in Europe. So it's either a gun problem or you guys are naturally more crazy and violent. Pick one.
5th aren't SF and cities like that richer than Iowa and Texas?
Sum b
You have no idea what 3rd world means, trust me.
none of your damn business
Yeah, older, that's true. But midwestern/southern hoods look suburban-ish, if that makes sense. Nice big house with a decent amount of soace. Vacant, half ruined, I agree, but still like a decent house. Northeast is all too dense, looks like people are living too close to each other, also everything is stone/brick/whatever and it makes it look way worse, visually that is.
me and my wife had to get gas passing through east st Louis . the gas station lady came out to tell us to leave and it wasn't safe for our 6 month old baby. it had a car wash right beside it which seemed to be the local hangout. was scary if im honest. not for me but for my wife and child .
I remember reading a story about a US Marine in Iraq from East STL; he said he felt safer in Iraq than he did back home in East STL.
One thing i can say about estl is, we produce a lot of good athletes. We have lost so many this year to gun violence its sad .
We Love This City 💯 move thru ESTL & live to learn to maneuver around the Earth 🌏
Born and raised in E St Louis. 33 years old now and all this still is the same from when I was little.. politicians taking all the money. All we have is liquor stores and churches on every corner that one liquor store he went in I will never forget someone started shooting at me when I was 19 years old trying to steal my car
Wow and 33 yrs of how many different presidents promising change for these areas what a load of crap
Yo Charlie! What’s the worst city so far?
That A & S Market looks like a fortress. Man, I'm in Toronto and some people here think we have tough areas. You guys would laugh at our "tough" areas.
argopunk my friend took me to Jane and Finch, as well as Scarborough and told me they were dangerous. Being from Chicago, I just laughed
All those areas are guilty of is being ugly. Well, Scarborough has some nice parts too.
I'm from upper michigan and i've heard people call green bay tough. There isn't a street in green bay I wouldn't walk down at night. There isn't a street in E stL that I would walk down at night, maybe even during the day
This is not Saint Louis MO. This is Illinois, once you cross Saint Louis Bridge downtown your in Illinois Which is east of Saint Louis. That's why this area is called east Saint Louis. THIS IS ILLINOIS
Everyone knows einstein
Carl Aiello 😂😂😂
@@TheKishWatson shut ip carl
And you made this video on a cold and cloudy day. You certainly know how capture the unpleasent parts of Saint Louis with the right tone.
Stay out of East Saint Louis there's been an outbreak of Tyroneavirus and the chances of you recovering your personal items are Slim
Lmao 🤣
East St. Louis is sad. I lived in STL for a couple years and I would go sometimes to the Illinois side of the river. It's really part of STL metro, but because it's outside of Missouri, Missouri can't help it. And because it's so far from any of the major Illinois cities, it's also ignored by Illinois state government. Lots of sketchy strip clubs, bars, and abandoned neighborhoods around there. Once you go further east into Illinois, it becomes like nicer suburbs and stuff. But along the river, it's scary.
The greater St. Louis metro area is a bit like the greater New York City metro area, which includes suburbs that span four states and about two dozen counties. Metro New York has a population of over 20 million people. There is an organization known as the Regional Plan Association (RPA) that seeks to develop policies to support political coordination and infrastructure integration. RPA could be a model for the metro St. Louis area.
U must use a lot of petrol bro. great vids. esp in the hoods
Wou nice i never been in Africa. What is it? Congo or so?
Hey I was in St. Louis for the first time and I wanted to cross the Mississippi River so I did. I had no idea what was on the other side. About 3 or 4 minutes into ESL I said I have to get out of here. This looks like the area right off where you get off from crossing the river......can anyone confirm it is???
Yeah it is but he only showed a couple blocks its way more nicer places than bad ones on the eastside
Is that East Saint Louis Illinois the 618 I got family out there
Yes!
There is a store like that in every hood🤣😂
I remember when Dave Chappelle said in a stand up that there are some rough hoods outside of DC
yeah always try to get the projects as well as reg blocks in any city u go to. gotta get both sides of the hood
Thats my home town. Im glad im somewear eles.
Well, I lived there for a time. I was glad to get out. But .... some of the most famous people were born and raised there. World famous musician,Miles Davis, Dancer /actress Katharine Dunham, Olympic athletes Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Hollywood film producers the Hudlin brothers, actress of Sanford and Son fame,
basketball players Darius Miles, Brian Cox, Alphonso Ellis,
Carmen Munoz that’s the beauty of my black brothers and sisters. In the face of insurmountable odds, so much beauty and excellence has and will continue to come from the darkest places. One love
Good place to get tater tots
Forgot NELLY hahaha
Cedric da entertainer
Miles Davis was born in Alton, Illinois, not East St. Louis.
My first job off the farm was doing deliveries in east st.louis Washington part and state park till 1am... sometimes i miss it.
What day of the week was this and what time of day?
Time doesnt exist here
“ST LOUIS NIGGAS WANT THEY CORNER BACC”
Ice cube
😂
Trouble was right there on that corner staring @charlie
Praying for E.St. Louis... Its not the City . Its the people..that's the problem.
Terry Starks
The people is lovely. It is the Politicians. The people are commoners. Please do not blame this on the citizenry.☑️
I grow up in Cleveland and it amaze me to see what i grow up in. But got to love ur hometown.
We drove through St. Louis to go to the Dakotas in 2019. We felt more unsafe going through Sioux City, Iowa than we did St. Louis.
Born and raised in Chicago and have been to the roughest neighborhoods here on the Southside and Westside. That said, I got lost in East St.Louis at night around twenty years ago and can honestly say that hood was far more scary than Chicago's. Thankfully I found my way out of there but man I was scared...
I'm from Milwaukee and have been to; what I thought were the worst neighborhoods, and 2 months ago my daughter graduated from boot camp down in Oklahoma. Naturally I had to drive home and I went through st Louis & east st Louis at like 2am.. As I was going over the bridge from st. Louis downtown area to east st.louis I couldn't really see as NO LIGHTS were on... Found out real quick that I was in a 3rd world country! That place was on another level of "what the f*CK"!
5:25 when youre gangster af but still live at home and mom dont let you smoke inside
stdfreesteve or when you’re trying to survive and still have enough respect to not smoke inside
Im from Texas but I lived in east st Louis on 15th and Cleveland and 37th and Waverly. Real gang battlefield shit. Learned a lot...
That's a scary fkin place. It's even scarier at night. It's quiet but you know they're watching you
East St. Louis has a story similar to many other small cities throughout the U.S.
Booming into the mid 20th century. Jobs, culture, low crime and a thriving working class.
Then the industry leaves, most likely moving overseas.
Then the working class leaves, seeking opportunity elsewhere.
This is what's left.
This is not a political commentary, just my observation.
@Xftbllplyr fair enough
I live near toronto canada and I've been to Detroit and Buffalo. I thought that was ghetto until I saw your videos. So crazy just crossing the border everything changed even how dark everything looked. Hard to understand how places get like this.
simonriddick, the government has a hand in it!
Believe it or not, this city is a GOLD MINE because of the land/property!
Politicians from other cities are trying to get their hands on it!
If only the politicians in ESTL could get it together and work on one accord to treat this city like the land of milk and honey......that it can become.
Tommie Brooks,
I want to believe your conspiracy story, and it's not that outlandish especially when you read the editorials in the Belleville Democrat that has done everything to kill any chance the city has to revitalize from a Busch Gardens Zoo proposal, to a central transportation terminal to Big 3 boneyard for new cars moving to dealerships to a Reading Terminal-type market . this list goes on.
The only problem I see is with the conspiracy theory is what will the politicians and white men get , except a riverfront which overlooks STL, a true working dock that's falling apart. There are no pristine views worth paying millions for until you spend millions to clean-up Cargill, Front Street and the old horse stockyards. Going south you run into the old Power plant, so that riverfront is no bargain at any price.
simonriddick Check out Keele Finch Colony in Toronto aka little Sudan. But don't go at night. It's gunfire time. Or check Flemmington Park or Thorncliffe. US style shit holes in Toronto that u never hear about cuz whitey stays away. Lol!
Looks like your typical city/town in northern ontario just add your french canadians and natives all broke selling crack for income
@@tommiebrooks8573 You're absolutely right, government has a HUGE hand in it. Spiritual warfare my friend, it's purposely don't to blacks and other minorities in America, but that's about to change real soon ..
This is sad 😭 how a lot of our black people choose to live like this