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The famous phrase, “spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way” was coined by the late, great Notorious BIG, but author/filmmaker/director Nelson George proves the statement to be true in his latest film, Brooklyn Boheme.

In the documentary, co-directed by Diane Paragas, the Brooklynite explores the creative past of Brooklyn’s newly trendy Fort Green and the neighboring Clinton Hill.

We take a journey back into time with Chris Rock, Talib Kweli, Rosie Perez, poet Saul Williams, Toure, the very compelling Spike Lee and we even caught a glimpse of our very own Russell Simmons.

The Brooklynites sit back and reminisce on Wesley Snipes’ infamous house parties, the eruption of spoken word, their favorite spots to eat and more.

We got a chance to catch up with Nelson at the first screening of Brooklyn Boheme and we learned about his thoughts on gentrification, his fave places to eat in Brooklyn and just why he’ll stay true to his Brooklyn roots.

GlobalGrind: What is the story behind your love affair with Brooklyn?

Nelson George: Well I’ve grown up there my whole life, it’s where I’m from. It’s been amazing, it’s nurtured me, it has evolved so much over the last 15 years, than probably in the last 20, 25. It has become a hip area. When I grew up in Brooklyn, white people were running away from Brooklyn as fast as they could go and then this change happened. It started with Williamsburg in a way, making Brooklyn hip for white people again and now it’s spread out to that whole part of Brooklyn. I mean Bushwick, people go to Bushwick to hang out. What?!

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What are some of your favorite places to go eat and hang out in Brooklyn that you’d recommend?

I’d go to Juniors and get a piece of chocolate cheesecake. I’m good with that. Williamsburg is really nice, the Brooklyn Bowl I like, great place to bowl, great blue ribbon fried chicken and I like Roberta’s. Roberta’s Pizza is an amazing spot. Saraghina, that’s another pizza shop. These are spots that didn’t exist two years ago. Saraghina has some of the best pizza in New York. Beyonce and Jay are in there Sunday night, you’ll always see them in there.

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With all the changes happening in Fort Green, have you ever contemplated picking up and leaving?

I’ve contemplated moving out a lot in the last couple of years, because I felt very disconnected. However I’ve turned the corner on this and I’ve gone back to the fact that I’ve lived in Brooklyn my whole life. I’m 54 and I remember when there were only white people, out at Fulton Mall, there was mostly only white people. Now there’s mostly Black people and now probably really soon, it’s going to be mostly white people again. This is the nature of New York. The neighborhoods I grew up in, in Brownsville, I’ve read all the books about it being a Jewish ghetto. New York is about change. To a lot of people from Fort Green who grew up in Fort Green I’m a “gentrifier.”

When we came in, in ’85, we were gentrifying to a lot of locals there. It’s where you enter the picture. I have to take it in a long view at this point. Being mad about this or that, is not stopping history. Either I participate in history or I’ll be run over by history. So my idea is to embrace the Brooklyn that is here, try to work with the Brooklyn that is here and hopefully do more work.

You can catch Brooklyn Boheme at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, April 18 – 29.