I Drove Through The WORST Neighborhood in North Carolina. This Is What I Saw.
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Wow! This neighborhood looks like it belongs in another country!
For this video, I took Route 11 into rural Lenoir County in North Carolina. My goal would be to visit the absolute worst neighborhood in the entire state. I’ve never done that before - typically, I visit the worst area in a city, but when I read a report about a neighborhood in the city of Kinston, I had to see it firsthand. The day was Saturday, December 19, 2020 at 1 in the afternoon.
A while back, the University of North Carolina’s Center for Urban Studies issued a report on the most distressed communities in the whole state. Two of them were in East Kinston, a smallish city of 20,000 people way out in the sticks, surrounded by forest and farmland. The report highlighted a part of town on Kinston’s east side, an area that has more poverty and blight than any other tract in the state.
Here it is.
Kinston ranks in the top five in this state for both crime and poverty. The bottom 99% of folks here make under $29,000 a year. Like many other smaller communities in eastern North Carolina, Kinston was a booming textile and tobacco hub. But factories shut down, and farmers moved to mechanization, meaning lots of folks were out of jobs. In the 1950s, this place was jamming, full of middle class families which shopped in higher end department stores. Other eastern North Carolina communities have kind of held it together. But Kinston is on another level. Buildings that have been crumbling for years remain the same. People are leaving, and there’s hardly anyone to replace them. Would you want to live here yourself?
A typical home in this hugely depressed neighborhood sells for about $30,000. There aren’t very many homes for sale in this part of town though. It would be hard to envision anyone outside of an investor buying one and renting it out. This is certainly not a good place to raise a family.
Kinston was founded in 1791, but most of its troubles have been in the last 60 years. Recurring floods, economic devastation, rampant gang violence. Its biggest claim to fame is that it turns out more NBA talent than any other small community in the country. For many people in this impoverished neighborhood, basketball is the only way they think they can make it in this world.
Now, the city of Kinston has applied for several planning grants to help improve this particular neighborhood. But, council hasn’t been able to get the funds needed to improve homes, build new affordable units, and tear down abandoned houses, which would give this part of town a much-needed boost. They figure throwing money at the problem will solve the crime, and the drug use and the poverty. There have been quite a few NBA players raised in this very part of town - men like Brandon Ingram and Jerry Stackhouse. NBA players from Kinston are worth hundreds of millions of dollars, but the community is left to rot. Where is their money? Where is their support? I mean the city can’t even get $50k to knock buildings down.
In many parts of this neighborhood, you’ll see large areas where homes used to exist, but are no longer here. You’ll see large stretches of blocks where homes are completely abandoned. Many of the homes that are occupied are in bad shape. Several housing projects serve as this neighborhood's center gathering point.
Here’s the rest of a neighborhood in East Kinston, the absolute worst place in the state of North Carolina.
#northcarolina #neighborhoods
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The best video on this topic!
When I see a poor area that's clean, I think these people still have self-respect. The value their neighborhood and think "it may not be much but it's all we got". They have hope.
Exactly Rabbit,I just posted a comment in the same manner.People over there have nothing to be ashamed of.Cheers from down under😊🍻
Look peaceful and quiet, abandoned city, better than gang infection. Lord's blessing.
I with you Rabbit.
I grew up in New York City and when I saw the neighborhood, the first thing came to mind is omg, the place is so clean and peaceful.
@@lornadoonefash2237 I grew up near NYC on Long Island. In the 1950s (I'm old) if you traveled through poor NYC neighborhoods they were often clean. Something changed in the the late 1960s. Was it the MLK assignation riots or the breakdown on the family? I'll leave that to the Sociologists. But there defiantly was a decrease in self-respect by the inhabitants of those communities.
Was just in Kinston yesterday. It is a poor town but honestly some of the best down-to-earth humble and gracious people though...
Agreed Amy.
My Fiancé is from Kinston. He knows all things Kinston.
I agree. Born and raised in NC, and pass through Kinston several times a year on my way to the coast. It's always a stopping point. The people there are friendly, and I've never felt anything but welcome. Growing up on the NE side of Greensboro, not much in this video looks like a bad neighborhood to me. Just a neighborhood. Guess it's all relative.
Exactly
The thing about kinston is that a majority of it is a really good town. The other part of it just happens to have one of the highest crime rates in the state. I regularly go to Kinston but in my experience, the only safe places are on the outside of Kinston and near the courthouse. Where all the businesses are. Everywhere else seems so dangerous.
I’ve lived in NC my whole life. I’ve only been thru Kinston a handful of times. Had no idea this was supposed to be the worst city in NC!! I’ve seen worse neighborhoods in my city of Fayetteville!!
I was thinking "For the worst it doesn't seem that bad." Not great but it seems pretty quiet.
That’s a fact I’ve been to kinston a few times I’d say it’s worse in places like lumberton and Henderson
As an Englishman I would happily walk through this place....
That is for sure. I spent a year living in Bonnie Doone. Met some of the worst people and the best people I have ever met in this city while living there, Any neighborhood is a mixed bag. Even some of the ones that look great on the surface.
Yeah I didn't see anyone outside side shooting dice , smokin,chilling , gang banging this ain't that bad
I live in Kinston, and of course we have our lower income areas, like any city. We have also been flooded three times in the past 20 years with devastating effects to some areas. If the area looks abandoned and destroyed, it probably is. Not by people, but due to major, catastrophic flooding. There are some things to dislike about our area, but to come and take a tiny slice of it and call it the worst, without showing the rest is kind of sad and misleading. He drove through former flooded areas where people were unable to return to their homes. He also drove past empty lots and didn't mention that an abandoned house had been there but torn down, nor did he show the small park areas the city has made where abandoned homes used to be. As for the myriad of famous ball players from our area, many come back and help in different ways through their own charities and by giving to those less fortunate. Apparently he didn't do his research well. Every city or town has areas that are low income and need a lot of attention, but there is so much more to this area than what he showed.
💯💯💯
Right. He Lame for that.. Ride to Northeast Kinston or through the whole city.. He definitely had a motive with this one
Thanks for explaining it. It makes sense now
Kinston is actually way worse than the area he showed. Take a drive down the Magic Mile all the way to the Neuse rv. bridge and you'll see the worst city in NC.
Thank you. I have family there and have visited. It was no better or worse than many places. As for the people I encountered, they were warm, friendly and gracious.
That's a bad neighborhood? No graffiti nicely mowed lawns...what am I missing?😳
Maybe the serial killers hobby is gardening..?
Can't compare to parts of Memphis, Detroit, or South Central in L.A. Now THOSE places are truly run down.
The people seem to be missing.
Exactly, I have lived in much worse.
This is an upmarket privileged neighbourhood.....its just a case of sensationalism....
The saddest thing to me (or maybe the most hopeful) is to see the houses that are well-kept in the midst of everything. When I saw those, I thought, "Somebody's Grandma is living in the middle of all that."
My grandparents lived like that in Gary, IN until they died. Many years later, there was a murder in the house and the body was buried in the back yard.
@@jlpack62 😲😱
@@jlpack62 It's just a selling piece now. Adds character to the house
@@jlpack62 dope story bro
It does look peaceful and quiet no homeless roaming around and I do believe these is not the worst neighborhood Ive seen so far,just take a look at some part of Los Angeles especially downtown,Alameda area and part of Seattle and San Francisco and you will be amazed with the condition there now.Same thing in Kensington,PA.I grow up in the Philippines way down south of the Island but boy if you compare these to the impoverish area in my former country these place is still blessed.The current President of the Republic( Phippines) is doing something about this to uplift the living condition of the poor people and some of the opposing party which is a Liberal party which I compared them to be a Democrat is trying to put a negative image of the current President because of what he's doing in the country now.
Im from California and seeing this city; how its not congested, no homeless and peaceful yet its just rundown and flat really shows how bad our ghettos out here in the west coast are, because this doesn't even look bad.
It’s not bad...it’s just poor! Every town in America has a area where crime drugs and gang activities exist...let’s be honest! Majority of folks here are awesome hardworking and honest...just poor! Thanks To our government for sending all the factory jobs out of the country! 💖🙏🏻
@@donnamays24 Yes!!👏👏👏 That part!😉
@@donnamays24 It was the choice of the companies to move manufacturing out of our country. To make the goods more cheaply. Americans chose this situation by choosing to buy cheap goods. The gov't has nothing to do with it.
@@annabernstein9848 NAFTA started the beginning of the end for manufacturing jobs in the south...until that was put in place it was NOT cost effective for the businesses to go outside of the US...so yes...the government caused the major factory shutdowns.
@@donnamays24 Thanks for correcting me, Donna. I totally forgot about NAFTA - obviously. I appreciate your instruction. :)
I’m the Father of an NBA player from Kinston and here is my status on this video.First of all as an outsider coming in interview people and get your research right before you cast judgment.Research show that 1 NBA player renovated a gym investing (90k),Donated (25k) to hurricane Mathew Victims,Donated (25k) to homeless Mary’s Kitchen,donated (20k) to Mentoring program,donated (85k worth of shoes) to Lenoir healthcare workers,donates (65k to Kinston high athletic program yearly in apparel),donated 1,000 bookbags ,shoe’s and teachers supplies yearly to all Lenoir co schools.No one matches what we do and the Ingram’s never complain.One man cannot do it alone so please get your facts right before you report!!!
Donald - good, I'm glad Brandon has given back. Did you say he 'invested' in a gym? Does that count as 'donating?' In any case, he should see this and encourage his NBA pals to chip in extra cause his home town is now the feature of a sad expose about what's wrong with eastern NC towns these days. What are you doing sir to help? Do you live there? I'm sure you have cash to help too?
Way to go, Mr. Ingram. We know the young people appreciate what he’s done for Kinston. One man can’t do it alone. Plus there’s people who live “out in the county” making decisions that have a negative impact on the people in the city. The city needs more jobs to give the young people something to look forward to. I’m a KHS alumnus myself (Stackhouse-era) son I’ve seen the good and bad there.
Can a single white women walk thru your town Hell NO!!!!
This is the cleanest rundown neighborhood I've ever seen.
Thanks that just the flood zone area of our city of 20,000 people..
I agree. Some of the homes could use some paint but other than that it isn't bad.
20:05 that car parked on the side walk and right at the pole
Yes, that's true, I agree. U can go to other cities and towns, even the mega-cities like New York City, Chicago, Philly, Los Angeles, Dallas TX, Atlanta GA, Detroit Mi, New Orleans La, etc and see hoods that are absolute nightmarish garbage and look even worse than this.
Moving back to Kinston from California next month. I still have family there. My husband and I hope to make a positive economic change by going back.
Hi Denise. Thinking about opening a textile factory? Or maybe a...?
My Grandparents lived there for decades. They lived in one of the oldest homes in Kinston. I spent allot of summers in Kinston during the late 60s and early 70s. My GrandDaddy ran the two kovie theaters in downtown. The was a large shirt factory there years ago.
Your grandpa sounds like he was awesome Duncan!
Cool history Duncan
My grandparents are Kinstonians (Mr and Mrs Charlie G. Wade ll) They live on Oak St. I spent many a summer down there helping my Grand daddy fix up qold homes and mowing grass. I loved it down there.
@@anthonypatterson5318 LP
my mom used to work at the shirt factory you are talking about i think, she lost her hearing from how loud it was
I was born and raised in kinston, it was never this bad we had clubs and downtown shops the mall was packed and jobs was good. We had things to do and military men would use their weekend pass to stop in. Now as a mother of two I had to make the tough choice to leave behind friends and family to make a better life for us. This video high lites how bad our town has gotten. It saddens me that this once popular town has turned into this. I am not ashamed of being from kinston it has given me the skills and mind set I have today.
GOD BLESS THE PEOPLE LEFT LIVING HERE. REALLY BURDENS MY HEART AND BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES. I MYSELF AM FROM WESTERN N. C. I HATE KNOWING THERE'S GOOD PEOPLE ALL OVER OUR STATE, AND USA THAT ARE VICTIMS OF POVERTY, CRIME AND VIOLENCE. I WILL SAY A PRAYER FOR THOSE LEFT BEHIND IN PLACES LIKE THIS.
M. A. N N. C.
@@calliebrewer1719 yes I agree I still miss that place thank you for your kind words
He drove through the Southeast side of Kinston that was de devastated by Hurricane Floyd and was never repaired from being in a flood zone.. He never went to the Northeast side which part of Eastern Kinston.. People funny..
@@emarcosplash7734 My thoughts too! Literally, this is like 4-5 streets he kept driving through. No one is going to spend $ to build more there because it's FLOOD ZONE. Kinston has gotten much better overall though.... Not everyone is wealthy but K town isn't even so bad. wtf, this guy. 😂
That’s the problem is when things get difficult everyone leaves. This is the result in government.
From what can be seen on this vid,no litter,no rusting car wrecks and farm equipment or junked appliances on the yards,most of the inhabited houses looked nice and well-kept.Maybe people over there aren't exactly well off but at least they do their best.That's my impression.Greets from down under😊👍
A lot of people in Kinston commute to either Jacksonville or Greeneville . It’s not that there bums it’s just that there’s nothing to do for work .
Totally agree you make due with what you got.
Living in the UK, I agree. The place has a kind of beauty about it, lots of trees and green space. The people may be poor but they seem to look after their places the best they can.
This is actually not a bad video. There are worse places in NC that resemble walking thru Newark NJ where houses are not abandoned but look like it and garbage is everywhere.
1:31 - My guess would be that this part of the video shows the black people part of the town. LOL
Communities are a living thing, without nourishment they will die.
community is literally an abbreviation of common unity...something that connects people through unity...when you consistently stress diversity, you stress the opposite of unity...
@@fuwasicong930 are you advocating against diversity?
@@fuwasicong930 you had me at the first half, not gonna lie
Why would someone who becomes successful and is a former resident of Kinston be obligated to share their wealth with the people of Kinston?
I grew up in Kinston and agree that it has poor areas, but also has nicer areas. I wish the video noted that this part of town has been flooded from hurricanes several times in the past 15 years. . In spite of that, the residents are doing their best to keep the neighborhood clean and well kept and people try to help each other.
Nicer, where exactly? everything they do benefits one race
The houses need some painting.
@@crand20033 slum lords don't paint
@@kennethhudson8013 Not when they know the hurricanes and floods will be back soon.
@@crand20033 yeah well ,my theory is they are geo engineered
That town missed out on a lot of revenue. The driver of the vehicle rolled through numerous STOP signs. They also occasionally thought they were in a country that drives on the left.
Yes they did💪
If you have been here you outdo not stop either!!
Would not stop
2021 A NEW WORLD HAS ARISEN. THE DE FUNDED POLICE ARE NO LONGER IN CHARGE. THE JOBS ARE GONE FOR EVER . SOUNDS LIKE A OPENING TO A MOVIE?
I noticed this too..I think he stopped fully when a vehicle was crossing...blew the rest with no regard for anyone's safety
Nice video Nick. I actually grew up in this place. The problem I see with Kinston compared to similar Eastern NC towns is that when the textile and tobacco industry left, Kinston had nothing to offer, no strong industries to drive the economy. Nearby Greenville had ECU, Goldsboro and Jacksonville a military base, New Bern near the coast, but Kinston is just...Kinston. It was already in decline before Floyd in 1999 but that just hastened what was already in motion. Though it was a little better and safer in the 90s compared to now It's the kind of place that you don't want to come back to once you leave. No opportunities, no entertainment to keep young people. I don't blame the athletes for not going back.
On the bright side, the guy who owns the Mother Earth Brewery downtown seems to be making some progress in that part of town.
Heyyyyy Friennndddddd
deals with China in the 70s --- wrecked us up north too in the rust belt, so sorry!
@@RawOlympia Blame, blame and more blame.
@@spacedandy7555 yes?... there are reasons bad things happen to areas. Whats your solution?
I agree I live i greenville and work in kinston. Greenville is getting bigger with all new building put up , 2008 also hurt kinston..I love kinston hope it can regain it back what it was
This must’ve been a Sunday morning while everyone was still at church.
Saturday at 1 pm...per the description. Little evidence of habitation. Eerie.
I never been to Kinston, but Rocky Mount is pretty rough too!
Tuesday morning when they're all asleep not at work.
Also consider this was in December, once the temperature starts dropping people don't want to be outside. May see more people outside on porch or in yard during warm months
@@bparrish517 You don’t walk around outside in Kinston. That’s why you didn’t see many people out, you run a high risk or getting shot or robbed walking around in broad daylight.
A lot of Lexington and High Point look just like this. I'm convinced that if jobs that paid a living wage came back to these areas that generations of lives could be saved from crime, drugs, and poverty.
You roll through some pretty rough looking places, Nick. Stay safe out there.
What jobs would come back ? Why would they come back to a neighborhood where people have no money to spend? Have you listened to Andrew yang speeches?
@@nicholi8208 NC used to have manufacturing jobs and textiles and those jobs left. Yes, I've listened to Andrew Yang. As someone in the field of social work, I'm not convinced that just giving people UBI is going to fix the problems that places like Kinston have. It could help but people need something productive to do like a job to go to every day where they can contribute to their community and earn their income.
I've seen the outcome of people just being given money when I worked in an urban inner city area. A lot of times that money went to drugs because there were no jobs to go to and nothing else to do.
I have no problem with Yang, but I don't think he has all the answers either.
Automation is killing most of these jobs, unfortunately. Given the growth of our population, we must be producing more agricultural output than ever but we have fewer people working in agriculture. That's all due to mechanization. The same thing happened to manufacturing. Even outsourcing jobs was spurred by automation because companies couldn't hire Americans and produce goods as cheaply as their competitors who automated. I'm in finance and it's finally happening to us too. Software is compressing three accounting jobs down to one. You can't stop progress but our problems are only going to get bigger if we don't figure out how to keep people employed.
Tough places require tough men not sisified UA-cam influencers. God bless these communities that suffer so. Hatred is not the answer, But Love. Where is the Love? To the reader; Don't show how weak you are by hating. Instead be strong, silent, and filled with LOVE. Choose kindness. Overcome evil with GOODNESS. Its really not that hard. Choose kindness not sissy fear.
@@Simbecile Bless you
Very sad, but the loss of textile factories and the fall of tobacco effected many communities in both NC & VA. My father had several family members who worked in the textile factories in Halifax Co VA, most just retired and raised much of their food on their small farms. My father left rural VA for Richmond after graduation from high school and never looked back. He disliked tobacco farming so much that he never let any of his children even visit one of his relatives farms during the summer.
Dang!
@Rhizosphere after they joined wto in 02 most jobs went there now it's Vietnam. Next will be India, Mexico, bangladesh, Cambodia. Afterwards whole Africa. You know a strange thing all of these is already done by Chinese companies they're moving their production to Vietnam, Cambodia and Africa. They know what future will be
All done by Natalie, my friend on texiles
@@ShubhamMishrabro and they know how to spread totalitarianism
Im from philippines we live in kinstons nc.. so sad i found that this is the worst place..
But base on my experience as an asian and a delivery driver on 🍕 .. people in kinston are nice and respecful.. this whole place in the video i used to deliver a pizza here and they are nice people☹️☹️☹️
glenn?¿
Being a NBA star does not make you responsible for the upkeep of the entire township you grew up in...THAT is on those still living there and trust me when I say, that tiny town looked like that YEARS before you videoed. I used to live near the USMC base, there are many areas in NC just like Kinston. Sad to say, but I would have left too and brought family and loved ones with me if my athletic talents got me a way out with an obscene income and I would have never felt compelled to look back.
These celebrities do NOTHING for their communities or people - they move to the affluent areas and gripe about whitey.
That true but still they were once poor helping out wouldn't hurt there pocket
Yeah BI cant do it all himself. He was just back last summer giving supplies to the nurses but he's still 1 man
Yeah but so many citizens supported those athletes and many made serious sacrifices to do it. Even going to their high school games wasn’t free, not to mention giving up their personal time to get out and support them. And going to cheer them on for college games is really expensive! So no, there is no legal obligation to help, but morally I think it would be the right thing to do. Look at all Michael Jordon has done for his hometown!
No but they could at least help alittle bit
At least they have a roof over their heads.... this would be paradise for the homeless
I know Mike
I've seen worse blight in Phoenix, Az. Besides, when your Federal Government allows all industry to leave the country, this is what happens.
But if the federal government got involved with a business' choice of where to manufacture, wouldn't that be....socialism? Think about it. The gov't has nothing to do with that decision.
@@annabernstein9848 you are wrong! The government had everything to do with it! Research NAFTA
@@annabernstein9848 Government should not be involved in telling business's where to locate but they should incentivise business to relocate of their own free will, that is whole lot different from Socialism. you need strong manufacturing business and good law enforcement and everything will sort it self out from there.
Don't off shore all the good work to line some other countries coffers.
Most all other countries governments, don't allow it's countries successful businesses to move to cheaper foreign manufacturing sites, just so the owners can make more of a profit. They'll slap high tariffs on them to discourage the practice.
Be careful even daylight doesnt protect you in the worst places.
It's odd how not many people are seen in the video when cruising around a neighborhood.
Your so right
I absolutely LOVE your vids! The only thing that’s killing me are the rolling stops. The camera really puts it into perspective at every stop sign. In the most light hearted way possible, I just want to say please make complete stops. Don’t want you getting pulled over for something so simple. Better safe than sorry, sir! Keep up the amazing work, though! Good and positive vibes from the middle of the mitten!😎🤙🏻
Love ❤️ those California rolls!
The problem with the Stop signs is that they should be Yield Signs!! No One to be Stopping for!
Yeah, "California stops" are illegal in NC, lol. Shit...
Thank you for posting. I drove from Raleigh to the Emerald Island this weekend on 70 (thru Kinston) and came back on 24 (thru Jacksonville). There are plenty of small depressed towns along the way just like this.
Emerald Isle is where I stay
The big problem that appears in many communities is that years ago successful people reinvested in their community. Now the successful people like sports and rap stars make no investment other than toys for themselves.
What a careless take.
This looks like paradise compared to the rough areas in California
@rishi pael Truth. If this scares you, don't live in or visit a hood in L.A., Detroit, either. This is practically middle class compared to those places.
This looks like a rural area of some parts of the Central Valley in California.
Lol we’ve seen California hoods don’t look much worse the projects are the projects
It’s a fact poor in Cali is middle class in the south
Y’all low income salaries are higher than ours 🤷🏿♂️
If y’all
Dang, how do you improve places like this? You can spend all the money you want, but it's not just the money that matters, it's how it's used too.
Low wages leads to crime. Then crime causes all the nice people to leave. Then the people left turn to crime. Self repeating pattern
@@kateyez7186 shipping jobs offshore to China really helps too
I've lived in NC all my life, 15 minutes from Kinston, always going through it, it isn't as bad as everyone thinks.
This is a mischaracterization of the town of Kinston. I understand this is just one neighborhood in kinston..
but Kinston has a wonderfully charming downtown, world famous restaurant, great brewery, and an art and music district. I was involved in a redevelopment effort, Turning an abandoned bus stop into a church community center and it is true Kinston is extremely depressed and impoverished but a wonderful community within!!
Ride through at night
Looked a little sad. I just get the feeling that there are really good prople there. Thank you for the tour!
I work with some of them, and they are hard workers. Every neighborhood has good people.
Where are them why nobody is randomly walking
@@dpeboyonplug1762 Because you run this risk of getting shot or robbed while walking around, even at 9am in the morning.
@@cdula26 damn
@@dpeboyonplug1762 last year a woman was sitting in her car at a stoplight around 10am and a dude ran up on her and set her on fire. Shit is crazy
So 2 players are supposed to put the town on their back when there are families who achieved generational wealth in that town but probably aren't doing anything to help?
Steven and Tyler Hill both are a goddamn joke.
Unfortunately I think every City and State have areas such as this one. When you finally come back to Baltimore MD you'll see Nick. Make sure that you and Mappy are packing heat. LOL!!!!
This is nothing compared to Philadelphia PA and Camden NJ, you're lucky you can even drive through those places.
No way. When my wife and I would spend a week at the shore in SC we would intentionally return home to PA on all the backroads. Our goal was to show our 2 kids how so many lived in poverty and how they were lucky. The places we saw on those drives were far worse than any place in this video. There was no garbage strewn in the streets nor buildings burned out or in total disrepair. The streets and yards were totally clean. Statistics don't always tell the full story.
Did you go to the projects and see baby moma and her 5 kids? Living off our dime?
It looks like a good and peaceful and neat area.. 😊
Most places do, until the freaks come out at night :)
I imagine those NBA players have probably moved their parents out of the area and everyone is living somewhere else. They know they have a target on their. They can't stay here. No reason to stay in an area where you have to constantly take a look behind you.
And.... the NBA players maybe have donated money to projects, then, might have been disappointed with what was done with their donations. "That" happens too often.
@@raallen1468 Corruption is real
Wrong
Jerry Stackhouse helps out this town all the time. Quinton Coples has had a Thanksgiving turkey dinner giveaway for thousands of people over the years, every year for many years. They come back, they donate their time and money.
They do help and many of their families live here still. It’s not their full time job to help their hometown.
I was born n raised in this neighborhood, i didn't know it was that bad until i moved away, and seen how everybody else was living for a long time i thought this was normal
I finally got a notification for your video! Sometimes it notifies me and sometimes it doesn’t. Be safe on these travels to the worst neighborhoods. Lock your vehicle’s doors and maybe bring Mappy along for added protection! 😊
Mappy was too scared to go.
I think Mappy talks a big game but if Nick got into a scrap I think Mappy would run off and leave Nick in the hood to fend for himself. Afterall, Mappy has a wife and kids to think of so I guess you couldn't really blame him much.
@@mlynn2161
Yes, and Mappy might start his own channel soon, hopefully 👊🙂👍
Mappy & His trusty pistola 😁😁😁
Or better yet, Glock.
The soundtrack is so relaxing.
This is so sad. I have walked thru downtown Kinston and I drive an insane distance to patronize the Whiskey Pig Butchery and their lunch specials. You can see that there is so much potential in the area. I have run into such friendly folks in Lenoir County, really humble and down home. NC has sadly abandoned East Kinston in terms of council representation.
What's the answer then?
@@NickJohnson I’m not in govt., and this isn’t a simple answer that can be stated on a mere YT comment. It’s not about government aid or handouts or charity, but it does involve new ways of thinking, I think on behalf of local govt., community leaders. It involves fighting crime, community involvement, increased and better education programs. It involves bringing more business to the area, small and large businesses, yet you can’t if an area is crime ridden. basketball can’t be the only way out of this.
Ask the people in Kinston for the answer.
This is what I have to say about this, this is based of stats that it is the worst place in NC. I have never been to Kingston, however I saw no absolutely nothing in this video that depicts that. I have been in cities suffering from plight and crime like Baltimore Md, Camden NJ where there are drug addicts that are resemble zombies as they are lethargically moving about in seemingly slow motion in barely able to stand.
There are areas of Fayetteville, Greensboro, Durham that are visible distress. When you drive through these areas, you are instantly know and feel it would not be safe area to be at night. I just did not get that same feel looking at your video. I am not knocking your posting or even trying to disagree with you, and I thank you for the insight and making this video. But it just does not look that bad to me.
A woman riding her wheel chair down the sidewalk got robbed and set on fire in broad daylight a few months back. Another lady was beaten with a baseball bat and robbed, in broad daylight. This place is a shithole with a higher crime rate per capita than Chicago.
I grew up in Kinston and watched NAFTA destroy the textile industry. Also, even back then wages were terrible. This was caused in part by Felix Harvey (family owned tractor dealerships during depression) and family owning everything, fuel industry, produce farms, Coca Cola, NC natural gas, etc. These businesses would keep wages at minimum wage. Other business only located there to take advantage of these factors. Just look at the airport deal and the hundreds of millions that went into the paperwork of the firm owned by the Harvey's and nothing was ever built. I believe I have said enough. Glad I got away from there many years ago, but still know a lot of good people from Kinston.
As you drove thru the community I saw many homes that while, tattered and worn, are maintained to the best economic level of the owners. A few were not but, it must be remembered that a neighborhood is not judged by its worst properties but by the people who live in them. I looks to me like a vast majority of these people are trying. True, I have never been to this community and also true that it faces many challenges both past and present but I salute those still fighting to maintain it. Shame on you for the title of this posting...Barry, Marilyn's husband
We had a lot of homes flooded in Kinston from the last few Hurricanes too, so some areas look really bad. There is a certain area in Kinston that people know not to go to. But, most of the people in Kinston are pretty decent people who just work to provide for their families and stay out of trouble. Kinston has really done great with restoring the historic part of Kinston.
Yeah im from kinston I stay right behind kinston high school on greenmead
@@aaronwilliams5012 My granddad used to live near there. He lived on Larkspur.
Yeah i familiar with that place I moved up The Virginian
I find it sad that the Democratic Party goal is to keep people in project type housing instead of doing some community education about good paying jobs in the trades. We have a massive shortage in all trades such as hvac construction etc. They would rather tax business to death and build high densely housing to house the poor and then hand the basic needs for them to live. Start going to the communities and show the hoy to better them selfs instead of living off the government and state. This is not just mention for North Carolina only it is all over America
You need to take a better look at Democratic party policies and stop believing all the right wing hype,
@@southernhippie9058 Democrats have been in control of Kinston for the past 100 plus years! What's the excuse for this city since the Democrats seem to have the best plan??
@@Metalmike47 there are plenty of shitty republican controlled cities and counties you know.. there are good towns and there are bad towns ..both parties suck, politicians suck.. that's life, and you would do yourself a favor to stop picking one side over another because that does nothing to help
This whole right wing left wing bs, 2 sides of the same coin both cults.
What’s one thing that Democrat run states and counties have in common? Poverty, homeless, unattainable cost of living, drug problems, high crime, welfare.
I sure am glad that you drove through early in the morning. I work in a store on that side of town on the evening shift. A whole different world at night. I have got to be honest, I am a little bit surprised that someone didn't see you filming and take a pot shot at you.
Right I said the same thang he luccy 😭😭😭😭
He probably has a dashcam that isn’t obvious or visible, especially while just driving by
Dude one word kings...some of the best damn bbq on earth
Not best bbq best fried chicken skylight inn in ayden has best bbq
Nah it's Mike's Barbecue!!!
Ive been wanting to check out the annual BBQ festival for a few years now, maybe I'll check out the next one.
Exactly ‼️
I live in Kinston NC moved here in 2016 from southern Maryland omg it was a shock! Run down city old only thing keeping me here is affordable housing apt living
Come to Davidson NC, nice good neighborhoods and cheap.
Worth hundreds of millions but are greedy and think they will take it with them . poor souls
About 20 years ago I bought my very first house in Youngstown Ohio for $17k. The house needed a ton of work and was in a neighborhood of rentals owned by a local slum lord. Youngstown was in a financial rut because all the steel plants closed up and the automotive manufacturing was on the decline. That is why I was able to get the house so cheap. Honestly, I had just gone through a divorce that left me with mounds of debts compiled by my ex. I was broke and it was all I could afford, but it was cheaper than renting and helped get me back on track financially.
Thing is, there is a huge difference between neighborhoods that are rough and neighborhoods that are poor. Youngstown was poor, but people still did their best to keep their property up as best they could. The neighbors were friendly and helped out any way they could. Yes there was crime, but if you weren't participating in it, you could easily avoid trouble. Property crime was rare, unless you were dumb enough to leave your brand new lexus parked on the road.
Kinston reminds me of how Youngstown was back then... but it sounds like a series of natural disasters has kept it down. Thats a shame. If I was a youngen who didn't make much, I would consider buying a house there. In a time where similar size houses in other areas of NC are selling for half a million dollars, buying property there is a cheap way to get out of the rental scam and start accumulating wealth.
I currently live in Statesville NC and bought my home at $325k we don’t really care for it here so been looking all over the place and this is one of those places. From land to home size I would more than triple my current by buying here.
At 23:07 during the video you came up on my home from 1954, the old Parrot Hospital was across the street. At 23:08, 23:09 you come upon what old people called the Chicken Row houses, build back in the early 1900. My mother was raised here in this vicinity, further down would be the home of my great grandparents.
Nice!
It looks like many other cities throughout the US but lets send a robot to Mars costing God knows how much.
Science is what made us great in the first place and gave us so many advantages. We develop a lot of technology that we use every day through our NASA programs.
I agree! Spending just a fraction of the money on improving infrastructure and incentives for businesses would go miles in improving every oppressed city in our Nation!
It’s not the NBA players jobs to do the work that the city should do. Kinston should’ve received federal money from FEMA to rebuild after all of that flooding. I really wish that you people would stop attempting to place the burden of fixing neighborhoods in the hands of former residents who lived their for 17 years of their lives and have been gone for 30 years. It’s unfair and disingenuous. Do you do the same with places where the opioid the crisis has hit the cities hard?
Yep
You should drive through the worst cities in Colorado.
What are some
Commerce city and Federal Avenue and north Aurora
Have you been to Pennsylvania? This is gorgeous compared to Allentown
Kinston might be the most depressing place to live in NC,plus there are paper mills all around the area that make it smell like crap, but it's nowhere close to being as dangerous as the east side of Greensboro, Charlotte, Lumberton, Durham, or Fayetteville.
The city council should start a go fund me page to raise the money needed and also reach out to those successful people who left to make donations.
NOBODY donates tol those goddamn sites, at least not mine.
This is the face of bad government yet we send billions to other countries. Sickening!
Must we forget kinston was hit by a massive hurricane and tornado destruction which in return lead to no help or funding from our local state these people where left to fend for themselves and top that with jobs loss and major retail closures
Dang I'm sorry Lisa
Canal Street in Durham used to be a nightmare. I hated getting calls there and we never went alone.
This sounds like the premise for a horror movie.
Government isn't the answer to communities such as these...it is often the root cause.
only comment I've seen with sense on here so far
I left in 1989 and moved to Greenville. Never looked back. The 1980’s were the last gasp of Kinston!
I knew you were going to say Kinston when I first popped the video up! I've been living in the Kinston area most of the time since 1992. I live in the NW portion of the city which is in better condition than the east area.
No it's not.. Let him tell it... Smh
@@emarcosplash7734 I live in NW Kinston and the neighborhoods look pretty nice
Nick , thank you for all the stories on these big cities and small towns across America. You cover the good and the bad which it the way it should be we are all One nation under God . As a Disabled Veteran of 65 Years Old I don't get out to travel much anymore, but your videos let me do just that. See America 🇺🇸 Thank you and i keep watching every day.
Why are these places so deserted? No people no children playing on bikes so deserted.
It's a cold December Saturday. Those working are doing retail or fast food and either already at work or still in bed.
What is it with y'all with people wandering around in the streets?
I love these vids just exploring without dialogue and subtle music that isn't distracting, thank you Nick =)
Is there a grocery store near by? Might be better to buy there and fix up a place than paying 2,000 a month rent for an 1989 house 1,000 sq ft rental not maintained like where I live.
There used to be a Piggly Wiggly, but most of those went out of business. I think there is a Food Lion still.
@@phil2u48 There is still a Piggly Wiggly on McLewean Street close to Big Blue. I think there are several small stores and restaurants in the area, such as The Lunch Box. I have a co-worker who lives across the street.
I was thinking the same. We can’t stand where we bought here in Statesville for $325k and that’s why I am here looking at comments. If many others feel the same this place could possibly bounce back. I would have 4 times fhe land and home size to what I do here. Average rent here if you are lucky enough to find a place not in the hood for anything needed for a small family it’s easily $2500+
Nick, Thank You Very Much For Sharing.. Could You Make A Video On Arkansas? It Is A Very Poor State.. I Don't Think Mrs. Drysdale Wants To Buy A House In This Neighbourhood..
This is so sad. Americans need jobs. We need to bring manufacturing back to the USA.
And now we have a president killing jobs!
@@majorieharrington9823 exactly! Biden administration = America last policy.
This city seem like heaven compare to where I'm from. This is paradise. The area seem to be real clean. Nobody eating out of the garbage cans. I have not seen any trash piles yet
I lived in kinston all my life.
I have nothing to say, but I'm still gonna comment because it helps out the UA-cam algorithm
😂😂😂
I think I'm going to have to do a documentary on this town. I don't feel like the stats and imagery really represent the people of the town.
These streets are cleaner than Atlanta streets and expressways. We have become a big Garbage Dump. Trash is everywhere, it breaks my heart.
Imagine if the NBA/NFL/MLB/NHL had a 1% poverty tax?
This video only shows just a few streets don't represent all of East Kinston. I suggest people use Google maps street view to tour all of East Kinston so that you will know the whole story.
I agree. He going visit the flood zone areas and convince the viewers this how Kinston look
I live near here. My county is actually poorer than Lenore. My area looks similar, but somehow doesn't rise to the "statistics". These people have pride, self respect, and generally wonderful and friendly. Most have a decent car. We help each other out to get by. Jobs can be slim but everyone has a cellphone and food to eat. Power washing the homes is not a high priority since this region humidity guarantees mold will be back next year. Maybe knock on a door, the hospitality will shock you! Might not be rich in money but as noted city councils and government do what they can to move forward with improvements. Hurricane flooding is a challenge here but would not live anywhere else. Good people are the best resource.
Shreveport Louisiana say worst?? Wait...hold my beer!
Port City/Bossier City
A lot of houses in neighborhoods like this are rental properties with landlords who don't do crap about keeping up their property. Or if they do an improvement they raise the rent to where their tenants can't afford to live there anymore, Time to put the screws to the landlords to at least make houses better in low income neighborhoods, Do that and bring the decent paying jobs back and you would see crime go way down,
Grow up. You need to rent a place or two and see how it works out for you. I have had alot of decent good rental property tore all to hell by sorry tenants. Then you spend 6 months rental income fixing the place up and the cycle may Orman not start again. Everyone you rent to isnt a bad tenant but its 50 50 id say. I've sold most all my property cause I got tired of people. If a tenant quits paying it takes 4 months to get them out. Wish it wasn't so bad ,but unfortunately that is the way its gotten
When I was growing up in NC in the 50s and 60s every town had neighborhoods that looked like this. It's called poverty.
You’re the best, Nick, thank you!
EXACTLY WHY I CARRY A GUN EVERYWHERE I GO!
Seems so disrespectful to disparage these neighborhoods when you can see many tidy homes with mowed lawns. Sure there’s some that look junky, but there’s always that everywhere except rich neighborhoods where people hire gardeners etc.
I moved to Oregon when drugs were decriminalized.
Yeah, that sounds like a wonderful plan 🙄
Kinston is where my wife and I spent our first night in NC upon moving here 11 years ago. We stopped at a rundown motel that allowed pets, just because it was late and we were tired. I knew nothing about Kinston at that time.
Wow, that should be renamed "DEADSVILLE"!!😲 what an eerie place. I bet mappy wouldn't even go there.
I'm from Virginia 757 area code and we have some poor neighborhood out here that some cop's think twice before they enter lol
I go here all the time. It's a lot of crime and poverty but it's not as bad as he wants you to think. I'm going to do some videos showing what he didn't show.
He only drove in the hood areas, he didn't go to downtown, vernon or north heritage street in where it looks better. Every place has a hood. Kinston lost a lot of jobs throughout the years and some of their population. Also there are a lot of vacant buildings. City leaders mis manage funds. Not to mention the storms. Yes, the town needs work but it isn't the worst neighborhood. I lived in Durham and saw worst in some areas. Although Greenville is growing, the crime rates are higher than Kinston's sometimes. Our crime has slowed down a bit compared throughout the years. Kinston was a great place to be at in the 90s through 2006. When the businesses left, that's when things went downhill. But the worst neighborhood? He may have to reevaluate that.
A driveway with no house is a good sign you're in a bad neighborhood. I've been to Mother Earth brewing and there was nothing else to see.
I live in Kinston, Nc and it's not that bad as people say. It's just like any other city but the job situation could be better. All of this land down here are just going to waste. We could have more jobs but they only bring certain companies and new jobs here. Places like Greenville, Goldsboro, New Bern, Nc are steady building but not here. We could be better.
Are there many places to hunt there locally? How bout for someone who dosent own land. I live in Statesville and been looking into a home and property in Kinston and possibly invest into the community. Unfortuanley Google makes it sound like some sort of death sentence and it’s difficult to find out much about the area.
Baby I'm from NC born and raised in a city called Shelby. You definitely ain't been to the worst in NC. What you showed here wasn't bad it's just everything has seem to gone down hill and when places shut down and there's no new renovations this happens. But I did peep at 1:30 secs you drove slam past the trap house! 😭😂🙏 I love in Greenville SC right now but I will tell you every city has it's beautiful parts and it's not so great parts. They are here in SC too. Everywhere you go. I never been to Kinston but I know there are worse places. This is country to me not like the worst tho. I can say in the Carolinas you have alot more Peace. Less congestion and you have plenty nature which is heavenly. ❤️
Uh oh...just saved this for now...watching later....it's my home state...let's see what's up....love your channel...you're FUN!!!!
I live in Eastern North Carolina and from an appearance standpoint that is definitely not the worst. Go check out Weldon, NC or Enfield, NC.
It’s really not that bad.... a lot cleaner than most places..... where is it ghetto!?
That's what happened with many Towns around the US, after Nafta, Gatt and Cafta finally took it's Toll on Industry in this Country
Looks like a palace compared to Baltimore.
Facts
Agree with you.
Definitely a poop hole. My husband lived in Vanceboro North Carolina when I met him. The whole area is nothing but druggies… Trash piled all over the streets, it’s awful. Definitely an eye opener