User:Ronngreenesr

April, 1994, the influence of website FREAKNIK.COM drew nearly One million young people to Atlanta, during spring break weekend. Launched by an illustration — raised fist with computer mouse in hand; banner heading reads “BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY;” tag line below “www.freaknik.com.

” The cards were distributed all across Metro-Atlanta and on college campuses nationwide; with special emphasis given to reaching student leaders at Historically Black Colleges (HBC). We even distributed them on military bases both stateside and overseas. Within weeks, a sudden deluge of response, from as far away as, Nigeria and the Netherlands. At one point, a million plus viewers digitally tapped in within one week, the sudden response causing temporarily collapse of computer servers. In the beginning, there were more than six other websites all using the name “Freaknic.” Strategy, change the spelling of the name, whenever, wherever, to end with “K” not “C,” signifying a new brand; differentiating my web property and from others i.e. “f r e a k n i K.” Our work, WWW.FREAKNIK.COM singularly, provided sophisticated Internet experiences. The only one to deliver the broad view of freaknik events, news, information and celebrity interviews.

I was asked by Atlanta promoter, Ronn Greene, to join him, in producing FREAKNIK weekend starting in 1992. From then, through 1994, our venue was Atlanta’s LAKEWOOD FAIRGROUNDS. A 15-acre outdoor/indoor fenced in and gated venue with ample parking, featuring 90’ x 48’ concert stage; and four (4) exhibition halls each with a separate stage. A total of five separate stages, on which, top recording artists premiered new material before prime consumers representing youth markets massive. It scared some establishment figures, who in turn put pressure on the Mayor to stop it.

In 1994, it seemed that same opposition had softened, the Mayor held a televised press conference, announcing venue zone restrictions and asking promoters to submit new and better ideas for FREAKNIK events. In compliance, we moved our venue to the state-of-the-art NIKE PAVILION in midtown Atlanta.

Again during 1994, Atlanta Committee for Olympic Games (ACOG), announced, Booz Allen & Hamilton (BA&H) Engineers to design the critical Olympic Games Traffic Plan. Straightaway, critics predicted, Atlanta’s constantly snarled highway traffic and anemic public transportation system could ruin the games. Joining detractors, the city’s local media and newspapers pointing to FREAKNIK traffic as evidence of unpreparedness for the games. On a hunch, I approached BA&H executives with a simple proposition, create a traffic plan for FREAKNIK to silence critics. BA&H executives accepted the challenge, if we would help them understand the milieu and conditions for staging FREAKNIK. Subsequent meetings explored use of Atlanta’s mass transit system (MARTA); citywide surveyed available weekend parking facility municipal and private; cross reference FREAKNIK weekend with pre-scheduled major conventions and visitor events; and quantify probable related revenue streams.

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The research, established, any well-planned major public event the last weekend in April — could potentially be staged downtown; produce positive municipal revenue; be pedestrian focused; use existing infrastructure. For our participation, we were authorized by BA&H to incorporate these findings into our proposed “DOWNTOWN FREAKNIK STREET FEST 1995.” Like the public, unaware at the time, mayor Campbell and key members of the City Council, at the order of Atlanta’s all-powerful white southern political regime and elite business establishment, a draconian strategy would be put in motion, using police department and permit and licensing bureaus to inflict a final solution for FREAKNIK weekend in Atlanta. When the actions of the mayor and city council were revealed, members of Atlanta’s historical black political leadership were infuriated. Some publicly called the Mayor a “Judas,” his being an HBC alumnus. Public condemnation of the mayor and city council (many of whom also HBC alumnus) came also from historic civil rights institutions such as Atlanta University Center; King Center; Southern Christian Leadership Conference; Ebenezer Baptist; Feed The Hungry and many others. In unison, condemning the failure of Atlanta to host FREAKNIK, considering it an affront, in of all places, at the foot of the Manger of the Civil Rights Movement.

In truth, FREAKNIK was a paranormal happening, energized by strong cultural identity, restless youths, and unscripted events; no one fore saw. In response to white Atlanta’s demands, police profiled cars, diverting young African Americans onto the perimeter highway encircling Atlanta; thus creating on its Autobahn like highway system a self-perpetuating gridlock crawl. Wherever traffic stopped, people got out, turned up their music and partied with exuberance; turning it into history’s largest continuously rolling street party.

FREAKNIK, made Atlanta, the nexus of hip hop, new media and young black zeitgeist and nothing else. The legend of FREAKNIK’s exuberance, bridges the gap between boomer, X, and millennial generations. It persists, in defiance of social economic class disparity; racial division; and entrenched right regime politics. Spawned from the Internet, FREAKNIK lives, beyond the borders of cultures; geographies; and political divide; longed for even now by millions. Use it while you still can.

Tommie Butler, originally from Brooklyn, NY., developed the concept for FREAKNIK online in 1992; launched website WWW.FREAKNIK.COM in 1994; and opened Atlanta’s first Internet video streaming studio FREAKNIK TV in 1995. Today a Master Gardener, certified by University of Georgia, he owns the Internet Domain name FREAKNIK.COM.

Ronn Greene now resides in Mobile Alabama. For more information, contact Tommie: (e) totadigi@gmail.com

(e)ronn@ourfreaknik.com