peace
Since like '81
B4 there was The Tunnel, there was TheRink, the biggest roller rink in the TriState NYC area.
Everyone who knew what time it was was there while hip hop grew into the mainstream from punk and street type culture.
The Rooftop was tiny compare to TheRink - the scene from PaidInFull most likely happen there if not TheRooftop b4 they shut it down & it was like 10-12 mins away, maybe even less, driving wild.....
Skating up until like 12, 1 or 2 am, then the JAM begins and the skates get put away, wayb4 there were established clubs in NY that played Hip Hop and attracted the youth.
Seen everybody from SlickRick & Doug, LL, Whistle, Flash&theFurious, TheCrashCrew, DavyD, missed RunDMC, CutmasterDC, LisaLisa, JusttIce and what have you on that stage which had the sick sound system in the spot thanks to DipLite, VanSilk and them from Uptown.
FunkmasterFlex cut his teeth in there carrying somebody's records
The 90s as the videos show turned it into a weekly Virginia/Jones Beach function type of crowd weekly drawing young doughboys up from Va and all over just for the night, golddigging, fly hood chicks in tow, dookey, truck jewelry rocking Polo kids, nice on skates, backwards, fast as fuck, doing tricks through the crowded floor (notice the referee shirt security), racing expensive whips and shit in the parking lot across the street outside, scaring and pissing off surrounding city white cops and constituents hahaha. Long assed lines, colorful and youthful crowd of kids who aint give a fuck, fights, hustle crews, the whole energy was too much for itself.
Shut down and its a Sears now
They would have DEFINITELY been all up in there with their whole crews or left at home on purpose by their hustling boyfriends to avoid any problems and am sure they have heard the stories from somebody on just how lit it was at the time.
On a more regular level, UncleRalh and VideoMusicBox had a few nights where they taped from a spot out in LI that still goes hard with the roller skating or grown folks night