Chapter 1
The street-level grind
Chapter 2
The stage and the spotlight
Chapter 3
The high-stakes financial climb
Chapter 4
The immigrant engine
Chapter 5
The underground transit hustle
YOUR GOAL
Master of The New York hustle
Ch 5 · The underground transit hustle
marcus The underground transit hustle
NYC never stops, Trains keep on rolling, Twenty-four seven, always moving.
marcus Subway graffiti transformed from local teenage rebellion into a global art movement.
marcus Subway tokens were a physical currency of city life before electronic fare cards.
Fun Fact
Subway length: If laid end-to-end, the tracks of the New York City subway system would stretch over 665 miles, reaching from NYC to Chicago.
Glossary
busking (noun)
The act of performing music or other entertainment in public places for voluntary donations. In New York, these underground performances target millions of daily commuters at hubs like Times Square.
The act of performing music or other entertainment in public places for voluntary donations. In New York, these underground performances target millions of daily commuters at hubs like Times Square.
Quiz
If laid end-to-end, approximately how many miles of track does the NYC subway system have?
Quiz
What electronic fare system began replacing tokens in 1994 before itself being replaced by OMNY?
Quiz
In what year were physical subway tokens completely phased out of the NYC transit system?
Quiz
Which NYC borough is widely recognized as the birthplace of hip-hop and early subway graffiti?