Doug E. Fresh Joins The Foreclosure Club

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Dec 15th 2008 at 7:01PM

The foreclosure news seems to keep coming. We saw a couple over the weekend and this morning the NY Post revealed that 1980s rapper Doug E. Fresh is facing not one but three three foreclosure actions possible foreclosures from banks looking for more than $3.5 million in unpaid mortgages on three of his Harlem homes. He also owes American Express nearly $60,000 in credit-card debt and is facing a tax lien of $367,000 from the IRS and more than $40,000 from the state of New York tax collector. He grew up in Harlem and invested in local real estate but according to a foreclosure suit filed in Manhattan in late August, 2008, he now owes more than $1.73 million. Meanwhile he is planning to open a restaurant in Harlem, Doug E's Chicken and Waffles in 2009.

Gallery: Celebrity Foreclosures

Jeana Keough from the Real Housewives of Orange County

Tags: celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, doug e fresh, DougEFresh, foreclosure, harlem

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

KR Dec 15th 2008 7:19PM

I'm not terribly sure why these foreclosure stories keep coming up. Having just returned from living in Europe, I've been surprised at the scale of the economic decline hitting people of all walks of life. Foreclosure is a terrible situation. It seems a crass and distasteful to include these as stories in the Luxist blog.

willzville Dec 15th 2008 9:14PM

I'm not being racist or anything but has anyone noticed that the majority of people facing foreclosures are African American? I'm not just talking about the people on Luxist, but most of the people I personally know that are facing foreclosure are Afro-American (and I only know a hand full of Afro-Americans).

Could this be a new stereotype?

Bill Dec 16th 2008 12:44PM

U.S. based media, of which Luxist is a part of, almost always tries to make Black people look bad. For example, Luxist doesn't even bother to remove blatantly racist comments made by it's readers. And, seems to go out of it's way to report on the financial misfortunes of high profile African-Americans. Therefore, based on these actions alone, one could say, with a high degree of certainty, that Luxist condones racism and perhaps even endorses it.

When the U.S. economy takes a bad turn, racism is the cause of certain institutions turning their guns toward African-Americans first. Also, again because of racism, lots of African-Americans are in a far more vulnerable position financially than their white contemporaries.

Most of the high profile African-Americans facing foreclosure at the moment come from poverty. And, that poverty is, once again, primarily caused by racism. Because of this they never received a proper education when it comes to financial management.

Yes, we are responsible for educating ourselves in this area. (I, too, am African-American. But, I got wise to the situation and left the U.S. years ago.) However, if racism takes that opportunity from us in the first place, then who's really to blame?

Ken Dec 16th 2008 7:07PM

Bill stop crying victim. I don't condone racism but it is what it is. Luxist is doing nothing more than reporting the news. If these black celebs were smarter they wouldn't be in the news. And if they came from poverty why didn't they go to school instead of buying bling and cars?

Bill Dec 16th 2008 10:11PM

When I need you tell me how to think and feel I'll ask you. Until then, mind your own business, boy.

Ken Dec 16th 2008 11:28PM

Ha ha don't get mad Bill. Its OK.

Master Dec 16th 2008 11:25PM

Bill, considering the content and nature of your comment, subsequent response to Ken, and lack of correct grammar, it is clear that you are the only "boy" here.
Racism has nothing to do with the financial situation of certain individuals and their irresponsible spending habits. Using racism in the manner that you have is nothing more than ignorance on your part.
Black people will be much better off when they stop blaming racism and other people and institutions for their problems and start looking in the mirror and at each other for solutions.

Bill Dec 17th 2008 1:28AM

As I said to Ken, if I want your opinion on how I should think and I feel, I'll ask you for it, boy.

As if I've even listen to someone with an obvious superiority complex. Master? In your own mind perhaps. *roll eyes*

aaron Dec 17th 2008 8:37PM

Ken: "And if they came from poverty why didn't they go to school instead of buying bling and cars?"

Answer the question above, Bill. And U.S. based media often takes the side of minorities (CNN, MSNBC) so I don't know where you are going there. Did you not watch the election?

And don't call people "boy", even if it's out of bitterness.

Raaj Jan 23rd 2009 1:29PM

On a positive note, it looks like the restaurant is almost ready to open. We hope that he can book some gigs and do a few special appearances to take care of his debt in the new year.
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Raaj
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