Menu

 

Cholly Rock (born Anthony G. Mood-Horne) is the most notable figure associated with Gun Hill Houses, a NYCHA public housing development in the Williamsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City.12

Brief info: Born and raised in Gun Hill Houses, he was introduced to breakdancing (B-boying) at age 14 in 1974, pioneering the original “Burning” style in the Bronx hip-hop scene. He became part of early crews like the Original Zulu Kings and was linked to Afrika Bambaataa’s circle, contributing to the foundational era of hip-hop culture through dance battles and performances. He later pursued music, releasing tracks and appearing in hip-hop documentaries and interviews.345

Other mentions: Local rappers like DA DUO hail from the “Gun Hill Road house projects” (referring to Gun Hill Houses), but they are not widely recognized beyond niche hip-hop circles.6 The development is also tied to early hip-hop history and the founding of the Public Housing Skate Team (PHST) there, though no other mainstream celebrities, athletes, or actors are prominently documented as originating from Gun Hill Houses in available sources.78

Unlike other NYCHA projects (e.g., Forest Houses with Fat Joe), Gun Hill Houses hasn’t produced household names, but it played a role in Bronx street culture.

There isn’t a single official, public “alumni list” for NYCHA developments—so the safest way to answer this is to compile people who have publicly been documented (in credible sources) as growing up in / being raised in / living in Gun Hill Houses. Below are the most clearly documented names I found, plus what made them notable. 1

A tiny bit of context (so we’re talking about the same place)

Gun Hill Houses is a NYCHA development in the Bronx (completed in 1950), made up of six residential buildings (14 stories) on a 7.93-acre site bordered by Holland Avenue, White Plains & Gun Hill Roads, and Magenta Street. 1

Notable people documented as coming from (or closely tied to) Gun Hill Houses

1) Cholly Rock (Anthony G. Horne) — hip-hop / breaking pioneer

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: Documented as born and raised in Gun Hill Houses. 2
  • What made him notable: A first-generation B-boy and one of the original members of the Zulu Kings (a foundational crew in early hip-hop culture connected to Afrika Bambaataa’s circle). 2
  • Career that made him known: Early hip-hop culture (breaking/MC work and historical importance as an origin-era figure). Later, he also worked professionally in public health and education. 2

2) Gail Hall (a.k.a. DJ Flame / “Anointed Mic Check”) — DJ, radio, hip-hop pioneer

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: Documented as born/raised in Gun Hill Houses. 3
  • What made her notable: Recognized in sources as an early/groundbreaking Afro-Latina hip-hop DJ, and associated with major early hip-hop circles (including being DJ/MC for the pioneering female group Mercedes Ladies). 3
  • Career that made her known: DJing + radio. A City College of New York (CUNY) program highlights her long-running career and visibility (including work connected to “Hip Hop Church” programming and awards/recognitions). 3

3) Andre Collins — underground dance-music / nightlife DJ (NYC club culture)

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: Documented as growing up in the Bronx’s Gun Hill Houses. 4
  • What made him notable: Known as a key DJ at The Warehouse (a major late-1990s/early-2000s Bronx nightlife institution in Black LGBTQ club culture). 4
  • Career that made him known: DJ/residencies and influence in NYC’s dance ecosystem; Red Bull Music Academy’s write-up places him among highly regarded NYC dance DJs for that era/scene. 5

4) Vlad (Vladdimir) Gomez — skate + streetwear / creative director

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: Multiple sources tie PHST’s origins to Gun Hill Houses and describe Vlad as a “Gun Hill Houses project” skater/founder. 6
  • What made him notable: Co-founder of Public Housing Skate Team (PHST)—a skate crew that became a recognizable NYC-to-international streetwear and skate-video name. 6
  • Career that made him known: Skate media + streetwear brand-building (videos, merch, collaborations/press coverage). 6

5) Ron Baker — skate + streetwear (PHST co-founder)

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: Documented as growing up at Gun Hill Houses; described as neighbors with Vlad in the complex as PHST formed. 6
  • What made him notable: Co-founder of Public Housing Skate Team (PHST) alongside Vlad Gomez. 6
  • Career that made him known: Skate crew/brand co-founder—helped make PHST into a known Bronx-rooted skate/streetwear identity. 6

6) Rose Afriyie — civic tech / social-services access founder (mRelief)

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: TechCrunch reports she grew up “for a time” in Gun Hill Houses. 7
  • What made her notable: Co-founded mRelief, a nonprofit tech platform that helps people more easily screen for and access public benefits (notably SNAP/food assistance), including via web + SMS approaches. 7
  • Career that made her known: Civic tech + nonprofit leadership—building tools that reduce friction for low-income families trying to navigate benefits systems. 7

7) Paul Mondesire — transportation / micromobility policy & community engagement

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: The New Yorker reports he grew up in Gun Hill Houses (and later in Co-op City). 8
  • What made him notable: Visible as a micromobility/community-engagement figure—he’s mentioned in reporting around NYC’s scooter pilot era, and he has testified about micromobility policy, describing prior work as a Community Relations Lead for Lime and involvement in advocacy around legalizing e-bikes/e-scooters in NYS. 8
  • Career that made him known: Transportation policy/community engagement in the micromobility space (scooters/e-bikes). 9

8) Elba Cabrera — Bronx/Puerto Rican & Latino arts/culture advocate (“La Madrina de las Artes”)

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: A Hostos Community College memorial/fund page notes she raised her two sons first in Gun Hill Houses (before later living in Co-op City). 10
  • What made her notable: Remembered as “La Madrina de las Artes,” with major impact supporting Puerto Rican/Latino arts and community life in NYC (including work with cultural institutions and arts organizations). 10
  • Career that made her known: Arts advocacy + cultural organizing/leadership (including roles connected to Hispanic arts organizations). 10

“Not celebrity, but genuinely notable” Gun Hill Houses figures (NYCHA leadership/advocacy)

9) Robert Hall — long-time tenant leader / resident-association president

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: Reported as having lived in Gun Hill Houses all his life. 11
  • Why notable: Known publicly for resident advocacy as president of the Gun Hill Houses Resident Association, frequently engaging NYCHA leadership and public processes. 11
  • Career/public role: Tenant organizing, resident leadership, and housing-conditions advocacy. 11

10) Angela Gadson-Floyd — NYCHA senior operations leader

  • Gun Hill Houses connection: NYCHA Now (official NYCHA communications site) notes she lived at Gun Hill Houses. 12
  • Why notable: Appointed Vice President of Operations (NYCHA), after decades in NYCHA roles. 12
  • Career/public role: Public housing operations/management leadership. 12

A practical note on completeness (so expectations are fair)

NYCHA resident histories aren’t published in a centralized way, so lists like this will always be incomplete unless someone has been interviewed or profiled and their Gun Hill Houses connection is explicitly stated. I focused on names with clear, citable documentation tying them to Gun Hill Houses specifically.