4. Ben Greenberg, 28
Musician
If we didn’t know Ben Greenberg was real, we’d think he was an urban legend. Because how can one person actually do everything that Greenberg does? Not only is he in The Men, but he has a successful solo project, Hubble, and tours regularly. Since 2010, Greenberg has had four releases, where he uses his Vai-like shredding abilities to create attention-demanding ethereal textures. It’s music that could only be made by someone like Greenberg, whose resume reads like those of several wildly accomplished people.
5. Keith Poulson, 30
Actor
The Greenpointer just turned 30, in August, a few months after Somebody Up There Likes Me opened at BAM. He was the star of that hilarious Bob Byington epic, one of our favorite movies of the year, playing the personification of “Whatever!” as he navigated a lifetime of marriage, fatherhood, making money, losing money, death and divorce without ever seeming to care. Poulson also pops up in some recent notable indies like Alex Karpovsky’s Red Flag and the festival-buzzy Hellaware. Next year, you’ll see him in Alex Ross Perry’s anticipated new film Listen Up Philip.
The actor moved to Greenpoint three years ago after a friend he knew from Texas offered him a room. “I couldn’t afford the whole ‘first and last months rent, security deposit, brokers fee, etc.’ that most quasi-decent places were asking for,” he tells us. “I was starting to think maybe I would just go live with my grandmom in Philly.” But he’s very happy to be where he is—at least while it lasts. “I’m sure the day will eventually come when I get pushed out of this spot, but for the time being it’s hard to know what I would really complain about,” he says. “Within a couple blocks of my apartment there is: Record Grouch, Permanent Records, Photoplay—one of the few remaining excellent video stores—grocery stores, bars, restaurants, bodegas that make exceedingly good sandwiches, cozy coffee shops, parks, friends’ apartments and a subway stop. This is insane to me!”
6. G-Eazy, 24
Musician
This Oakland-native (and current Brooklyn resident) has made a name for himself with songs like “Waspy,” “Candy Girl,” and his version of the 50s hit “Runaround Sue.” He’s also toured extensively, both as headliner and as opening act for artists like A$AP Rocky, Snoop Dogg, and Lil Wayne, all of which is already pretty impressive for a 24-year-old—but that’s not all! G-Eazy did all this while getting a degree in music business studies at Loyola University, proving that it’s actually possible to pay back student loans even if you’re in a creative field.
Where’s Kirstin Iversen and Virginia K. Smith?
@JOR It’d be sorta poor form to make a list of cool, successful people and just pick ourselves, but thank you anyway!
I feel like this is a list that is hyper focused on people who do ‘cool’ things that are self promoting or ‘artistic’. Where is the space for people who do science research, work on non-profits, or do other volunteer initiatives? Are individuals pursuing other careers not interesting enough to be interviewed for this publication?
Not sure if the pictures are supposed to make these somewhat accomplished young artists look angry, angsty, or artsy, but I don’t envy any of them. You can have your artists, I’ll take my family and non-artistic contributions to society any day.
I see white people.
Where are the BLACK people? Brooklyn? More bullshit!
@Allison this is an arts magazine