Ignoring street hustlers is my super-power. Rule #1- NEVER EVER accept anything that someone tries to hand to you. Rule #2- Do NOT engage them in conversation or answer questions; these are all carefully crafted to either suck you in, or make you appear to be a cad if you refuse. Rule #3- Do not try to be "nice" or worry about what they will think of you if you refuse to play their game. Every successful con game depends on some level of participation by the victim. Don't give it to them. Ordinary rules of courtesy do not apply to people who are trying to steal your money.

They need to stop this. It’s just intimidation. It’s criminal.

"You better pick that shit up, buddy" So he knows it is shit.

The biggest issue is that too many Americans are out of their element in big cities. Anyone who has lived in the city knows to ignore scammers.

You got nothing to be sorry about, Ken. You stood up, man. You didn't cave under the pressure.

It's literally just mugging people in broad day light. "I've got my guys here, you gotta pay me 10 dollars". The moment he said that, it become a threat of violence. He knew exactly what the connotation of that was.

imagine if this guy put in this kind of hustle into academics

This happened to me in NYC in 2009 when I was 16. I was so intimidated and scared and in a hurry that I just gave them $$$ and walked away. Was there again last month and knew this time around not to grab anything being handed to me. They tried to entice me and called me a racist because I wouldn't make eye contact or acknowledge them, even when I said "no thanks". Later in the day I saw a sign from NYPD that said "If someone hands you a CD, you are not required to pay for it. Tipping is optional." or something along those lines. Be wary of these people!

I ran into these guys December 2022. They were saying “take a cd if you support black people.” Then when I said no thank you, they became very aggressive. They said” so you hate black people!! If you don’t take one, then you hate black people. Is that it? You hate black people?” Multiple people started trying to encircle me, but I walked through them and got the heck out of there fast. This is criminal. This is threatening and intimidation. I’m just glad I didn’t touch their cd, or it might have been worse for me.

Man I hate these people so much. Experienced this in Vegas and I gave the guy $5 (I didn’t know about this scam) and he got so upset because he was insisting he wanted $10 even though he asked for a donation, really regret giving him $5, hopefully everyone can be aware of this

LOL, this always happens to me when I'm in the Square. These scammers are all bark and no bite. They make implied threats but never act on them because they know that undercover cops and security cameras are everywhere.

I just say "I'm sorry but I don't have a dollar to my name, can I get a dollar to get a bottle of water?" Works every time.

i dont sell the albums, but "i need something for the album"

Rule #1 in NYC never stop and talk to someone soliciting you and especially never grab anything they're handing you

This is ONE OF the reasons why people in NYC walk around wearing headphones (sometimes pretending) to listen to music and IGNORE EVERYONE around them.

What a nice culture 👍

this is intimidating, coercive soliciting and should be illegal. Can really ruin the day for visitors

I’m waiting for someone in nyc to call an Aussie “buddy” that shit is a declaration of war over here.

The culture 😂😂😂

There should be a police presence to stop these scammers from selling their garbage and using physical intimidation.

Great job standing up to them. They autograph it without asking and expect a tip, then try to intimidate you. I can't stand people like that.

came across these guys the other day right here, its important for people to document this and hopefully instruct others how to get out of this. it's always funny how they try to frame it as a donation too, god help anyone who sticks any of these weird ass cds into their pc to try and run it. having the social skills to tell them no is a great quality, hopefully this video helps others.

They do this a lot on Hollywood Boulevard and in Venice Beach, CA too and some of them tend to get mad when you turn them down and say no. Intimidation like this needs to stop.

Autograph ain’t worth shit 😂

Advice: Ignore, don’t engage, don’t even look at them. Just keep walking.

“U gotta give me a tip” lmao fucking laughable

The best part of the scam is that the CD's are blank 😆

They do this too on Hollywood Blvd right outside the Chinese Theater. Just a heads up for future tourists. But also I would avoid that tourist trap.

First encountered this in like 2007 when I was walking to the old Times Square Virgin Megastore between classes. Guy signed the CD and everything and charged me. He was definitely pissed when I didn’t pay him. These guys need to come up with a new hustle because no one even listens to CDs anymore lmao. It’s fuckin 2023. I really have no respect for people pretending to be artists.

What a nice guy, offering his cd AND autograph. And he even will give you change just to leave a tip of your choice. What a great businessman, I am sure he will go far in his charity work.

I’ve never seen such impeccable customer service in my life before, those smiles and everything too!

Don't break stride, keep walking.

the first mistake is stopping to talk to them

Normally i never walk through time square so I haven't been bothered to try a mix tape in like 10 years that is until I went to comic con two weeks ago and some dude tried to aggressively shove his mix tape into my hand. I said no multiple times while I was walking and while he was following me and finally I had to stop and yell "I said no". They don't want to draw attention. You start yelling "no" and drawing that attention, they'll back off. I've also found the best way to get people to move away from you in NYC is to start barking like a dog. Learned this during my time as a bike messenger. Nobody pays attention to other people. Everyone turns to look for the barking (and potentially dangerous) dog. When they see it's a human, they back the fuck away because nobody wants to find out what a barking human is capable of doing. 😂

Ken is my hero...it is all intimidation tactics and you refused to cave in, good for you Ken.

I like how he kept saying your name over and over, like it’s some magic chant to make you like him more and entice you to give him your money 😂

I got hassled by them in Venice Beach, I was just like “A CD? Dude what am I supposed to do with that? I haven’t used a CD player in years, my car doesn’t even have one anymore and neither does my computer.” Then I kept walking

We are not selling it, but we want a donation? That is money extortion, they intimidate tourists and ha e tried with me tones of times

“Small tip, my guys is around”. Wow that’s the most indirect threat ever

All what ActionKid and other KZfaqrs are doing is making walk videos, tour videos, and other videos. They're not hurting anyone, all videos are in public areas, helping people, and warning people to be very careful when traveling. Also, doing updates on what's going on.

When I handed their CD back before they tried to sign it and told them no thank you, I was then hit in the head by one of the lowlife pond sucking scumbags and I was knocked unconscious. Someone got a video of it and as I'm lying on the ground coming to, he gets my phone number so he can text me the video. I was on the ground and out for 10 seconds and no one helped me. This was the weekend before Halloween 2022 about midnight at West 47th Street. I went to the group of New York cops about a block like West 48th Street and they told me that the last person the CD scammers assaulted was still waiting for an ambulance and it was over an hour. Did I want a report I said yes. I told him about the video they looked at the video and then they said they knew who it was and they took off to look for him and left me there stranded. I just took a taxi to my hotel. I was just there to see the show for the first time and I was only there for a day and a half. If I go back there that piece of s*** is going to get what's coming to him.

Just be confident and don’t talk to them longer than necessary. Sometimes I just walk right past someone that’s pestering me and ignore them. It’s not a frightening experience at all, unless they put hands on you. Never just accept being touched by a stranger, that’s when you need to be mean and make your stance clear, and move on.

This is why they're hated by all. "Why dont nobody wanna live round us, mah?? Dey racist, mah"

So embarrassing. Its like really,yall could do this shit but cnt invest your time better to vet a real Job. EMBARRASSING

This shit literally happened to me in Hollywood lmao

Now I know to completely ignore anyone like that in NY

Many years I actually gave these kinda scammers $10 for a cd when I was working in the music industry, generally wanting to support them and enthusiastic to hear their work later. Later on when I put it in the car it wouldn’t play. Ask them to play it for you next time or no thanks. They won’t even have a cd player on them because they know there’s no actual music.

it's erasable marker they use. lol

That’s the bad part...these guys pressure who they think they can get over on.

Ken Speech: 0 Intelligence: 6 Strength: 3 Luck: 8 Charm: 0

A skilled, confident artist will never beg you. If you actually stand by what you make you'll wait for them to come to you

it's funny how they think that people are going to fall for this

I got nailed by those fools coming out drunk from a comedy show. Chedda Boy was my favorite CD to buy that night.

"Pick that shit up" 😂😂😂 or what? They aint gonna do anything. these kids need to get a real job.

I grew up in NYC - you all do realize the CDs they hand you are blank?

Lol this happened to me once. Told the dudes my tip is “dont piss in the wind” and walked gave the cd to a dude going the other way.

Phrase that will save you from these idiots. "I'm good" and keep walking

“Pick that shit up” - is exactly what that is…..shit. And this should be illegal as it’s intimidating the public to pay…..

These guys are why I dont go to NY any more.

We encountered this for the first time in Vegas a few days ago! The guys who surrounded us were less aggressive than these guys so it was way easier to walk away after realizing what they trying to do...and they didn't even do the autograph thing right since they had my SO sign the CD himself for their "sick sister with cancer" or something

You know what's funny, he's not playing no songs from the albums or CDs.... so you could be getting a blank disc LOL

I’m usually so grumpy faced in Times Square that no one bothers me lol. 😂

This was done to me, lol I took the CD and wished them well and walked away. They asked for a donation twice and I smiled and wished them luck again lol

They sing this themselves, it’s worth less then toilet paper

First mistake was making eye contact

Had plenty of these mix tape dudes bugging people in Las Vegas last time I went. Just ignore them. and NEVER EVER take anything someone hands to you, because now they have an excuse to harass you further.

I was walking in Times Square. A guy put the CD on my chest while I was walking. I said “No and don’t put your hands on me”. He said “fuck you”. I said “fuck you too bro”. Gotta love NY

I would have laughed when he was autographing it, lol. What a bozo.

1:12 "You have to pick that shit up buddy" LMFAOOOOO he dont even talk like that 😂😂😂

What a shock. Black people intimidating others and being rude

I usually tell them yeah hold the cd for me real quick lemme grab my wallet and then once they take the cd's from my hand I tell em I forgot my wallet lmao PEACE

You know it's bad when they refer to their own work as "that shit"

Ken come on Ken. Ken, Ken.. you need to donate. Ken we don't sell it, we just require donation, Ken. Thankfully I'm from Los Angeles, so this extortion tactic wouldn't work so well. The attempt would be laughable.

This is why I don't go to New York anymore

The race card is absolutely disgusting

They really should've put a rampage in GTA V where Trevor Phillips bumps into these guys and kills them!!! 😆🤣😆🤣😆🤣

Same exact thing that happened to me when I was in NYC times square with my mother, WITH MY MOM! These guys don't give two shits who you are or where you're from they will harass you no matter what. If you're in times square and you see these kind of guys from a distance try and walk around the perimeter to avoid them. It's a shity way to avoid them, it takes away the enjoyment out of being in times square, but it's the only way to get away from these creeps.

imagine going to new york and the first thing you find is this guy.

It happened to me way back as a kid with my brother. My parents were walking ahead and didn’t see the altercation. The guys blocked us and pressured us to give them money for their CD’s. Pretty scary for a 12 and 14 year old

Imagine those people governing this country, I would immigrate to Mexico next day.

I’ve travelled heaps and been lucky never to come across this type of hustle. In saying that I’m not walking around like a deer lost in headlights either. This guy did the right thing by just walking away.

I live in nyc. These assholes are everywhere. NEVER have your open hand out. They slap a CD in your hand. They say it's free and they follow you for your money. Stay away from the card guys too, that LET you win the 1st time and slap $20-$100 in your hand, wanting you to keep playing. If you say no and try to walk away with your "winnings", they got guys on the corners.

RULE #1, don’t stop, keep it moving.

A good rule of thumb is be extremely wary of random strangers approaching you acting friendly. Especially in big cities and high traffic tourist areas. The best defense that has worked for me is to not make eye contact or acknowledge any attempts by these scammers trying initiate contact with you. If their especially persistent you then need to act very annoyed and make it very clear you’re not a mark. A simple loud “no” is usually more then enough. It is not the time to be soft spoken and say things like “sorry”. You have nothing to be sorry about as these people will not hesitate to make a fool of you and take your money so you have no obligation to be polite or nice to these scum.

I am a brit and they tried it with me in Times Square, just a quick "no thanks" and i got "Oh youre royalty, royals hate blacks" Just looked at him, laughed and walked on

He tried to come at you “Pick that shit up”

If I see street peddlers ahead of me, I pretend to be on the phone and inconvenienced at being interrupted during my fake call. Works every time.

Had a few of these idiots try their scam with a friend and I over the weekend. I had 3 of them in my face, all handing me a CD shaped paper with a code on it to scan and download their "music." All 3 cards in my hand with them demanding money, I held them out and said "take it, I don't want it." They refused to take it and wanted money. The one guy had his arms crossed so I took all three CD cuts outs and said more aggressively "I don't want it!" I tucked them in between his folded arms and walked by with them, and they didn't know how to react and didn't say or do a thing. I don't think they are used to people sticking it to them like that. Pathetic. The next day we walked by again. Same guys, one held out his card, I said "NOPE" and he said "I'm a real musician, I'm not AI" My thought was "I don't think you are any kind of "I" but what I said was, "I've been a musician longer than you've been alive, you buy my music" and said my website. Still waiting on that purchase 🤣 He's a "real musician" Uh huh. I would have liked to pop a music theory question out and see the confused look on his face. Edit: I was searching for the same guys because I had an idea of how to mess with them a bit. Gonna keep on looking for them.

They got me one time , they soround me and ask me for more money , why the police let this happen , thefe guys have family and friend ...what a shame

The guy on the right just randomly hits a woman at 0:50

Good on you for not letting them intimidate you.

Ken you missed out. That autograph is worth millions.

Love how they all have CD's and some dude in the back with red shoes is doing the same

Thank you for not being scared of black man Ken 😅

As a New Yorker. Pro tip. Don’t make eye contact, don’t stop, keep it moving and they will F off…

Learned how to deal with guys like this when I was in the Philippines during my Navy hitch. 1. Ignore them. 2. Don’t take ANYTHING, closed hands. 3. Don’t sweat being viewed as a jerk. They just move onto the next mark.

Omg I ran into this same guy in NYC last week! My mother got caught up talking to them and I had to tell her never stop just walk and ignore them!

I would love for this to happen to me so I could troll them

This happened to me when I was 13 they were definitely intimidating. my mom took me to NYC for my birthday & they said it had Jay Z on it. I was so excited to listen when I got back to the hotel & found out it was a shitty mixtape of some random dude rapping, I felt so scammed 😒

don't you EVER accept anything. ignore them.