Meet Uncle Ro
Harlem’s Favorite Storyteller. Your Travel-Tip-Talkin’ Uncle.
You ever meet someone who knows every corner store owner by name, remembers when Malcolm spoke on 116th, and still has a polaroid from the first time Lauryn sang at the Apollo? That’s Uncle Ro.
Part griot, part gossip, part Google with a cane — Uncle Ro is Harlem’s living archive. Every day, he drops a true story from Harlem’s rich past. The kind of story that don’t show up in textbooks — but should. The kind your uncle might tell you after church, somewhere between a slice of pound cake and a game of dominoes.
But that’s not all.
When he’s not schooling us on Harlem history, Uncle Ro answers travel questions with hilarious tales from his own wild adventures — from getting lost in Lagos to mistaking a bidet in Paris for a foot washer. You can ask him anything — he’ll always have a story and a laugh.
Write to Uncle Ro!
Got a question? Want a story?
Ask him anything — from how to dress for a Harlem brunch to which jazz club still plays real Coltrane.
Email: unclero@moodmagazinenyc.org
Ask Uncle Ro #1
Q: “Uncle Ro, is it true New Yorkers never look up?”
—Terrence from L.A.
A:
Boy, if we looked up every time a building got taller, we’d all have neck braces. We don’t look up ‘cause we live up. Rooftops, fifth-floor walkups, fire escapes — we already there. Ain’t nothin’ up we ain’t seen.
Ask Uncle Ro #2
Q: “What’s the one thing you never travel without?”
—Simone from Detroit
A:
An extra pair of socks and a story worth tellin’. Your feet gon’ hurt and you gon’ meet a stranger who needs a laugh. Both things gon’ come in handy, trust me.
Ask Uncle Ro #3
Q: “I want to feel local when I travel. What’s the trick?”
—Leo from Toronto
A:
Talk less, tip well, and never say “Wow, this is so authentic.” That’s the fastest way to look like a tourist and a narc at the same time.
Ask Uncle Ro #4
Q: “How do you find the best food in a new city?”
—Jas from Brooklyn (but moved to Austin)
A:
Easy. Follow the grandmas. Any restaurant with an old lady yelling in the kitchen or praying over the rice? That’s your spot. Bonus points if she tells you, “Sit down, baby” before the menu even hit the table.
Ask Uncle Ro
Today’s question comes from Maya in Atlanta:
“Uncle Ro, what should I pack for my first NYC trip if I wanna look local?”
Uncle Ro’s answer:
“Baby, pack confidence, good shoes, and leave the ‘I ❤️ NY’ shirt at home. Wear black — always. Sunglasses are for shade and attitude. And if it rains? That ain’t a storm, it’s Harlem baptizing you. Welcome home.”
