A Song is Born??

I’ve been working with this bass line that really makes me hear what I’m talking about with this gentrification that’s been going on. I was talking to a friend who just showed me the whole set of blocks off the H street corridor. This one guy owns them and has signs up about what he’s going to do: putting up high rises and luxury housing and all sorts of stuff. It probably would be good for the community in the long run, but what happens to the people who live there now and how do they make their living with the type of jobs that will be there in the future?

Makes me remember when I was in Harlem parking on 145th and St. Nicholas and I parked literally one foot over the line where you can’t park. A woman who obviously didn’t live there until a few minutes ago looked at me like I was nuts and really wanted me to move the car, because it was too near the bus stop. She actually spoke to me about it. I just walked away and shook my head. Later, when I told my girlfriend who lived near that area about what happened, she said, “We need a good shooting. That’ll learn ‘em” or something like that. Just so it's clear to non-city-dwellers: My friend WAS NOT advocating violence against anyone. She was merely remarking that in her hood, historically (ok traditionally LOL) every-so-often there's been a drug shoot out, or a mugging or some such. She was saying that the new neighbors probably wouldn't have been so bold and cavalier about telling others what to do and how to go about they business when to do so meant you might get shot at!