Gentrify

(album: Crooked - 2017)

Gentrification is something we can, we can do something about it. We can use policy, but it really comes down to what we value, who we value, and how we want to act upon it

And when you see them billboards yelling "cash for homes"
Gentrify
They finna double your rent in the construction zone
Gentrify
They slick but be slicker, here we welcome the hipsters
Microbrew, coffee shop, Trader Joes, Whole Foods
Gentrify, baby, gentrify

Man, them gastropubs and clean streets ain't good enough
They want yours
Despite y'all crime rate, y'all got prime real estate
Continuing Columbus and they coming for your porch and
Planting they flag like "that's my land, I licked it"
Brother, it's just business, your economy could use a boost
You know the truth, your unemployment through the roof
And the mayor say the crime rate is dropped in L.A
And robbery and homicide are down in a real way
And gang life and poverty are gone some say
Why you ain't celebrating? Why you feel a kind of way?
Boy you finna not fit in in the hood you was made in
The same corner rolling twenty stole your Jordans
Hopeless little boys used to hold the town for hostage
It's complex, both guilty and victims, I guess
Better learn to invest 'fore investors come and get yours
We locals, we loyal, we hopeful, we home

And when you see them billboards yelling "cash for homes", gentrify
They finna double your rent in the construction zone, gentrify
They slick but be slicker, here we welcome the hipsters
Microbrew, coffee shop, Trader Joes, Whole Foods
Gentrify, baby, gentrify

Look, look they tryna parent ya
Exterminate the hood, boy their plan's apparent, huh?
What happened when we handed hip-hop to the vultures?
An esoteric estuary mixture of culture
Not a convoluted Angelou of thoughts, it's torture
A quintessential hipster, bike lane's a fixture
I ain't saying you ain't welcome, please be our guest
Just know the city limits beat in our chest
Hoping you hope for the best, I believe in us
Locally I invest, I ain't leaving us
Overly I protect, these are our seeds with us
Told you we know what's best if you agree with us
Welcome home

And when you see them billboards yelling "cash for homes", gentrify
They finna double your rent in the construction zone, gentrify
They slick but be slicker, here we welcome the hipsters
Microbrew, coffee shop, Trader Joes, Whole Foods
Gentrify, baby, gentrify

Yeah, that commute increased an hour
But got the down payment thanks to them housing vouchers
Slave to the mortgage rate, better not send it late
Better not miss a payment (ayy!) better not cross with Jake
Stranger in the zip code, what you doing here, boy?
You lowering our house value, it's becoming clear, boy
You ain't welcome here, boy, you ain't helping here, boy
You ain't got the wealth to help yourself, so why you here, boy?
But kids are in a good school and they tell 'em here, boy
College is for everyone if you follow the rules
You, you know they stare at you, you know they scared of you
I know this is all new, but they better get used to you
You home!