South L.A. Artist Vayay Shares New Track & Video “Gentrifination”

By | August 22, 2019 at 12:59 am | No comments | ILL Tracks, MUSIC, Videos | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

South L.A. artist Vayay shares his new track & video “Gentrifination” produced by Piano Blac of Introverted Funk. The track highlights the ever-changing landscape of LA due to gentrification and the unaffordable housing crisis that all of Los Angeles County have been experiencing for the past 5 to 10 years. Raised in the West Adams section of LA, Vayay and his family have seen gentrification first-hand as locals are being pushed out to make space for new condos and amenities to accommodate white folks. The video was shot and directed by our girl Redheart Media and edited by Andrew Guerra.

“The song is about the ever-so changing financial landscape of Los Angeles and the gentrification and housing costs that are continuing to rise out here. When I initially wrote it I kinda hummed out the melody for the hook first, without having thought of the actual lyrics. I was driving around town and bumping the beat from Piano Blac in my car (how I often listen to beats) and seeing all the “For Sale,” signs and the new building developments, that kind of gave me the first bits of inspiration.” Says Vayay

“But more specifically, I have another story of how one day sometime last year I got banged on by some local cholito in my neighborhood. Me not having ever been about that life peacefully diffused the situation by respectfully communicating that I was not affiliated. But as I continue walking to get inside my apartment I see a white family turn the sidewalk corner. In West Adams South Central LA, yes a white family! Walking their dogs, kids running along playing, looking merry as can be. It just left me thinking, kind of an awe somewhat, of what is now this duality of living in South LA. Where locals are being forced out for condos and Starbucks, yet you can still get banged on or robbed all within a blocks span! And yet, how even tho things are changing, if you are black or latino especially, we are unfortunately still facing the same elements and struggle that our generations before us have dealt with. Which is why on the hook of the song I say/ask, “Who Shot Ya?”. Was it some foo trippin? Was it a stray bullet? Or perhaps maybe the police? On any given day it could be whichever.”

“Despite rising costs, many people are stuck in this city trying to barely make ends meet and have no place to go. As for the visual tho I teamed up with Redheart Media and Andrew Guerra and we wanted to simply portray me in my element doing the LA shit that I’ve grown up doing or have always been around. For me, that’s barbecuing, backyard shows, parties, skateboarding, hooping, watching sports and really anything that brings people together!”

Watch the video above.

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