STATEN ISLAND

The lesser-known New York borough gets short shrift from both locals and visitors, but it provided Will Ashon with a revelation that led to his latest book

In July 2017, I was in New York, finishing the research for my book, Chamber Music, a study of the first album by hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. I say I was in New York, and of course I was, but there are certain caveats. I was staying with friends of friends in downtown Manhattan, but my days were spent in Staten Island, the original home of most of the band’s members.

Staten Island is the fifth borough of New York City, but most visitors to the city go there only for the briefest amount of time. That’s because the famous yellow ferries that chug back and forth across Upper New York Bay dock there after cutting a path past the Statue of Liberty and, on the return journey, offer a wonderful view of Manhattan. The top decks of these vessels, which are free to travel on, are crammed with tourists taking selfies, while downstairs the locals sit reading, chatting on the phone or listening to music.