Heard of Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, and Big Mama Thornton? West Oakland was their gig just along the 7th Street strip, and no wonder: this Oakland neighborhood has a distinct fleur of African Americans that earned it the ‘Harlem of the West’ nickname. Check out the apartments for rent in one of the brick warehouses of West Oakland, the area of civic pride, vibrant street art, and unique cuisine like po’-mi sandwich.