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Okay let me start of by saying my names Mark. Im a black male in ym early 20's. I have lived in Oakland my whole life, specifically the North Oakland area bordering the Berkely border. Im moving to Nashville with my brother Marcus(21) and were planning to split the rent. We have a few questions:
1. What are some young urban areas. Safety isn't our main concern coming from "the hood". And I mean totally urban. Over here bright skinny jeans and some snapback hats with a skateboard are definately trending. And this brings me to my next question.
2. What is the black populations in Nashville like? In The traditional baggy pants style is dying out here in Oakland and u will find the 80s slim fit skinnys in style here. Also Oakland has plenty of rich upperclass black neighborhoods. This is kind of irrelevant to me because my rent is preferrable under 1200 but im just trying to get a picture of the city bnefore I visit sometime in the next 6 months. Also do blacks in the city stay in their own areas or are they everywhere? In Oakland they are in almost every area from affluent to unfortuante, the hills and the business district downtown. What are Nashville's black neghborhoods like? Like I said Oakland has plenty of affluent and middle class areas. Id prefer an apartment complex in a middle class black neighborood, or some place where I wouldn't feel out of sync.
3. Are there any Raider/49er fans in Nashville? Any bars? How serious are the fans? Over here there were a couple new stories of a Raider fan getting beat down in the San fracnisco arena.
4. How progressive is the city? Is there bart? Light rail? Gay Pride?Does everyobdy listen to country music? Just wondering because I am moving from one of the most urban & progressive areas out there.
Let me finish by saying that the closer to downtown the better. Thanks in advance.
Nashville is a GREAT small city that is growing more progressive, but you are coming from one of the most progressive cities in the world. Stuff like light rail and BART are DECADES from coming here. Everyone drives here.
Here are some stats:
Nashville is about 16% black. There are majority-black areas, though it's not a requirement. I would say north Nashville, East Nash, downtown and some of the central areas in town would be more welcoming. I guess we're still in the baggy pants stage, although that is not a requirement either. I mean there are exceptions. I also see the preppy/athlete look on the folks your age.
I'd like to think that I know a lot about culture and trends, but I didn't know what the h*ell as snapback hat was.
(OK, just looked it up. Duh. I've heard them called flatbrims.)
Not everybody listens to country, just like not everyone in SF skips down the street in rainbow Speedos.
Nashville does have a lot of colleges and universities, but I wouldn't describe it as a "college town." The crowd from each school differs.
The majority of Nashville residents are between 30 and 60.
The majority of residents identify themselves as Christian. Nashville's gay community could be described as "growing" as well, though it is still small.
I think Nashville is like the biggest small town in America. Based on your post, I wouldn't think you'd be at the top of a list of people wanting to move here, but you never know.
Honestly, your best bet would be to visit for at least a long weekend and see what you think.
Last edited by BirdieBelle; 09-18-2011 at 03:07 PM..
Reason: fashion forgetfulness
Nashville is a GREAT small city that is growing more progressive, but you are coming from one of the most progressive cities in the world. Stuff like light rail and BART are DECADES from coming here. Everyone drives here.
Here are some stats:
Nashville is about 16% black. There are majority-black areas, though it's not a requirement. I would say north Nashville, East Nash, downtown and some of the central areas in town would be more welcoming. I guess we're still in the baggy pants stage, although that is not a requirement either. I mean there are exceptions. I also see the preppy/athlete look on the folks your age.
I'd like to think that I know a lot about culture and trends, but I didn't know what the h*ell as snapback hat was.
(OK, just looked it up. Duh. I've heard them called flatbrims.)
Not everybody listens to country, just like not everyone in SF skips down the street in rainbow Speedos.
Nashville does have a lot of colleges and universities, but I wouldn't describe it as a "college town." The crowd from each school differs.
The majority of Nashville residents are between 30 and 60.
The majority of residents identify themselves as Christian. Nashville's gay community could be described as "growing" as well, though it is still small.
I think Nashville is like the biggest small town in America. Based on your post, I wouldn't think you'd be at the top of a list of people wanting to move here, but you never know.
Honestly, your best bet would be to visit for at least a long weekend and see what you think.
Decades? Thats quite a surprise although its not the biggest deal. I could have sworn that last time I checked Nashville and Oakland had the same black population. And do any of the above mentioned places have middle class black neighborhoods with low crime? And can you specify some areas around colleges as well? The younger the better.
Decades? Thats quite a surprise although its not the biggest deal. I could have sworn that last time I checked Nashville and Oakland had the same black population. And do any of the above mentioned places have middle class black neighborhoods with low crime? And can you specify some areas around colleges as well? The younger the better.
The black population for the metro is only about 16%...but for the city it's about 27%.
Nashville doesn't have a whole lot of options that you would consider truly urban (considering where you are coming from). My suggestion, though, would be to look around the East Nashville area. That area is pretty mixed both racially/ethnically and socioeconomically. It has a lot to offer all types of people.
The Vanderbilt area is nice, relatively dense and urban, but mostly white and a bit on the pricey side. Downtown and the Gulch are about the same.
West Nashville (Charlotte Pike area) might be something to look at. Some of the neighborhoods are dicey, but if crime isn't ultimately a concern, it might fit the type of neighborhood you're looking for.
The traditional center of the black community is Jefferson Street. Some of the neighborhood around Jefferson St, just north of downtown (Germantown, Buena Vista, Hope Gardens) are starting to clean up and gentrify, but they are in the early stages (Germantown is decently far along -- but the price reflects that, too).
This is a map from 2000 that shows where the concentration of races/ethnicities and where they live. Red = white, blue = black, yellow = Hispanic. Things have changed somewhat in the past 10 years...but as you can see, the black population is still mainly concentrated in the north, with sections to the immediate areas around town have a higher population.
Antioch is an area with a mixed population, but suffers from a reputation (some of it deserved, some not). It's one of the more dense areas of town, but not really "urban"...lots of apartments.
The truth is, a lot of the desirable urban areas are being gentrified and becoming more and more expensive. A lot of the heavily black areas of town are still pretty poor and have some bad crime issues. Bordeaux might be one area that I would call black and middle class, and not "the hood." But it's definitely not urban.
I think you might want to investigate East Nashville further. It probably fits more of your criteria than most other areas of town.
Since the titans are an AFL team, you may find more Oakland fans than 49'ers. Another group may be former Rams or Chargers. Most of the rivalry is between the Titans & Ravens, Titans & Colts, Titans & Steelers. There may always be a problem with drunken fools.
I doubt if the area could be considered "urban progressive". We have to make do at lower tax rates. No BART type light rail. We do have 1 commuter rail line, lightly used. MTA is the bus service, mostly for the central urban area. They do run 3 free routes in the downtown area. Ridership has been good this year when you consider the poor economy & close to $4.00 gas. MTA does have a good website with Google routing to get you around town on the bus. Fares run $1.60 one way per adult.
Hello Mr. BayAreaNative, I am a black male in my mid 20's and I enjoy living in Nashville. I have friends that are black, white, hispanic and that are from many places around the U.S.
Regarding your questions:
1. Nashville has some pretty good young urban areas where you could probably get a 2 bedroom for under $1,200. These include the Germantown/Salemtown areas, 12South/Belmot areas, the Gulch, and Midtown/Vandy and East Nashville Five Points. These areas have tons of restaurants, shops, and 20-30 year olds. The hoods and ghettos here are nothing compared to those of the bigs cities in the U.S.....LA, Chicago, Philly, and probably even Oakland. I have friends that have visited here from other places and are suprised at what we call the "ghetto".
I think the "uban swag" is in Nashville with the skinny jeans, Vans, V-necks, and preppy look. However, you do still have many people that prefer the baggy look and Jordans.
2. Nashville is fortunate to have 3 historically black colleges right here in the city, all located on the same street - Jefferson street. There are Fisk University, Tennessee State University, and Meharry Medical College. With these three colleges you have many black students from all over the U.S. that come here to go to college and have fun. Many often stay here after graduation. There is also Vanderbilt, Lipscomb, Belmot, Treveca, MTSU, and many other colleges in the Nashville area that helps add to the city's young population,
TSU homecoming is often a big weeklong celebration for the school that has a lot of stuff going on in the city for blacks. Nashville also gets a lots concerts from Hip Hop and RnB performers...Wiz Kalifa, R Kelly, Young Jeezy, Chris Brown, Jay Z, Snoop Dog, and many more.
The perception that everyone stays in their own little area is not true. My friends and I often go out to bars and clubs in Nashville such as Whiskey kitchen, Cabanna, Decades night club, Karma nightclub, and many others where there is always a mixed crowd. Not to say every club, bar, restaurant, and event will be a mixed crowd becuase it will not.
The predominatly black neighborhoods have traditionally been around the edges of downtown and northwest Nashville (Bordeaux, Kings Hills). Many retired professionals live in the Whites Creek and Kings Hills areas. The urban core has changed greatly with gentrification and the housing authority tearing down many of the city's housing projects.
3. Not sure about the Raider fans, but the Titans are in the AFC and have played the Raiders several times. I don't think you will get beat down if you wore a Raiders jersey.
4. As far as progression, I would say we are not decades away, but we are a bit slower in catching on to mass transit and urban planning than other cities. We have made great leaps with the Gulch area, Downtown, Germantown, and Hillsboro Village. We definitly depend on our cars for getting places, however the recent metro govt has put a lot of emphasis on urban planning and developing mass transit.
Everybody does not listen to country music (I don't lol) and there many places thay different genres of music..that is why we are called Music City USA. We have an annual Soul Food Festival, Hot Chicken Festival, and many events on the Riverfront that may interest you.
I was born in Concord in '83 but grew up in Ohio. Moved down here about six years ago after college. Life long Giants and 49ers fan.
Have lived in East Nashville for two years. Rented for a while over in the Lockland Springs area which was nice. Just bought in the Cleveland Park area which has been a pleasant experience thus far. Also lived off Charlotte across from Baptist hospital for two years prior to this. Check into renting a house in any of these neighborhoods for prices comparable or better (in my experience) to renting an apartment.
I can tell you most people here are concerned with SEC football first and foremost. I haven't met many Oak/SF fans but have seen some Giants caps here and there (assuming most have to do with the fact they won the World Series last year). I've never had an issue with harassment with anything sports related though I can understand your concern coming off the Brian Stowe beating and the debacle of the Niners/Raiders preseason tilt.
You'll find a TON of music here and as mentioned it is a good eclectic mix. You just need to check the Nashville Scene for a good rundown of the shows each week and it always helps to be connected to some of the venues on social media sites.
Snapbacks, skinny jeans, skateboards and the rest of the emerging (or has it already fully taken over now?) hipster culture seem to be quite popular here in East Nasty. Quoting a previous post "However, you do still have many people that prefer the baggy look and Jordans. "
Hello Mr. BayAreaNative, I am a black male in my mid 20's and I enjoy living in Nashville. I have friends that are black, white, hispanic and that are from many places around the U.S.
Regarding your questions:
1. Nashville has some pretty good young urban areas where you could probably get a 2 bedroom for under $1,200. These include the Germantown/Salemtown areas, 12South/Belmot areas, the Gulch, and Midtown/Vandy and East Nashville Five Points. These areas have tons of restaurants, shops, and 20-30 year olds. The hoods and ghettos here are nothing compared to those of the bigs cities in the U.S.....LA, Chicago, Philly, and probably even Oakland. I have friends that have visited here from other places and are suprised at what we call the "ghetto".
I think the "uban swag" is in Nashville with the skinny jeans, Vans, V-necks, and preppy look. However, you do still have many people that prefer the baggy look and Jordans.
2. Nashville is fortunate to have 3 historically black colleges right here in the city, all located on the same street - Jefferson street. There are Fisk University, Tennessee State University, and Meharry Medical College. With these three colleges you have many black students from all over the U.S. that come here to go to college and have fun. Many often stay here after graduation. There is also Vanderbilt, Lipscomb, Belmot, Treveca, MTSU, and many other colleges in the Nashville area that helps add to the city's young population,
TSU homecoming is often a big weeklong celebration for the school that has a lot of stuff going on in the city for blacks. Nashville also gets a lots concerts from Hip Hop and RnB performers...Wiz Kalifa, R Kelly, Young Jeezy, Chris Brown, Jay Z, Snoop Dog, and many more.
The perception that everyone stays in their own little area is not true. My friends and I often go out to bars and clubs in Nashville such as Whiskey kitchen, Cabanna, Decades night club, Karma nightclub, and many others where there is always a mixed crowd. Not to say every club, bar, restaurant, and event will be a mixed crowd becuase it will not.
The predominatly black neighborhoods have traditionally been around the edges of downtown and northwest Nashville (Bordeaux, Kings Hills). Many retired professionals live in the Whites Creek and Kings Hills areas. The urban core has changed greatly with gentrification and the housing authority tearing down many of the city's housing projects.
3. Not sure about the Raider fans, but the Titans are in the AFC and have played the Raiders several times. I don't think you will get beat down if you wore a Raiders jersey.
4. As far as progression, I would say we are not decades away, but we are a bit slower in catching on to mass transit and urban planning than other cities. We have made great leaps with the Gulch area, Downtown, Germantown, and Hillsboro Village. We definitly depend on our cars for getting places, however the recent metro govt has put a lot of emphasis on urban planning and developing mass transit.
Everybody does not listen to country music (I don't lol) and there many places thay different genres of music..that is why we are called Music City USA. We have an annual Soul Food Festival, Hot Chicken Festival, and many events on the Riverfront that may interest you.
I was born in Concord in '83 but grew up in Ohio. Moved down here about six years ago after college. Life long Giants and 49ers fan.
Have lived in East Nashville for two years. Rented for a while over in the Lockland Springs area which was nice. Just bought in the Cleveland Park area which has been a pleasant experience thus far. Also lived off Charlotte across from Baptist hospital for two years prior to this. Check into renting a house in any of these neighborhoods for prices comparable or better (in my experience) to renting an apartment.
I can tell you most people here are concerned with SEC football first and foremost. I haven't met many Oak/SF fans but have seen some Giants caps here and there (assuming most have to do with the fact they won the World Series last year). I've never had an issue with harassment with anything sports related though I can understand your concern coming off the Brian Stowe beating and the debacle of the Niners/Raiders preseason tilt.
You'll find a TON of music here and as mentioned it is a good eclectic mix. You just need to check the Nashville Scene for a good rundown of the shows each week and it always helps to be connected to some of the venues on social media sites.
Snapbacks, skinny jeans, skateboards and the rest of the emerging (or has it already fully taken over now?) hipster culture seem to be quite popular here in East Nasty. Quoting a previous post "However, you do still have many people that prefer the baggy look and Jordans. "
Yes, but you have more Whites moving in and around the McFerrin area.
Anything West of Ellington Parkway is overwhelmingly Black but it's a rather dangerous area; very little gentrification. East Nashville is different, lots of Whites have moved back in and made the area nice again but it is neighborhood to neighborhood.
The Germantown/Salemtown area... There has been a lot of building here lately. Germantown is pretty cool but tiny and north of there you're really going on a house by house basis.
North Nashville and West of Ellington off Dickerson Pike are the predominately Black areas of Nashville but there's a lot of crime in those areas too. Also in East Nashville Shelby Bottoms Projects.
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