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People really overdo it with this Oakland. About the extent of it's real influence is, one could say it's the black capital of Northern California. That's it. It's not the black capital of it's own state, much less anywhere outside of Cali...
Its influential within Northern Cali, I won't deny that, but people gotta chill on this Oakland exaggeration thing...
Wow, you really don't like Oakland fam lol... its okay!!!
Oak is 23% vs 8% Black LA at the end of the day you can have the numbers population wise, but it comes down to the overall culture and vibrancy the community has on the whole city.
Nobody is overdoing it, in fact you brought it back up in the first place outta nowhere.
Again even with Oakland Black populace shrinking, it's influence is still relevant in Black America. The fact that the NBA put "The Town" on Golden State Warriors jersey's shows how influential the black culture is in Oakland. A lot of people know The Town is Oakland. Even GSW embodied Oakland's culture which is heavily influenced by Black culture.
Literally this. Oakland had its 3rd annual Black Joy Parade festival last month where 20k people attended and majority of them were Black faces. A lot of people who are in Oakland aren't originally from there, a lot are transplanted from the DC/ATL and NYC. Most of the black m/f i meet are from the east or south if they relocated here recently. I find the locals here to be quirky, unique and sort of laid back and tolerant.
Overall the black culture here in Oakland is stronger than anywhere else in Cali Outside of Ladera/Inglewood/Compton/South LA Square.
Literally this. Oakland had its 3rd annual Black Joy Parade festival last month where 20k people attended and majority of them were Black faces. A lot of people who are in Oakland aren't originally from there, a lot are transplanted from the DC/ATL and NYC. Most of the black m/f i meet are from the east or south if they relocated here recently. I find the locals here to be quirky, unique and sort of laid back and tolerant.
Overall the black culture here in Oakland is stronger than anywhere else in Cali Outside of Ladera/Inglewood/Compton/South LA Square.
I dont know what u mean by black culture but Oakland black presence is the greatest in west coast. Compton mostly mexican now and the other places u mentioned are small suburbs or a specidic section of a city. LA black areas have a lot of culture and influence but its dominated by other races because the city is only 9pct black which is below US average of 12pct. Oakland is a major black city and its black culture reigns supreme and isnt in 4th place of it's own city like it is in LA. LA is influential period because Hollywood but LA is not a black majority city like Oakland has always been. You have to go to small suburban towns or use a southern central compass description to find the section of blacks. South central is pretty big at 15 sq miles but in a city with 470 sq miles, that's not much. The center of Oakland area is Oakland and it's a black MAJOR PRINCIPAL CITY not a section or neighborhood. Remember Lza has more blacks than Atlanta, Oakland, Baltimore, New Orleans, Cleveland, Memphis, St Louis because those are smaller cities but those cities are BLACK MAJOR CITIES while LA just has a small 9pct black with 3 other races predominant over LA blacks
And u said 35 years ago Oakland was black prominence?
That's literally what I did not say...
I don't know what Oakland being a major city has to do with anything. Most major cities aren't "black" cities, and most of them still have highly influential black communities within them, regardless of population size, because that's America in a nutshell, our presence is more influential than our population would lead to believe. Every demographic of American society has borrowed from Black America, period...
Most people who aren't hardcore hip hop fans don't know that Tupac even had any association with Oakland, but I'm noticing this is what you do, you have a habit of assuming the average person knows these random tidbits about Oakland---->they don't. Let me ask you a question, when did you leave Oakland (if you have), and where have you lived besides Oakland, and for how long?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tion91
LA black culture influence doesnt make it a black city. The people do and LA don't have enough blacks for a city its size but Oakland does have that. Population, culture an and prominence for its city. LA is a major Mexican city tho... and then white after that. Not black though. LA is influential period because of hollywood but it doesnt change the fact of what it is. LA has more total blacks and probably more influential than Oakland, New Orleans, Atlanta, St. Louis, Baltimore because hollywood but the difference is all these cities are black cities and LA is not.
Fam I don't know how you're conflating Oakland with places like Atlanta and New Orleans, your argument lacks clarity and is faulty on its premise. There are no black cities in California....yet, like pretty much everywhere else in America, our presence in LA is felt beyond what our physical population is...
Oakland doesn't have a single majority black neighborhood, and you're in here arguing for its inclusion with cities like New Orleans lol...for the record, it is easier to identify Oakland with blackness as it is much smaller and more intimate, this is the common mistake I see people make when relating LA's black culture, which has influenced nonblacks in LA similarly, but because all demographics are significantly larger in LA than Oakland, there is a larger base to slow cultural dilution...
You're making a bunch of random disconnected arguments in here. No one is calling LA a black city; no one is saying blacks have the most dominant culture in LA; on and on. LA's black community is still one of the largest in the nation, is a magnet for blacks from across the country, and has been that way---->when both LA and Oakland were at the heights of their popularities in Black America, LA still had the larger and more influential and pronounced culture...
LA isn't a black city. Neither is Oakland. Both have lost ground in the last quarter century as the South has risen again, California's cost of living soared outta control, and California prioritized the needs and growth of other communities over its native blacks...but one of these cities has remained a hot area in all facets of black culture, and it ain't Oakland, and it ain't because of Hollywood...
I'm about done debating with you, though. Maybe other people haven't been to Oakland here, but I have. It's as Californian as anywhere else, where these nonblack cultures have significantly borrowed from black culture. But we're not about to pretend nonblacks in Oakland don't also have their own identity base...
In about a decade when Asian Oakland outnumbers Black Oakland, make sure you're here to use the same justifications you make to belittle LA's blackness, since whites and Latinos already outnumber blacks in Oakland and are annually widening the gap. That's your argument, just make sure you're consistent when Asians catch up...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redlionjr
exactly. When you think of LA, Black culture might not even be the first thing that comes to your mind. LA definitely has a well respected and influential Black culture and it helps that Hollywood is in LA so for that alone we get a glimpse of many different facets of LA culture. But the black culture in LA isn't the dominant culture in the city period. Black culture is synonymous with the city of Oakland. When you think Oakland, you think Black for the most part. Even non Black people in Oakland are heavily influenced by Black culture and it don't even come off disingenuous either.
Also Oakland's Blackness was on full display nationally in films like Black Panther, Sorry to Bother You, and Blindspotting. 3 critically acclaimed films and 1 that was a game changer. Again even with Oakland Black populace shrinking, it's influence is still relevant in Black America. The fact that the NBA put "The Town" on Golden State Warriors jersey's shows how influential the black culture is in Oakland. A lot of people know The Town is Oakland. Even GSW embodied Oakland's culture which is heavily influenced by Black culture.
You guys tell on yourselves easily with this assumption that other demographics in LA aren't influenced by blacks lmao...
Wow, you really don't like Oakland fam lol... its okay!!!
Oak is 23% vs 8% Black LA at the end of the day you can have the numbers population wise, but it comes down to the overall culture and vibrancy the community has on the whole city.
Nobody is overdoing it, in fact you brought it back up in the first place outta nowhere.
I didn't bring it back up, whoever bumped the thread by supporting Oakland did...
Again, the only explanation for why you guys think Black LA doesn't have the same contribution throughout LA, has to be that you guys aren't familiar with LA. Black LA's reach is probably larger in geography, and certainly by population, since LA is far larger. The major difference is because of LA's size, there are parts of the city like far West LA, The Valley, and East LA where there are few blacks, but that still leaves a huge amount of LA where blacks are and there are pockets of WLA and The Valley with notable black communities...
This is literally one of the strangest arguments people have held onto in the entire history of City Data, this idea that blacks in LA don't have a presence that blacks in Oakland have...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redlionjr
Oakland has recognizable athletes that remind you how unapologetically Black Oakland is.
These people aren't examples of being unapologetically black as much as they are examples of being unapologetically Oakland. There's literally innumerable celebrities like this, that ain't unique to Oakland...
Quote:
Originally Posted by BoiWonder13
Overall the black culture here in Oakland is stronger than anywhere else in Cali Outside of Ladera/Inglewood/Compton/South LA Square.
That "square" is geographically larger than Oakland, with multiple times more blacks in real volume, with a significantly larger percentage of blacks than Oakland, with also similar black cultural events as Oakland, and honestly the square is a little larger than what you included...
We are in agreement that Oakland's black culture is stronger than everywhere in Cali outside of Los Angeles...
Black LA is only comparanle to Oakland because the city of LA is bigger in general. Black LA is extremely outshined by white LA, Mexican LA and maybe asian LA. Black Oakland outshines them all. Black Oakland is OAKLAND.
And u said 35 years ago Oakland was black prominence? Nah Oakland black population got surpassed by whites just 4 years ago. Oakland is a major city with major sports and a major image and is known as a black city around the world even though its changed recently. LA is known for much other races and cultures before its known for its blacks. Many think of Bloods and crips, a styld of rap and and khaki suits when they think of LA blacks. Oakland is known historically for black prominence since before the black panther party, sideshows, unique music sound, place tupac repped, gritty and black flavor. Black LA is mostly known because movies made since hollywood is here.
with all due respect, its clear you don't travel much.
You from 908? Elizabeth. Oakland is a lottttttttttttttt more relevant and of importance to Black America than Elizabeth New Jersey. Bottom line there's Black people outside of the southeast and Northeast and you have to acknowledge that there are intermingles with other regions outside of those 2. Black people from Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Kansas, Arkansas, Ohio share a lot more in common with the Bay Area than they do with Black folks in New Jersey. And I'm just being vague but Oakland's influence on Black Culture is still easily relevant and resonates with a good chunk of Black Americas even today.
Vegas? VEGAS? LMAOOO Look Vegas Black population might be seeing an increase(due to it's affordability) but it's still relatively new in the conversation of Black hubs/meccas/etc. in Black America general. When you think Vegas you think the strip. You don't think Black anything and that won't change for a very long time. When most Black folks visit Vegas we do like every other tourist and stay confined to the strip. It's Black Californian's who generally migrate there because it's cheaper. It doesn't have influence though because Cali influences Vegas and have been doing so since they started migrating that way in the 90s.
Yeah Black people love talking about Bishop Gorman High school. When talking about high school sports that's the ONE that gets Black people migrating all over the country to Vegas *sarcasm*. Please I'm from Texas and if your not from Cali/Florida or Texas than nationally known you ain't that talked about. Why? Cause you don't have enough talent that resonates with the public on a national level.
The most recognized athlete from Vegas is Floyd Mayweather Jr. and he's not even from Vegas his name is just synonymous with Vegas cause he made his career there and he lives there now. Oakland has recognizable athletes that remind you how unapologetically Black Oakland is. When you see these athletes you know "Oh yeah they embody Oakland". Marshawn Lynch/ Marcus Peters/ Gary Payton/ Damian Lillard/ Jason Kidd/ Bill Russell/Frank Robinson/ Andre Ward/ Paul Pierce..etc...etc.etc.
Too Short birthed a lot of people styles first and foremost that's still relevant to this day. 2pac might not have had a "regional" sound to his music but he gives credit to Oakland for being his biggest influence when it came to his music. Oh and for a good couple of summers everybody was biting the Bay Area sound when DJ Mustard started stealing their production. From Tyga to 2 Chainz to Big Sean to Drake everybody was rapping over Bay inspired production. I mean at least Drake shot a video in Frisco and paid his respect to the area. The Bay area probably produced the most slang words in hip-hop period so it's way more than just a word or two.
no one mentioned Elizabeth, NJ lol. you sound emotional.
I don't know what Oakland being a major city has to do with anything. Most major cities aren't "black" cities, and most of them still have highly influential black communities within them, regardless of population size, because that's America in a nutshell, our presence is more influential than our population would lead to believe. Every demographic of American society has borrowed from Black America, period...
Most people who aren't hardcore hip hop fans don't know that Tupac even had any association with Oakland, but I'm noticing this is what you do, you have a habit of assuming the average person knows these random tidbits about Oakland---->they don't. Let me ask you a question, when did you leave Oakland (if you have), and where have you lived besides Oakland, and for how long?
Fam I don't know how you're conflating Oakland with places like Atlanta and New Orleans, your argument lacks clarity and is faulty on its premise. There are no black cities in California....yet, like pretty much everywhere else in America, our presence in LA is felt beyond what our physical population is...
Oakland doesn't have a single majority black neighborhood, and you're in here arguing for its inclusion with cities like New Orleans lol...for the record, it is easier to identify Oakland with blackness as it is much smaller and more intimate, this is the common mistake I see people make when relating LA's black culture, which has influenced nonblacks in LA similarly, but because all demographics are significantly larger in LA than Oakland, there is a larger base to slow cultural dilution...
You're making a bunch of random disconnected arguments in here. No one is calling LA a black city; no one is saying blacks have the most dominant culture in LA; on and on. LA's black community is still one of the largest in the nation, is a magnet for blacks from across the country, and has been that way---->when both LA and Oakland were at the heights of their popularities in Black America, LA still had the larger and more influential and pronounced culture...
LA isn't a black city. Neither is Oakland. Both have lost ground in the last quarter century as the South has risen again, California's cost of living soared outta control, and California prioritized the needs and growth of other communities over its native blacks...but one of these cities has remained a hot area in all facets of black culture, and it ain't Oakland, and it ain't because of Hollywood...
I'm about done debating with you, though. Maybe other people haven't been to Oakland here, but I have. It's as Californian as anywhere else, where these nonblack cultures have significantly borrowed from black culture. But we're not about to pretend nonblacks in Oakland don't also have their own identity base...
In about a decade when Asian Oakland outnumbers Black Oakland, make sure you're here to use the same justifications you make to belittle LA's blackness, since whites and Latinos already outnumber blacks in Oakland and are annually widening the gap. That's your argument, just make sure you're consistent when Asians catch up...
You guys tell on yourselves easily with this assumption that other demographics in LA aren't influenced by blacks lmao...
You are trying to suggest what other people think of when they think about Oakland so you're being hypocritical. You assume people follow LA black culture but yet the only thing people copy in LA in my experience from living all across America is some smaller suburbs might try the blood and crip stuff but 99pct dont because once you reach mid country the suburban youth start wanting to talk about gangster disciples and folks. Oakland created the black panther party which changed America and went over seas IN A POSITIVE WAY before there was bloods and crips. LA even had a chapter and then crips got their blueprint from black Panthers but Oakland has never copied anything from LA. LA now has sideshows and copy Bay area music sound with the DJ mustards, blueface, onetake jay etc.. to white america LA has a large influence and even to black America it might have influence because of its large size and Hollywood cameras but in ways that matter to black America, LA hasn't contributed anything except social ills and corny gang banging.
Oakland is a core city center which once had black majority population but very recently got over taken. Its compared to cities like atl and new orleans because they are each one of very few black majority principal cities in america (chicago being the largest).. that's why they are compared so I have no clue by your flabbergasted reaction lol. OAKLAND IS THE ONLY BLACK MAJOR CITY THE WEST COAST HAS EVER HAD (even though its not like that the last couple years [I had to put that since you seem confused])...
And TO THIS DAY Oakland has many black majority neighborhoods. Why sit here and lie about something that you aren't sure is true. Everything I said is FACTS and can be looked up by yourself minus the part of what's more influential since that depends on the person. History will favor black PANTHER party over anything LA has contributed to black culture.. most importantly culture and influence dont matter because its subjective and LA has a more influential black community than baltimore, st louis, new orleans (maybe), Milwaukee, Cleveland, philly (maybe) and many other black cities but influence doesnt change fact and those cities are black cities while LA is not. Its just a bigger city. But its black prominence isnt even prominent IN LA. People don't think black when they think LA either but they do when they think Oakland even if that might change over the years...
P.s. I livve in Redondo beach and huntington park my entire life but got fam in Oakland and been to both places and me going to oakland use to shock me all the time because it felt like the hoodntool over the whole city like this was a movie. Every where in Oakland even in downtown tall buildings was a lot of black people and the culture was just so thick. Then sure enough when I looked up the numbers i was able to see why Oakland was so much more black than LA and why even the metro was blacker all along the east Bay I noticed that blackness reign supreme in culture.
But as for influence feel free to disagree but facts remain LA is not a black city and never was however Oakland was until 2016 and still by far has the highest black pct for western major/and or/principal cities.
West coast major principal cities are
LA
SD
SF
Oakland
San Jose
Anaheim
Riverside
Portland
Sac
Fesno
Bakersfield
Stockton
Seattle
(Long beach has the population but it's not principal city because its in LA county)
Western US major principal cities are:
Las Vegas
Phoenix
Salt Lake City
Tuscon
Albuquerque
And Denever if you go that far out.
Major principal city is the core city of its area with a population over 250,000 by census definition
NONE OF THEAE CITIES HAVE EVER HAD A BLACK PREDOMINANT POPULATION only neighborhoods, sections or suburbs and Oakland has all that too
You from 908? Elizabeth. Oakland is a lottttttttttttttt more relevant and of importance to Black America than Elizabeth New Jersey. Bottom line there's Black people outside of the southeast and Northeast and you have to acknowledge that there are intermingles with other regions outside of those 2. Black people from Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Kansas, Arkansas, Ohio share a lot more in common with the Bay Area than they do with Black folks in New Jersey. And I'm just being vague but Oakland's influence on Black Culture is still easily relevant and resonates with a good chunk of Black Americas even today.
Vegas? VEGAS? LMAOOO Look Vegas Black population might be seeing an increase(due to it's affordability) but it's still relatively new in the conversation of Black hubs/meccas/etc. in Black America general. When you think Vegas you think the strip. You don't think Black anything and that won't change for a very long time. When most Black folks visit Vegas we do like every other tourist and stay confined to the strip. It's Black Californian's who generally migrate there because it's cheaper. It doesn't have influence though because Cali influences Vegas and have been doing so since they started migrating that way in the 90s.
Yeah Black people love talking about Bishop Gorman High school. When talking about high school sports that's the ONE that gets Black people migrating all over the country to Vegas *sarcasm*. Please I'm from Texas and if your not from Cali/Florida or Texas than nationally known you ain't that talked about. Why? Cause you don't have enough talent that resonates with the public on a national level.
The most recognized athlete from Vegas is Floyd Mayweather Jr. and he's not even from Vegas his name is just synonymous with Vegas cause he made his career there and he lives there now. Oakland has recognizable athletes that remind you how unapologetically Black Oakland is. When you see these athletes you know "Oh yeah they embody Oakland". Marshawn Lynch/ Marcus Peters/ Gary Payton/ Damian Lillard/ Jason Kidd/ Bill Russell/Frank Robinson/ Andre Ward/ Paul Pierce..etc...etc.etc.
Too Short birthed a lot of people styles first and foremost that's still relevant to this day. 2pac might not have had a "regional" sound to his music but he gives credit to Oakland for being his biggest influence when it came to his music. Oh and for a good couple of summers everybody was biting the Bay Area sound when DJ Mustard started stealing their production. From Tyga to 2 Chainz to Big Sean to Drake everybody was rapping over Bay inspired production. I mean at least Drake shot a video in Frisco and paid his respect to the area. The Bay area probably produced the most slang words in hip-hop period so it's way more than just a word or two.
You make fun of Bishop Gorman yet both you and I know Bishop Gorman..... Oakland is Oakland it’s not the black capital of America. I don’t know what someone being from Elizabeth NJ has to do with invalidating their opinion, wouldn’t and shouldn’t matter where he’s from. Elizabeth NJ is probably more representative of black life in the US than Oakland, it’s definitely much blacker. Idk what black Michiganders or Ohioans (who’s history is like NJs defines by gaining infrastructure, redlining , cold weather and intense segregation’s) would have in common with people from the bay 2k mikes away, who aren’t rust belt. What the hell does Arkansas have in common with Oakland or Kansas?? Make it make sense. If anything they’re using slang and listening to music produced in NY/NJ and watching films based in NY/NJ as opposed to Oakland.
As previously stated Oakland is without a doubt losing ground while Vegas and Phoenix catch up. Other black folks in from Vegas are Ricky Davis, 702 and Ne-Yo.
If people in the southeast and northeast aren’t thinking about you you’re not THE capital. Also, just because you were a black capital back in the day doesn’t mean you are one today. Legacy is overrated, it’s 2020. The median year of birth black american was born in 1986. The most common year of birth-the mode- for a black American is 1992. Why would Oakland stand out to them as a black capital? As far as slang it’s more than a word or two but it’s at a time(any given generation/era)
no one mentioned Elizabeth, NJ lol. you sound emotional.
Facts. Always tryna invalidate somebody because they don’t live in the “right” place. No one mentioned Elizabeth NJ....which is definitely closer to the pulse of black culture anyway due to the fact that it’s 15 minutes from NYC.
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