NPR: Seeking Oakland's Soul in the 'New Oakland' (Sacramento: transfer, neighborhoods)

[silverkris]

Originally Posted by jade408

Actually it doesn't. You should read the other articles in the series. One from a few days ago talks about how "new america" doens't have the same "race rules" as old America does. The common language of young people is "hip hop" but hip hop no longer just means "black culture."

Yep. Take rap music, for example - the biggest consumers of that are white suburban kids.

[ssmaster]

Originally Posted by jade408

Actually it doesn't. You should read the other articles in the series. One from a few days ago talks about how "new america" doens't have the same "race rules" as old America does. The common language of young people is "hip hop" but hip hop no longer just means "black culture."

young people have grown up in a much different world
a time when the:
best golfer was black -tiger
the best college running back was white-toby gerhardt
the best rapper was white- eminem
the president is black-obama
the best reggae singer is a hassidic jew-Matisyahu

if you are like older than 50 this must be like crazy world.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by ssmaster

young people have grown up in a much different world
a time when the:
best golfer was black -tiger
the best college running back was white-toby gerhardt
the best rapper was white- eminem
the president is black-obama
the best reggae singer is a hassidic jew-Matisyahu

if you are like older than 50 this must be like crazy world.

I always tell my parents that white people can dance now and they don't believe it. :P

I think Dave Chapelle's skit with John Mayer illustrates the generation gap pretty well. If you are over around 35-40 you think this is so true. If you are younger than that demographic it probably doesn't make a ton of sense.

Whenever I told my dad about one of my ex coworkers -- he is an Indian immigrant who is a hip hop producer and his favorite music is 60s Motown. Dad was just confused.


I am on my phone, please forgive the typos.

[KeyLimePie2015]

I may relocate to the Oakland area if I get a job transfer, but I'm a bit worried because I don't typically like to live in areas that do not have a sizable black middle class population.

I always seek out up and coming areas, because those areas tend to be filled with interesting people. But the area can't have too many whites, because I don't feel comfortable in environments with a lot of white people, but a good mix of Asian and Hispanic is ok.

Anyhow, I'd love to find an area in Oakland that's at least 70-80% black and middle class. I'm far from rich, but I make enough that I can afford to pay 1800 - 2000/month for a one bedroom. Needless to say, I'm seeking Oakland's Soulful areas, if there's even such a thing.

[kttam186290]

Originally Posted by jade408

Actually it doesn't. You should read the other articles in the series. One from a few days ago talks about how "new america" doens't have the same "race rules" as old America does. The common language of young people is "hip hop" but hip hop no longer just means "black culture."

I hate to burst the bubble of anyone who seriously believes this, but....

No.

It's Not. "Young People" are not a monolithic bloc of hip hop fans. Not in the slightest.

Again .

[KeyLimePie2015]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

I hate to burst the bubble of anyone who seriously believes this, but....

No.

It's Not.

I do not have any white friends or associates, so I'm not sure what white people listen to, but if I had to guess, I'd say that most listen to country, or rock.

To my knowledge, there aren't any white rappers, besides eminem and I'm not certain if he even makes music anymore, since he's approaching 40.

I do recall that when I was growing up, my brothers (who are black) loved rap music, but they were never interested in listening to white rappers, like eminem, because they didn't view them as authentic. Eminem, in particular was kind of like a fake rapper who had a lot of backing and support from various studios. Although I'm sure he had a lot of support from white teens, most black teens didn't really care for his music.

[Nineties Flava]

Originally Posted by KeyLimePie2015

I may relocate to the Oakland area if I get a job transfer, but I'm a bit worried because I don't typically like to live in areas that do not have a sizable black middle class population.

I always seek out up and coming areas, because those areas tend to be filled with interesting people. But the area can't have too many whites, because I don't feel comfortable in environments with a lot of white people, but a good mix of Asian and Hispanic is ok.

Anyhow, I'd love to find an area in Oakland that's at least 70-80% black and middle class. I'm far from rich, but I make enough that I can afford to pay 1800 - 2000/month for a one bedroom. Needless to say, I'm seeking Oakland's Soulful areas, if there's even such a thing.

What you're looking for is all over Oakland but frankly you won't find all that many people - black or otherwise - who share your disdain of white folk. And what's more, you'd be fighting an "uphill battle" so to speak... Whites are moving into Oakland right now, not out.

[Nineties Flava]

Originally Posted by KeyLimePie2015

I do not have any white friends or associates, so I'm not sure what white people listen to, but if I had to guess, I'd say that most listen to country, or rock.

To my knowledge, there aren't any white rappers, besides eminem and I'm not certain if he even makes music anymore, since he's approaching 40.

I do recall that when I was growing up, my brothers (who are black) loved rap music, but they were never interested in listening to white rappers, like eminem, because they didn't view them as authentic. Eminem, in particular was kind of like a fake rapper who had a lot of backing and support from various studios. Although I'm sure he had a lot of support from white teens, most black teens didn't really care for his music.

There are still popular white rappers... Machine Gun Kelly, Yelawolf, Mac Miller, Asher Roth, El-P, etc. are all white. There's also a ton of white producers... If anything, they've been spearheading a lot of the production trends that are big right now (see Clams Casino and Harry Fraud).

Out of curiosity where are you from?

[kttam186290]

Originally Posted by KeyLimePie2015

I may relocate to the Oakland area if I get a job transfer, but I'm a bit worried because I don't typically like to live in areas that do not have a sizable black middle class population.

I always seek out up and coming areas, because those areas tend to be filled with interesting people. But the area can't have too many whites, because I don't feel comfortable in environments with a lot of white people, but a good mix of Asian and Hispanic is ok.

Anyhow, I'd love to find an area in Oakland that's at least 70-80% black and middle class. I'm far from rich, but I make enough that I can afford to pay 1800 - 2000/month for a one bedroom. Needless to say, I'm seeking Oakland's Soulful areas, if there's even such a thing.

That's hard to find in the Bay Area, let alone California even... try Atlanta, GA; Las Vegas, NV; Phoenix, AZ or Dallas, TX

Almost all of California's black middle class have flighted out to Nevada, Arizona or Southern U.S. states, leaving behind the very rich and the poor.

[Nineties Flava]

Originally Posted by kttam186290

I hate to burst the bubble of anyone who seriously believes this, but....

No.

It's Not. "Young People" are not a monolithic bloc of hip hop fans. Not in the slightest.

Again .

Yeah, it is. One doesn't have to be a self-proclaimed Hip Hop fan to be a part of the Hip Hop generation... the culture permeates everything from clothing to speech to other genres of music and etc. Whereas older generations actively reject partaking in Hip Hop culture, the Hip Hop generation is literally surrounded by it every day.