Charles Barkley: Oakland is 10x better than San Francisco easily. San Francisco is the armpit of America!!

[Braman]

Oakland left a mark on me.

The bad:

-Apparently you can’t leave your car in many areas or you might get ‘blipped’ mfers just break in your shyt and take anything even if small

-It’s a quiet city. I’m spoiled from the dmv, but it struck me how it was feeling almost desolate. Even on a summer Friday night

The good:

-It’s quiet but I think people are centralized in certain areas. Worked from home at a soul food spot downtown. On the walk there the city was just empty. But I get there and it’s plenty of black folk and a cool vibe

-Went to an organized kickball cookout the black folk there are different. In a good way. That shyt was LIT. It was like one big family, no bougieness. Blasting La Russel I was like who is this

So I get what Barkley saying, Oakland has ‘soul’. From my brief time in SF the only thing that struck me is it’s a lot of grime and homelessness to deal with to be that expensive.

And Oakland-SF is hilariously segregated too They treat that bridge like the Berlin Wall

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

Oakland left a mark on me.

The bad:

Apparently you can’t leave your car in many areas or you might get ‘blipped’ mfers just break in your shyt and take anything even if small

It’s a quiet city. I’m spoiled from the dmv, but it struck me how it was feeling almost desolate. Even on a summer Friday night

The good:

It’s quiet but I think people are centralized in certain areas. Worked from home at a soul food spot downtown. On the walk there, a weekday around 10am, the city was just empty. But I get there and it’s plenty of black folk and a cool vibe

-Went to an organized kickball cookout the black folk there are different. In a good way. That shyt was LIT. It was like one big family, no bougieness. Blasting La Russel I was like who is this

So I get what Barkley saying Oakland has ‘soul’. From my brief time in SF the only thing that struck me is it’s a lot of fukkery and crime and homelessness to deal with to be the most expensive place in the US. Oakland vs SF is hilariously segregated too They treat that bridge like the Berlin Wall

Oakland ain’t used to be segregated like that. I mean you always had rich white areas that didn’t mix. But you had some real working class or punk rock white folks who were in west Oakland before gentrification, the Dubs (20’s in east Oakland, not warriors) was easily one of the areas where hella races grew up together. A lot of south East Asians, Pacific Islanders and black folks side by side. Havenscourt had blacks and Mexicans intermingling before E 14th truly became little Mexico. That’s what I loved about growing up here, was hella black but also you easily had friends of other races just cuz people were cool AF. Transplants really fukked up the vibe and culture out here

 

[RiverCity916]

Who is in their feelings or talking shyt? Sacramento is bland my guy, definitely not a city to move across the country for the way @murksiderock be trying to paint it. It’s a simple place with more affordability than the Bay, that’s all

I wasn't talking about you specifically. @murksiderock's response did make me think of those people though. Ultimately yours and their opinions on the city don't mean much

 

[itsyoung!!]

Youre full of shyt, people commute in public transpo in SF all the time.

People take bart TO or FROM SF. Not INSIDE sf. No one paying 5-10k a month by the bay bridge high rises is walking a few blocks to the bart by salesforce tower to go where ? Downtown / financial district / union square (shopping) is just a few more blocks. Not convenient to walk due to homeless, robbers and weather so they only take uber, lyft or drive (pay for parking)

So public transportation is useless to the people IN the heart of San Francisco. I think youre confusing Daly City or South City with what most people consider San Francisco.

 

[murksiderock]

These town nikkas get in their feelings when you talk about Sac on the net. I rarely heard this shyt talking in real life

100%. The put downs were more common 20 years ago. Nowadays there are more Town transplants that have better impressions of Sac than on years past---->the reality is the trajectory of both cities has been going in opposite directions for years, Oakland down, Sac up...

You wrote way too much lol. But percentages matter, not just raw numbers, raw numbers for EVERYONE increased in sac, but a percentage lets you know how frequently you’d see a person of x-color. 11% is basically one black person every 10 people where as some place 25% black is one every 4 people, even if fewer total blacks, they’re seen more prominently


As for DC not being the city it was 20+ years ago, that’s true, but the metro is highly black and black people who left DC are still in the suburbs. Plus it has a way bigger middle/upper middle class black population. Oakland was the hub of bays black population, with some satellites in SF (mostly underclass as long as I’ve been alive), Richmond and Vallejo (both also mostly underclass blacks). Difference is in the 90’s blac people started moving fully away from the Bay, not just to other suburbs, specifically those with education and upward mobility. A lot of the black population left in the bay is struggling, and the professional blacks are spread out AF.

It’s weird how you love Cali so much and haven’t lived here in years (ie putting LA first on my list when it’s more of the same Bay Area issues just with a better night life and weather). I think your opinion would change living here vs coming back to visit. North Carolina seems way better for a black family, I just don’t know anyone out there

The boldest part of your quote below is some hating ass shyt, though it's all good, Dora!

I dont know how you been across the country and think so poorly of Sacramento, but to each its own...

My story is pretty well known, technically there's nothing preventing me from just getting up and going to Sacramento tomorrow. I have the money to; I work in the restaurant industry and my company has a unit in Sac, so a transfer would be easy; and while I'd have to take a little time to find my own place, I have several places to go in the interim, I wouldn't be homeless...

So I could book the flight or drive my car across the country tomorrow, technically. But my particular life situation, I've described on here previously (though it may be new to you): I was on my way back to Sacramento permanently, in Summer 2016. In June I stopped in Atlanta to see my brother for a couple weeks, and after a few days there my ex drove from Virginia to Atlanta, to tell me she was pregnant, with what would be my first child (born in February 2017)...

I was a week or two from heading back permanently and then life happened. As life happens, ultimately for me, I've sacrificed personal satisfaction for the responsibility of being physically in reach of my kids. I moped about it for a few years but I've been fine for some years now and I do like Raleigh...

So me not living in Sacramento is voluntary but it isn't because I don't wanna be there. I do think as my kids age in the coming years, I may be afforded some flexibility, but they aren't double digits yet. As a parent now I'm certain you can identify as making the best decisions for your son, and right now, I gotta be here for them...

I am trying to work on creating a seasonal home in Sacramento within the next few years. Like being in Sac in the summers, mu girls coming to me in the summers there, and I come back out here during the school year. Then potentially once they are into high school, I leave for Sac permanently...

On the aggregate I'd say NC is better for black people than California; Raleigh and Charlotte are definitely better than Sacramento for black people. Part of that is that again, Sac is historically white and doesn't have the institutional staples for black residents the way a historically slaveholding state with a prosperous 21st century economy would have. So you're not comparing things that are apples to apples anyway. There are things I miss about Sac, and there are things I miss about NC when I'm in California...

Outside of Raleigh, Charlotte, and maybe Greensboro, there really isn't anywhere else in NC I'd suggest to anyone black. As with anywhere else, there are also negatives to being black here, especially outside those three cities...

Sacramento is the best place to live black in Northern California in 2025. There are better places to live black in America, they just arent in California (except LA)...

Black LA is much more stable than the Black Bay. Black LA has a real middle class. There are way more black people in LA. The job market is better for the average person. It's not the same as The Bay at all

I do hope you all find the best place for your preferences and what you're looking for!

Who is in their feelings or talking shyt? Sacramento is bland my guy, definitely not a city to move across the country for the way @murksiderock be trying to paint it. It’s a simple place with more affordability than the Bay, that’s all

 

[cleanface coney]

This is false, I used to believe it. Then I traveled and lived all over the country and realized Sacramento shyts on most places...

Its like the 5th biggest city in California but would be the biggest or second biggest city in all but like 3 states, if it wasnt in California. Being in California is what enables comments like yours, if it was in Michigan its shine would be brighter...



The percentage isnt as relevant as the actual size of the community...

Oakland's black population peaked in 1990 with 163.5k black people (44%). 1980 was Oakland's peak percentage at 47% (159.4k population). It's 2025, we are in three and a half decades of black decline in Oakland, just sticking to Census numbers, as of 2020, Oakland has lost 56% of its 1990 black population...

This massive loss in black community is evident across the socioeconomic sphere of Oakland, but you wanna talk pulse of a city ...

By contrast and as a point of comparison, Sacramento's peak percentage was in 2000 (15.5%); in 1980 there were 32.8k black people in Sac. I was born in '89, the Sac I was born into had 45.8k black people in the '90 Census. In the same 1990 to 2020 span that Black Oakland has lost 56% of its community, Black Sac has grown by 44%...

The same negative impact the decline has had on Oakland culturally, it's had the same positive impact on Sac culturally. Sacramento is a historically super white city, this much is established. But what it's never been, is a suburb, which is EXACTLY what Oakland is------>when my paternal family ended up in Sobrante Park and Havenscourt in 1959 and '60, they were among the first black families moving from The City into Oakland, which, if we're being factual instead of hyperbolic, Oakland's black history is recent history. Not as recent as Sac, but you don't have to go back too far to when Oakland was lily white as well...

Sac has always been the major city of the Central Valley and as California has grown in size and influence, so too has Sacramento, and its growing in an era that the other California cities are losing influence. People are coming to Sacramento from all over, not simply from The Bay, though pf course its the cheaper alternative to The Bay...

It may not be a "mecca" but the businesses, events, and community catering to Black Sacramentans today, didnt always exist, largely didnt even exist pre-2010 in ,any cases. Its a wonderful time to be black in Sacramento, relattive to any prior era, and certainly relative to currently being black in San Fran and Oakland. In Sacramento we actually have a black middle class, owning a home is still attainable, we have safer black communities, less wage inequality, etc...

Virginia is dope if you're in one of the larger cities. Im not really educated on politics so i cant speak towards that but NoVa is wack, youd rather be in DC than its suburbs if you're thay close. Richmond and Virginia Beach are awesome cities, but you know this Dora, every place has its drawbacks. You tend to be more critical of California because you're more emotionally connected to it. People who are from DC aresuper critical of it, because the DC of 2025 also isn't the same "Chocolate City" it was 20+ years ago...

If I'm ranking your relo list, I go 1 LA 2 Dallas 3 DC and Atlanta is a distant 4th. But I completely understand its about the village YOU have. Atlanta so fukking trash to me, it wouldnt be on any list for me. I love DC but its too far away from where i have any family...

Are you guys a few years out or are you looking to move next

This is false, I used to believe it. Then I traveled and lived all over the country and realized Sacramento shyts on most places...

Its like the 5th biggest city in California but would be the biggest or second biggest city in all but like 3 states, if it wasnt in California. Being in California is what enables comments like yours, if it was in Michigan its shine would be brighter...



The percentage isnt as relevant as the actual size of the community...

Oakland's black population peaked in 1990 with 163.5k black people (44%). 1980 was Oakland's peak percentage at 47% (159.4k population). It's 2025, we are in three and a half decades of black decline in Oakland, just sticking to Census numbers, as of 2020, Oakland has lost 56% of its 1990 black population...

This massive loss in black community is evident across the socioeconomic sphere of Oakland, but you wanna talk pulse of a city ...

By contrast and as a point of comparison, Sacramento's peak percentage was in 2000 (15.5%); in 1980 there were 32.8k black people in Sac. I was born in '89, the Sac I was born into had 45.8k black people in the '90 Census. In the same 1990 to 2020 span that Black Oakland has lost 56% of its community, Black Sac has grown by 44%...

The same negative impact the decline has had on Oakland culturally, it's had the same positive impact on Sac culturally. Sacramento is a historically super white city, this much is established. But what it's never been, is a suburb, which is EXACTLY what Oakland is------>when my paternal family ended up in Sobrante Park and Havenscourt in 1959 and '60, they were among the first black families moving from The City into Oakland, which, if we're being factual instead of hyperbolic, Oakland's black history is recent history. Not as recent as Sac, but you don't have to go back too far to when Oakland was lily white as well...

Sac has always been the major city of the Central Valley and as California has grown in size and influence, so too has Sacramento, and its growing in an era that the other California cities are losing influence. People are coming to Sacramento from all over, not simply from The Bay, though pf course its the cheaper alternative to The Bay...

It may not be a "mecca" but the businesses, events, and community catering to Black Sacramentans today, didnt always exist, largely didnt even exist pre-2010 in ,any cases. Its a wonderful time to be black in Sacramento, relattive to any prior era, and certainly relative to currently being black in San Fran and Oakland. In Sacramento we actually have a black middle class, owning a home is still attainable, we have safer black communities, less wage inequality, etc...

Virginia is dope if you're in one of the larger cities. Im not really educated on politics so i cant speak towards that but NoVa is wack, youd rather be in DC than its suburbs if you're thay close. Richmond and Virginia Beach are awesome cities, but you know this Dora, every place has its drawbacks. You tend to be more critical of California because you're more emotionally connected to it. People who are from DC aresuper critical of it, because the DC of 2025 also isn't the same "Chocolate City" it was 20+ years ago...

If I'm ranking your relo list, I go 1 LA 2 Dallas 3 DC and Atlanta is a distant 4th. But I completely understand its about the village YOU have. Atlanta so fukking trash to me, it wouldnt be on any list for me. I love DC but its too far away from where i have any family...

Are you guys a few years out or are you looking to move next

My nikka I really travel and not on no tourist shyt

There for sure is an allure to cali no matter wya..but nobody tryna move to sac unless it's directly on your mind

In terms of true cali living from an outsider... san diego down thru tj rosarito ensenada baja etc is the only area worth that money

I've fell in love with 3 cities first sight in my life ...Ft Lauderdale, Chicago and San diego lol

You either were born there, never left and will never which makes sense...or you fell in love and stayed

BUT getting out what you put in... there are way better places especially black people

 

[murksiderock]

My nikka I really travel and not on no tourist shyt

There for sure is an allure to cali no matter wya..but nobody tryna move to sac unless it's directly on your mind

In terms of true cali living from an outsider... san diego down thru tj rosarito ensenada baja etc is the only area worth that money

I've fell in love with 3 cities first sight in my life ...Ft Lauderdale, Chicago and San diego lol

You either were born there, never left and will never which makes sense...or you fell in love and stayed

BUT getting out what you put in... there are way better places especially black people

I mean I've always said there are better places for black people. But you say that and one of the cities you are in love with is San Diego, which is objectively a worse place for us than Sacramento by any fukking metric ...

This is what I mean, there aren't objective statements about Sacramento. Not by coastal Californians, nor by some visitors who only visit.......coastal California.

I'm not sure Lauderdale is a great place for us either, but San Diego certainly isn't, and there are plenty of question marks with Chicago, too...

The truly GREAT places to live black are few and far between. You live in Detroit, which has one of the largest black communities but isn't generally thought of as a great place to be black. But I love conversations like this because it always biases to be exposed, and brings truth to light...

 

[Michael's Black Son]

how many other cities have SF type issues when it comes to an insane cost of living plus drugs, crime and crazy people all over the city?

Exactly.

And Chuck has been all over the US more than your average truck driver so he know what he’s talking about even though it comes off like jokes

 

[cleanface coney]

I mean I've always said there are better places for black people. But you say that and one of the cities you are in love with is San Diego, which is objectively a worse place for us than Sacramento by any fukking metric ...

This is what I mean, there aren't objective statements about Sacramento. Not by coastal Californians, nor by some visitors who only visit.......coastal California.

I'm not sure Lauderdale is a great place for us either, but San Diego certainly isn't, and there are plenty of question marks with Chicago, too...

The truly GREAT places to live black are few and far between. You live in Detroit, which has one of the largest black communities but isn't generally thought of as a great place to be black. But I love conversations like this because it always biases to be exposed, and brings truth to light...

Well the south is the best place for black.people just due to numbers

If you got the money San Diego is worth it regardless of race

I slide in and out but I haven't lived in Detroit in almost 8 years

 

[murksiderock]

Well the south is the best place for black.people just due to numbers

If you got the money San Diego is worth it regardless of race

I slide in and out but I haven't lived in Detroit in almost 8 years

So where do you live now?

And I'm not a believer in, when you have the money, your experience of a place transcends race. There are too many real world examples this has been proven untrue...

 

[NaijaProdigy Redux]

You have to avoid downtown San Francisco. It’s an absolute shythole. Most aggressive, unhinged homeless and mentally ill people I’ve ever encountered

Up the hills..it’s beautiful and safe but there is absolutely no diversity

 

[cleanface coney]

So where do you live now?

And I'm not a believer in, when you have the money, your experience of a place transcends race. There are too many real world examples this has been proven untrue...

This year the Carolinas, Chicago and vegas...I'm still deciding on the next move but looking looking to make it official by next year

I seen and know black people that is in San Diego and they love it...shyt I got a co worker that's been in Mexico for 2 years he the one low key put me hip lol. nikka fluent in spanish n everything..got a restaurant too

Money doesn't shield you from racism but acting up on a mf will

I was in daygo for like a week...running around and it hit me like...alr I could be here I get the Cali allure lol

La Sac and bay didnt do it for me in terms of wanting to live there

 

[Hater Eraser]

You took your wife to Sausalito? Man you're cheap.

 

[murksiderock]

This year the Carolinas, Chicago and vegas...I'm still deciding on the next move but looking looking to make it official by next year

I seen and know black people that is in San Diego and they love it...shyt I got a co worker that's been in Mexico for 2 years he the one low key put me hip lol. nikka fluent in spanish n everything..got a restaurant too

Money doesn't shield you from racism but acting up on a mf will

I was in daygo for like a week...running around and it hit me like...alr I could be here I get the Cali allure lol

La Sac and bay didnt do it for me in terms of wanting to live there

I've actually never been to SD, but I got a 32-year old sister, and 28-year old brother, we have the same dad different mothers, who spent half their time growing up in San Diego (they were born in Sac too but their mom is from Sac and when she left our dad they went down to SD for almost 10 years)...

My brother is still in Sac, he loves SD. Don't know what my sister thinks, she ran off to Arizona a few years back and only communicates with one of our sisters. I've known plenty of black people from there, and those of us from SD tend to enjoy it. It's not a place with hella black culture though and I don't think anyone would say it feels even as culturally black as Sacramento, which itself isn't as culturally black as LA or The Bay...

I understand different places touching different people on a different light, though. I don't think I'd prefer SD over Sac or LA or Oakland, but I get it's appeal!

 

[cleanface coney]

I've actually never been to SD, but I got a 32-year old sister, and 28-year old brother, we have the same dad different mothers, who spent half their time growing up in San Diego (they were born in Sac too but their mom is from Sac and when she left our dad they went down to SD for almost 10 years)...

My brother is still in Sac, he loves SD. Don't know what my sister thinks, she ran off to Arizona a few years back and only communicates with one of our sisters. I've known plenty of black people from there, and those of us from SD tend to enjoy it. It's not a place with hella black culture though and I don't think anyone would say it feels even as culturally black as Sacramento, which itself isn't as culturally black as LA or The Bay...

I understand different places touching different people on a different light, though. I don't think I'd prefer SD over Sac or LA or Oakland, but I get it's appeal!

If you talking cali city that remind of the crib it's fasho Oakland...bay nikkas I ran across like fam I got all love out there..its a different world from southern cali

But for a independent nikka tryna live the Cali life.. San Diego make the money, slide into Mexico 2-3 bands rent you living like a king...slide in cali , vegas, etc when you wanna fukk off