Rate This City: Day 157 - Baton Rouge Louisiana

[Child_Of_God]

I've never actually been to Louisiana, but I plan on making a real trip, like a monthlong backpack around the state, at some point to learn and get in tune with the culture...

In 2015 I took a DNA test and among the big surprises was it showed that I was of Louisiana Creole descent. I knew some of my family traced back to Arkansas, so it isn't out of the realm of possibility that there was some migration into Louisiana, but still, I didn't know a single person I was related to from there. That company showed me literally hundreds of DNA relatives in Louisiana, a place I never been and don't have any family...

In 2017 I took another test with a different company and it explicitly told me a pathway of ancestry into the US, the biggest one saying explicitly that I'm of Louisiana Creole ancestry. Again threw me for a loop, so I started asking questions that I shoulda asked after the first test...

So in 2018 talking to my grandma (my mom's mom, who is currently 70), and tell her about the tests and she casually says "well you know my dad was from Louisiana", as if she ever told me that before lol. That combo unlocked a bunch of stuff from my grandma, only bad thing being that she doesn't remember the parish her dad was from. My grandma was born and raised in Arkansas, her dad migrated to Arkansas but they went to Louisiana a few times in her youth to visit her dad's siblings and relatives, she just can't remember where they were at. But she told me out her own mouth we're Creole and she was raised with the knowledge that she's Creole, through her dad...

For added context, my grandma has been living in Sacramento since 1982, the last 38 years. At this point, she's lived over half her life in Sac, so the years have blurred and gotten away from her memory of some things pre-California is foggy...

So I've researched and learned a little about Creole history the last few years, but I'm looking forward to actually traveling the state and being able to firsthand watch and learn about it from up close. I don't know that I'd particularly care for Baton Rouge, but I plan on spending time in all the "big" cities down there and touring some historic sites and places that are important to the history of Creole people of color...

my great grandmother is from Louisiana but she moved to DC during the 1940s. I still got a few family members living there but a lot of them moved up north. My mom used to spend time down there as a kid and she told me the whole state creeped her out.

 

[UberEatsDriver]

From what I’ve been told outside of New Orleans the state of Louisiana is trash overall.

Also I think Louisiana is like the only southern state that’s losing population.

 

[Child_Of_God]

Worst city in America

I doubt that it’s worser than Camden NJ.

 

[GreenGhxst]

grew up here, the only good thing about BR is that its a ton of black people, so a lot of fine ass black women

ain't really shyt to do out there tho outside of southern and lsu games, a whole lotta hood shyt goes down, used to have metal detectors in middle school

the food is good tho, so

6.5/10 just because the sheer amount of black people

 

[NO-BadAzz]

I'll give it a 6.5

Raggs
Dreams
Vibes
Upscales
The Zone
Plantation INN
Showtime

All these were clubs that were the shyt back when I was on the yard (Southern)

Not including SU own parties that they threw. SU baddies were flooding campus, it was bad C murder and Snoop would chill in our Student Union.


Food is good, I visit now, and the night life is not as good as it was before.

Hood and Ratchet but it has some nice pockets if you know your way around the city

 

[UberEatsDriver]

 

[O.T.I.S.]

Baton Rouge is to New Orleans what Augusta is to Atlanta

Pretty much this...

maybe savannah

most my fam from BR and NO... lets just say I prefer NO


Some cool people there but cool people everywhere. Its ok... like a 5. Might have to move back one day

 

[AuntAnniesPretzels]

shyt let me write a list:

1) Antebellum culture- that era of american history is celebratee way tpo much there for my liking

2) No diversity- the only people you see is literally white and black people, which is cool, but im used to seeing all different types of black people. There are people in BR who has never heard a jamaican accent irl before

3) POVERTY- This is the big one. It seems like the black experience there is synonymous with being impoverished. It seemed like every single black person i saw was struggling, and the ones who obviously weren't were either pastors or had to completely assimilate with white people (live in their spaces, work with them almost exclusively, etc). I pride myself in being good in every hood, but you them rural projects is something different. That level of resource deprivation just doesn't happen in larger cities.

4)Nothing to do-if u don't like LSU football or not an outdoorsy type person (hunting, fishing, etc), you're gonna run out of shyt to do. FAST. If you like that alternative,artsy shyt or an everyday turn up, you're as out.

And of course...

5) The women- Now I saw some decent looking homegrown woman. But if you looking for a young, bad bish who is NOT a complete thot or has a few kids, you're SOL. Like I said there's no diversity so you'll be fighting over the few asians and latinas you can find. And for you pawgers Godspeed my boy, because them BR cacs give me them Emmit Till vibes. I ain't see NO brehs walking around with a white girl unless they were starting on a LSU sports team lol.

All that being said, I'm not used to country/rural living so maybe other posters can give a more positive critique, but as someone who grew up in a somewhat fast paced environment, I didn't enjoy it very much.

You from ny?

 

[UberEatsDriver]

shyt let me write a list:

1) Antebellum culture- that era of american history is celebratee way tpo much there for my liking

2) No diversity- the only people you see is literally white and black people, which is cool, but im used to seeing all different types of black people. There are people in BR who has never heard a jamaican accent irl before

3) POVERTY- This is the big one. It seems like the black experience there is synonymous with being impoverished. It seemed like every single black person i saw was struggling, and the ones who obviously weren't were either pastors or had to completely assimilate with white people (live in their spaces, work with them almost exclusively, etc). I pride myself in being good in every hood, but you them rural projects is something different. That level of resource deprivation just doesn't happen in larger cities.

4)Nothing to do-if u don't like LSU football or not an outdoorsy type person (hunting, fishing, etc), you're gonna run out of shyt to do. FAST. If you like that alternative,artsy shyt or an everyday turn up, you're as out.

And of course...

5) The women- Now I saw some decent looking homegrown woman. But if you looking for a young, bad bish who is NOT a complete thot or has a few kids, you're SOL. Like I said there's no diversity so you'll be fighting over the few asians and latinas you can find. And for you pawgers Godspeed my boy, because them BR cacs give me them Emmit Till vibes. I ain't see NO brehs walking around with a white girl unless they were starting on a LSU sports team lol.

All that being said, I'm not used to country/rural living so maybe other posters can give a more positive critique, but as someone who grew up in a somewhat fast paced environment, I didn't enjoy it very much.

never heard a Jamaican accent before? Yea that’s def a sign that diversity is lacking lol.

 

[O.T.I.S.]

shyt let me write a list:

1) Antebellum culture- that era of american history is celebratee way tpo much there for my liking

2) No diversity- the only people you see is literally white and black people, which is cool, but im used to seeing all different types of black people. There are people in BR who has never heard a jamaican accent irl before

3) POVERTY- This is the big one. It seems like the black experience there is synonymous with being impoverished. It seemed like every single black person i saw was struggling, and the ones who obviously weren't were either pastors or had to completely assimilate with white people (live in their spaces, work with them almost exclusively, etc). I pride myself in being good in every hood, but you them rural projects is something different. That level of resource deprivation just doesn't happen in larger cities.

4)Nothing to do-if u don't like LSU football or not an outdoorsy type person (hunting, fishing, etc), you're gonna run out of shyt to do. FAST. If you like that alternative,artsy shyt or an everyday turn up, you're as out.

And of course...

5) The women- Now I saw some decent looking homegrown woman. But if you looking for a young, bad bish who is NOT a complete thot or has a few kids, you're SOL. Like I said there's no diversity so you'll be fighting over the few asians and latinas you can find. And for you pawgers Godspeed my boy, because them BR cacs give me them Emmit Till vibes. I ain't see NO brehs walking around with a white girl unless they were starting on a LSU sports team lol.

All that being said, I'm not used to country/rural living so maybe other posters can give a more positive critique, but as someone who grew up in a somewhat fast paced environment, I didn't enjoy it very much.

This


About the white chicks... idk. A lot of them was OK ... but that was about it. I wasn’t really that into white chicks like that but the few I met and liked was cool but taken.

Im not gonna front... BR is like NO without as many people, the tourists, diversity, and the fun. I knew how to maneuver but the place is depressing af

 

[Woodwerkz]

@BrehWyatt @Silkk

how good is Raising Canes?

always wanted to try it, but we dont have it in GA and didnt get the chance to try it when we went to New Orleans last year

It's one in Athens

It's 3 in Charleston if you are ever that way also

 

[Woodwerkz]

I think I came through BR from the wrong way bc the first thing that hit me was a bad strong ass odor crossing that bridge. It was chill but I will say I felt the northern part of the area was dirty as fukk and roads were pretty bad. Other than that it was chill...nothing great or bad about it I wasn't used to seeing.

 

[O.T.I.S.]

I have lived here since going to LSU. I like living here for the most part. I am not one for large cities. It's the right size and if I want to do something I can take the hour ride to New Orleans. Its definitely not for everyone. I give it a 7 but I'm biased.

Best thing.

if you live in a nice area or in those condos by the theater (where I planned on moving) and know people its AIGHT.

All i really need is a cool lounge to hang, a pool hall, some cool people and im good.

Plus NO is an hour away at most and serves liquor 24/7... (BR got casinos that do as well i believe).

 

[Stuntone]

BR is cool. Good eating, fine women, what more do you lose need?

Baton Rouge is a true representation of Louisiana culture, especially the jiggalatin music. From BR to Shreveport you hear a similar sound.

Baton Rouge is more like a bigger Shreveport than a smaller NOLA.

 

[DropTopDoc]

@BrehWyatt @Silkk

how good is Raising Canes?

always wanted to try it, but we dont have it in GA and didnt get the chance to try it when we went to New Orleans last year

It’s pretty good, but i do miss the options from zaxbys

From what I’ve been told outside of New Orleans the state of Louisiana is trash overall.

Also I think Louisiana is like the only southern state that’s losing population.

don’t believe what you heard, it’s soMe nice peaceful places to visit, and cool cities to hang in. I just visited Shreveport and it was a chill city