WRITTEN BY NEVAEH TILLMAN, PHOTO BY STEVEN LAYNE
[LEFT TO RIGHT: MELODY, TAMAYA, AND NEVAEH]
The culture in Oakland, CA is bold and bright with various events for you and friends to enjoy the full experience. On June 22nd, I had the opportunity to attend the fifth annual LakeFest, a community-run event where vendors are welcomed to sell their goods and lots of food trucks to enjoy good eats, while enjoying music and dancing.
It was my first time experiencing a mini festival like this, especially in the heart of Oakland. With the company of friends and family, I enjoyed dancing to different types of live music and through the power of a DJ: hip-hop, rap, club house, and R&B. It was empowering to listen to these various genres and find myself lost in the music. One particular performance that I enjoyed is seeing a group of young dancers dancing their hearts out. The passion they had was captivating! They started a dance line to 90s R&B music; I appreciated everyone coming together to dance. “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar was the highlight of the festival, as the DJ put a unique twist to the song by adding club house music to it.
On its own, “Not Like Us” is a strong, impactful song that has been playing all summer long, but hearing it played into a club house beat was unique. I was dancing on the dance floor and was in utter shock when I heard the beat—it made me want to hear more rap songs played on club house beats. I wonder how a Tupac song would sound with a club house beat. All in all, they are right…this is Oakland. This is what makes Oakland great, knowing you will get to experience different music and meet new people. Can’t wait to join the next LakeFest event next year.