If you’re like me, you know how important the right soundtrack can be to enhancing any experience. Depending on where you are and whom you’re with, pressing Play on that perfect song can transform an okay outing into an unforgettable one that will forever live in the rhythm of your memory.
This is especially true in the Bay Area, where there’s an overload of musical, cultural, culinary, and geographical richness to appreciate — so why not combine them all? Whether you’re sitting on the dock of the bay listening to Otis Redding or ghost-riding your whip across the Bay Bridge with Too $hort in your trunk, a well-chosen anthem could amplify how you interact with and understand “The Soil.”
As a Bay Area native who was raised in the hyphy era, I made this list with one self-imposed guideline: the artists must be musicians of color I actually listen to and who are current or previous residents of the Bay. It highlights a mix of popular activities and hidden hangouts on both sides of the Bay Bridge while promoting the regional talent of our musical artists. Just hit Play, and hit the road.
1.
Location: Lake Merritt, Oakland
Song: “Fuck BBQ Becky”
Artist: Trey Coastal
Album: “Brody! Brodi! Brodé!”
Quote: “Meet me at the lake where everything’s great, speakers on quake”
If you don’t know, start out by Googling “BBQ Becky.” Then, head out to Oakland’s central hangout spot and soak in this quintessentially diverse Bay Area experience. The best time for this song/album is on a weekend afternoon while you’re cruising along Lakeshore Avenue. Just be prepared to park up the block and walk because it gets hella packed. You’ll have West Oakland’s underground trio, Trey Coastal, to keep you gamed up for the day, but remember — don’t be a BBQ Becky.
2.
Location: Alamere Falls, Point Reyes
Song: “Long Way”
Artist: Rexx Life Raj
Album: “California Poppy”
Quote: “Hot as a summer day… Seen all the obstacles, I was unafraid”
Who better than Berkeley’s own Raj to bring you those positive outdoor vibes? His music will lead you to a hidden off-the-path waterfall on a beach that hugs the Pacific from a side you’ve probably never seen. Prepare for a day of hiking the cuts by bringing a bottle of Henny and some veggie snacks to enjoy once you reach the end of the path — the long way.
3.
Location: Dolores Park, San Francisco
Song: “Oye Como Va”
Artist: Santana
Album: “Abraxas”
Quote: Psychedelic guitar riffs
Few things can rejuvenate your soul like summoning your inner-’70s-hippie spirit with the help of San Francisco native and Mission High grad Carlos Santana. Much like the proud Latinx community that surrounds Dolores Park, Santana’s music will transport you to your ancestral home with a colorful, wavy melody of euphoria. Though the park and neighborhood have become a yuppie’s paradise, the park still retains an old-school essence and offers a picturesque look at the city’s skyline, which surely inspired Santana decades ago.
4.
Location: Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley
Song: “Starchild”
Artist: Elujay
Album: “Adojio”
Quote: “Need to know the stars align, When I seen it miles away, Picture perfect frame”
Do you love to star-watch? Me neither. But if you drive up to the gorgeous lookout above Cal’s campus — with East Oakland’s smoothest voice, Elujay’s, grooving in the background — then park your car in time to catch the sunset with your crush in your arms. You won’t be disappointed. Kill time by checking out UC Berkeley’s Hall of Science next door (go Bears!), or just soak up the nighttime constellations with one of the best views you’ll find of the entire Bay Area.
5.
Location: The Albany Bulb
Song: “Slide”
Artist: H.E.R.
Album: N/A
Quote: “We up till six in the mornin’, When the sunrise we’ll be on it”
If you’re more of a morning person, this location and song are for you, as this is where you go to watch everything begin. Imagine a view of the Golden Gate Bridge from across the still-dark bay, an abandoned ruin covered with graffiti, a small beach, and a trail filled with weird art sculptures that you can wander around. That’s the Albany Bulb. Then, toss in H.E.R. — the Grammy Award–winning Afro-Filipina Vallejo native with silky, spellbinding vocals — and you’ve got yourself the best way to begin (or end) your week. Slide over with your ride-or-die partner for a Sunday sunrise you won’t forget.
6.
Location: Telegraph Avenue, Oakland
Song: “Light This Bitch Up”
Artist: P-Lo
Album: “Before Anything”
Quote: “Pre-game call an Uber, then we all mob”
Mark your calendar for the first Friday of the month, round up your squad, and pull up to Oakland’s most vibrant street party with this certified Lil’ Stunna anthem slapping from your Uber’s speakers. (Ask the driver nicely. They’re usually cool if you’re not a dick about it.) If you’ve never been to a First Friday, you’ve been missing out on the best action you can find anywhere in the Bay. If you have been, you already know what’s up. Either way, it captures how those of us from the Bay like to party and build community through art, music, and food, because “you can trust we gon’ light this bitch up.”
7.
Location: Ocean Beach, San Francisco
Song: “Ocean Beach”
Artist: Larry June
Album: “Sock It to Me, Pt. 2”
Quote: “I’m at Ocean Beach with my [cousin] we just fuckin’ widdit, sippin Tito’s and lemonade, a lil’ Sprite in it”
If you’re lucky enough to have a cousin or friend who lives in the slept-on Outer Sunset district, have them break out the grill, roll the blunts, stash a cooler full of drinks — perhaps Tito’s, lemonade, and Sprite, as suggested by Mr. Larry June —and then press Play on this blap from San Francisco’s most active trap rapper while you sit on the beach. Just be prepared for a foggy, chilly night, so bring your Dope Era hoodie.
8.
Location: Treasure Island, San Francisco
Song: “Embarcadero”
Artist: Toro y Moi
Album: “Boo Boo”
Quote: Soulfully hypnotic instrumentals
No need to actually go to the touristy parts of Pier 39 if you can see it from a distance, right? This song (and album) is heavily inspired by views of San Francisco from the island’s coastline, and you can even follow the path taken by this former Bay Area musician, who filmed a road trip starting on Treasure Island for one of his music videos. If you go in the evening, you can grab a drink at the nearby brewery; by day — once a month — you can catch the popular TreasureFest flea market. Extra points if you can find a rookie Terrell Owens Niners jersey that actually fits you.
9.
Location: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Song: “Distant Heart”
Artist: The Seshen
Album: “Flames & Figures”
Quote: “Getting closer to your desire, there’s no way back”
Grab the BART or Muni, or just walk your way over to the third-most-visited urban park in the U.S. Take your preferred dose of edibles, and let the sounds of this dope East Bay electro-soul band guide you through the forest. Since the Seshen performed at this year’s Outside Lands — the biggest music festival in Northern California — their energy will be hovering around you like Yoda’s ghost, ensuring a good trip.
10.
Location: 23rd Avenue, Richmond
Song: “If You Want Me to Stay”
Artist: Sly and the Family Stone
Album: “Fresh”
Quote: “You can’t take me for granted and smile, Count the days I’m gone”
After living for a few years in Richmond (the East Bay city, not the SF neighborhood), I’ve realized that it’s one of the most genuine remaining parts of the Bay Area. A former port of glory, it’s now a mostly forgotten relic of yesteryear — much like Sly and the Family Stone, a Vallejo soul group from the ’70s — but both still offer more than most people seem to remember. In particular, 23rd Avenue is a miniature version of San Francisco’s Mission District — a colorful strip of taquerias, liquor stores, barbershops, and car lots — that retains the gritty realness of actual Bay Area life for those of us who can’t afford SOMA while offering some of the best tacos and burritos anywhere (and I proudly say this because I grew up with immigrant Mexican parents). Like the song says, it’s not something to take for granted much longer, because soon enough, it might also disappear… with gentrification.
11.
Location: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
Song: “2 Legit 2 Quit”
Artist: MC Hammer
Album: “Too Legit to Quit”
Quote: Yup, you guessed it — “Too legit, too legit to quit”
Not only is MC Hammer an Oakland native, but also he was a former batboy for his hometown Athletics, which makes this early-’90s hit especially appropriate. The song still blares from inside the Coliseum’s retro bleachers, energizing loyal fans when a late-inning comeback is needed. You’ll see the die-hards dancing to this anthem with beers sloshing in hand and old white women busting out their best moves to get on the jumbotron. With the Warriors and Raiders practically gone (and rumors of the A’s leaving as well), it’s especially meaningful to have this concrete sanctuary for tailgating, cheering, and having fun in one of the few unchanged Bay Area places that many of us grew up relishing. Although our region has dramatically changed in the past decade, the Bay is still home for many die-hards, and we invite others to embrace what we have to offer, because we’ll always be “too legit to quit” — especially at the Coliseum on game day.
Here’s the full playlist on Spotify.
