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"title": "ZÂ Brings Ancient Iranian Songs and Stories to Richmond",
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"content": "\u003cp>On a Thursday night in late July, members of the Bay Area’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/iran\">Iranian\u003c/a> population filed into Richmond’s Central Stage, filling the venue with quiet conversations and greetings in Farsi. The crowd was there to see \u003ca href=\"https://linktr.ee/ZAconcert\">ZÂ\u003c/a>, a performance of ancient music from the Lorestan province of Iran — an intimate concert thousands of years in the making.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The trio of musicians, made up of percussionist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nariman.percussion/\">Nariman Assadi\u003c/a>, multi-instrumentalist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/behfarbahadoran/\">Behfar Bahadoran\u003c/a> and kamancheh player \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mazdakalipour/\">Mazdak Alipour\u003c/a>, took the name of the project from zâyesh, the Persian word for birth. The Richmond performance of “The Forgotten Maqams of Lorestan” was part of an ongoing \u003ca href=\"https://linktr.ee/ZAconcert\">national tour\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The three men sat on a dramatically lit stage. Assadi played the daf (a kind of hand drum) with both hands, using his fingers to get different notes of percussion in each song. Bahadoran’s tar, a lute-like instrument, beautifully displayed the melodies of the province. Alipour sang in Farsi while playing the kamanchech, a bowed string instrument that is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage for Iran.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s like a life cycle that we’re showing, like a storytelling performance from birth to death,” Assadi told KQED. “We also call it ‘from lament to ecstasy,’ because part of it is very spiritual music that we’re playing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1380\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Man plays a traditional Iranian string instrument.\" class=\"wp-image-13992375\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED-768x530.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED-1536x1060.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Behfar Bahadoran plays the tar, a traditional string instrument, during ZÂ’s performance in Richmond. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a time when negotiations between the United States and Iran are in a fragile state, and President Trump has threatened the country with “\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-says-new-talks-are-irans-last-chance-to-make-deal-before-decapitation\">decapitation\u003c/a>,” cultural events like ZÂ’s performance celebrate and preserve a culture under attack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“During these unfortunate events that are happening in Iran, we wanted to show a different perspective, a different picture of our culture,” said Assadi.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Throughout the night, the people in the crowd clapped, tapped their feet and quietly sang along to familiar songs. Richmond Councilwoman Soheila Bana said it took her back to growing up in Iran. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m from Khorasan, not from Lorestan, but it’s still beautiful,” Bana said. “Some of these melodies are very famous, and we know them.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before the show, Bana presented the group with a commendation from the city of Richmond, to celebrate the band’s creativity and the diversity of their art. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Audience members clap and sing along to a musical performance.\" class=\"wp-image-13992374\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Audience members, many of them of Iranian descent, watch enthralled during ZÂ’s July 30 performance in Richmond. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The concert began with songs that represent, according to the program, “the first heartbeat of existence.” As the lifecycle progressed, they performed the lullaby “Lalayi,” and “Choopan,” a song about the early feelings of love during adolescence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Soon after, ZÂ played “Kel Zanon,” a traditional wedding song, and one of the oldest love songs of the people of Lorestan. The audience responded with even more enthusiasm: clapping and singing gave way to dancing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Assadi, Bahadoran and Alipour, these are the sounds of their own childhoods. Each immigrated to the United States at different points in their lives, but all have worked to preserve the culture that raised them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1360\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Man shows off a traditional Iranian percussion instrument.\" class=\"wp-image-13992368\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Assadi also plays the tombak, another Iranian percussion instrument. Here, he poses with the drum ahead of the Richmond concert. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Assadi, the only local member of the trio, teaches Iranian percussion instruments to youth throughout Sacramento, Davis and the broader Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What we’re trying to do,” Assadi said, “is share this culture with the second generation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction: This story was updated to clarify that ZÂ is the name of the performance and ongoing national tour rather than the group of musicians.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“During these unfortunate events that are happening in Iran, we wanted to show a different perspective, a different picture of our culture,” said Assadi.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m from Khorasan, not from Lorestan, but it’s still beautiful,” Bana said. “Some of these melodies are very famous, and we know them.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Before the show, Bana presented the group with a commendation from the city of Richmond, to celebrate the band’s creativity and the diversity of their art. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Soon after, ZÂ played “Kel Zanon,” a traditional wedding song, and one of the oldest love songs of the people of Lorestan. The audience responded with even more enthusiasm: clapping and singing gave way to dancing.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Man shows off a traditional Iranian percussion instrument.\" class=\"wp-image-13992368\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Assadi also plays the tombak, another Iranian percussion instrument. Here, he poses with the drum ahead of the Richmond concert.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What we’re trying to do,” Assadi said, “is share this culture with the second generation.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction: This story was updated to clarify that ZÂ is the name of the performance and ongoing national tour rather than the group of musicians.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction: This story was updated to clarify that ZÂ is the name of the performance and ongoing national tour rather than the group of musicians.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The musicians wanted to show a different picture of Iran's culture during this time of fraught negotiations with the US.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>On a Thursday night in late July, members of the Bay Area’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/iran\">Iranian\u003c/a> population filed into Richmond’s Central Stage, filling the venue with quiet conversations and greetings in Farsi. The crowd was there to see \u003ca href=\"https://linktr.ee/ZAconcert\">ZÂ\u003c/a>, a performance of ancient music from the Lorestan province of Iran — an intimate concert thousands of years in the making.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The trio of musicians, made up of percussionist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nariman.percussion/\">Nariman Assadi\u003c/a>, multi-instrumentalist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/behfarbahadoran/\">Behfar Bahadoran\u003c/a> and kamancheh player \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mazdakalipour/\">Mazdak Alipour\u003c/a>, took the name of the project from zâyesh, the Persian word for birth. The Richmond performance of “The Forgotten Maqams of Lorestan” was part of an ongoing \u003ca href=\"https://linktr.ee/ZAconcert\">national tour\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The three men sat on a dramatically lit stage. Assadi played the daf (a kind of hand drum) with both hands, using his fingers to get different notes of percussion in each song. Bahadoran’s tar, a lute-like instrument, beautifully displayed the melodies of the province. Alipour sang in Farsi while playing the kamanchech, a bowed string instrument that is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage for Iran.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It’s like a life cycle that we’re showing, like a storytelling performance from birth to death,” Assadi told KQED. “We also call it ‘from lament to ecstasy,’ because part of it is very spiritual music that we’re playing.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1380\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Man plays a traditional Iranian string instrument.\" class=\"wp-image-13992375\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED-768x530.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-19-KQED-1536x1060.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Behfar Bahadoran plays the tar, a traditional string instrument, during ZÂ’s performance in Richmond. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At a time when negotiations between the United States and Iran are in a fragile state, and President Trump has threatened the country with “\u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-says-new-talks-are-irans-last-chance-to-make-deal-before-decapitation\">decapitation\u003c/a>,” cultural events like ZÂ’s performance celebrate and preserve a culture under attack.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“During these unfortunate events that are happening in Iran, we wanted to show a different perspective, a different picture of our culture,” said Assadi.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Throughout the night, the people in the crowd clapped, tapped their feet and quietly sang along to familiar songs. Richmond Councilwoman Soheila Bana said it took her back to growing up in Iran. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I’m from Khorasan, not from Lorestan, but it’s still beautiful,” Bana said. “Some of these melodies are very famous, and we know them.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Before the show, Bana presented the group with a commendation from the city of Richmond, to celebrate the band’s creativity and the diversity of their art. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Audience members clap and sing along to a musical performance.\" class=\"wp-image-13992374\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-18-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Audience members, many of them of Iranian descent, watch enthralled during ZÂ’s July 30 performance in Richmond. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The concert began with songs that represent, according to the program, “the first heartbeat of existence.” As the lifecycle progressed, they performed the lullaby “Lalayi,” and “Choopan,” a song about the early feelings of love during adolescence. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Soon after, ZÂ played “Kel Zanon,” a traditional wedding song, and one of the oldest love songs of the people of Lorestan. The audience responded with even more enthusiasm: clapping and singing gave way to dancing.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Assadi, Bahadoran and Alipour, these are the sounds of their own childhoods. Each immigrated to the United States at different points in their lives, but all have worked to preserve the culture that raised them. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1360\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Man shows off a traditional Iranian percussion instrument.\" class=\"wp-image-13992368\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/20260730_NarimanAssadiConcert_GC-1-KQED-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Assadi also plays the tombak, another Iranian percussion instrument. Here, he poses with the drum ahead of the Richmond concert. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Assadi, the only local member of the trio, teaches Iranian percussion instruments to youth throughout Sacramento, Davis and the broader Bay Area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“What we’re trying to do,” Assadi said, “is share this culture with the second generation.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Correction: This story was updated to clarify that ZÂ is the name of the performance and ongoing national tour rather than the group of musicians.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-dishes-the-lot-richmond-street-food-market",
"title": "The Five Best Things I Ate at The Lot in Richmond",
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"headTitle": "The Five Best Things I Ate at The Lot in Richmond | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Every Tuesday and Thursday, a small, empty lot in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> transforms into one of the Bay Area’s most vibrant street food markets. About 15 or 20 food tents line up at any given time, the smell of fish sauce, Thai basil, smoked meat and fried plantains wafting in the air. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Welcome to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4685/The-Lot-Downtown-Richmond-Food-Court-for\">The Lot\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Open since October 2024, when it launched with the more literal (if somewhat unsexy) name, “Mobile Vendor Plaza Market,” the outdoor food court grew out of a city initiative meant to deter unlicensed street vending in Richmond. It offers those food vendors a \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2024/10/24/richmond-street-vendor-plaza-ceremony/\">pathway to legitimacy\u003c/a>, along with a central location, just a short walk from the BART station, where they can peddle their wares. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Informal food businesses, such as driveway pupusa stands and backyard \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915646/barbacoa-mejia-richmond-flea-market\">barbacoa\u003c/a> operations, are in many ways the heart and soul of Richmond’s scrappy, unpretentious food scene. Drive down any side street off 23rd and you’ll see any number of uncles and aunties throwing down on the grill. That part of Richmond, thankfully, is still alive and well.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What The Lot offers is a little bit different. While the Bay Area has no shortage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/night-market\">night markets\u003c/a> and Off the Grid–style food truck meetups, I don’t know any that offer such a wildly diverse variety of global cuisines, all within the confines of a tiny parking lot. Most street food markets in the Bay don’t have a single Cameroonian, Guatemalan or Laotian food vendor, much less all three lined up in a row, back to back to back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork.jpg\" alt=\"Takeout container with cubes of fried pork belly, basil, bell peppers and a fried egg.\" class=\"wp-image-13991949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pai’s Eatery’s basil pork belly bowl, with an optional fried egg add-on. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past few months, I’ve been slowly eating my way through the market, though it still feels like I’ve barely cracked the surface. For now, none of the stands are big, established brands with a lot of social media hype. They’re just cooking up tasty food, without the fuss.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are the five most delicious dishes I’ve tried so far, in no particular order.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Basil pork belly from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pais.eatery/\">\u003cstrong>Pai’s Eatery\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This might be the best-known stand in The Lot’s stable of food vendors, as it’s run by the folks behind Souk Savanh, the dearly departed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989331/best-cheap-affordable-restaurant-meals-bay-area-oakland-sf\">super-budget-friendly\u003c/a> Lao-Thai restaurant in Oakland (currently on hiatus as it gears up to move to a new location). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At The Lot, Pai’s Eatery serves a stripped-down version of the restaurant \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFufq2lIQU/?img_index=1\">menu\u003c/a>, featuring hearty rice bowls and noodle bowls for as little as $10. Their Lao sausage patties are one of my all-time favorites, but recently, I’ve become enamored with the basil pork belly over rice: big cubes of crispy, skin-on pork belly tossed with a saucy, colorful mix of bell peppers, onions and Thai basil.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot.jpg\" alt='A man serving food inside a food tent. The name of the stand is \"GRL Catering.\"' class=\"wp-image-13991944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">GRL’s food tent is the king of sheer value and portion size. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Jerk chicken plate from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/grlcatering_/\">\u003cstrong>GRL Catering\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In terms of sheer value and portion size, GRL’s Jamaican food stall is the king of The Lot (and maybe the whole East Bay). I paid $15 for a “small” jerk chicken plate, and the takeout container was absolutely jam-packed with food: two big, saucy chicken legs, chopped up into smaller chunks; several slices of fried plantains; the doughy Jamaican fried bread known as \u003ca href=\"https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020881-festival\">festival\u003c/a>; and a pile of steamed cabbage — all over a big scoop of rice and peas to soak up the juices. (It’s hard for me to even conceive how much food must come with the $22 large plate.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>More importantly, this is some of the tastiest jerk chicken I’ve had in a minute — smoky and incredibly tender with a zip of heat, slathered in a jerk-style barbecue sauce that’s more savory and spicy than sweet. The most delicious bites were the little bits of charred, blackened skin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas.jpg\" alt=\"A huge mound of sauce-drizzled fries in a Styrofoam clamshell container.\" class=\"wp-image-13991946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Guatemalan street-style fried chicken and fries, courtesy of Pollo Con Papas Fritas. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fried chicken and fries ‘estilo chapín’ from Pollo Con Papas Fritas\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Lot is home to two near-identical stands selling Guatemalan-style fried chicken. During my most recent market visit, the stand I tried, Pollo Con Papas Fritas (not to be confused with the nearby Pollo Con Papas) was the slightly busier operation between the two, and its chicken proved thoroughly up to snuff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This isn’t the aggressively seasoned Pollo Campero–style fast food fried chicken that’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-14/pollo-campero-central-america-los-angeles\">popular in Guatemala and El Salvador\u003c/a>. Instead, it’s more of a Guatemalan street food style: For $12, you get two pieces of dark meat buried under a giant mound of thick, hand-cut fries topped with colorful squeeze-bottle squiggles of ketchup, mayo and green salsa. The fries are fine, more fluffy than crisp by design, but the real beauty of the dish is that the chicken itself is so thoroughly buried underneath that it’s shielded from all that sauce: The skin stays nice and crunchy, and the flesh is hot and decently juicy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew.jpg\" alt=\"Tomato sauce–soaked pieces of fried catfish in a takeout container.\" class=\"wp-image-13991947\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kilama Passion Foods’ tomato-forward Cameroonian catfish stew. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Catfish stew from Kilama Passion Foods\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the only Cameroonian food businesses I’ve come across in the Bay Area, Kilama Passion Foods’ tent serves a catfish stew that is shockingly, but quite tastily, tomato-forward — “almost chicken parm–like” was my initial reaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I like all the other components of the plate even better: the plump grains of seasoned yellow rice and, especially, the fried plantains, which are extra crispy around the edges. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren.jpg\" alt=\"Two churros in a white paper bag, with food tents at a street market in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-13991945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some of the Bay Area’s tastiest churros, courtesy of Churros My Fren. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Churros from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/churrosmyfrenn/\">\u003cstrong>Churros My Fren\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I ignored this Mexican churro stand during my first couple of trips to The Lot because, well, I figured I can get churros anywhere in Richmond. Now I can’t imagine \u003cem>not \u003c/em>snagging a churro or two from Churros My Fren before I leave. These are some of the best I’ve had in recent memory — they’re long and skinny, with deep ridges that help maximize their crinkly cinnamon sugar–enhanced crunch, while the inside stays tender and custardy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like many of The Lot’s offerings, the churros are a bargain at $2 apiece. One of these days, I’ll bring a couple of friends along and splurge on the giant, spiral-shaped churro rosca.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4685/The-Lot-Downtown-Richmond-Food-Court-for\">\u003cem>The Lot\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open from roughly 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each stand keeps its own hours, though, and you’ll find a slightly different mix of vendors at lunchtime than you will in the evening. Many of the food vendors also sell at Richmond’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.richmondfarmersmarket.org/marina-bay-park-market\">\u003cem>Marina Bay farmers market\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> on Sundays.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Every Tuesday and Thursday, a small, empty lot in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> transforms into one of the Bay Area’s most vibrant street food markets. About 15 or 20 food tents line up at any given time, the smell of fish sauce, Thai basil, smoked meat and fried plantains wafting in the air. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Every Tuesday and Thursday, a small, empty lot in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> transforms into one of the Bay Area’s most vibrant street food markets. About 15 or 20 food tents line up at any given time, the smell of fish sauce, Thai basil, smoked meat and fried plantains wafting in the air. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Welcome to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4685/The-Lot-Downtown-Richmond-Food-Court-for\">The Lot\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Welcome to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4685/The-Lot-Downtown-Richmond-Food-Court-for\">The Lot\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Open since October 2024, when it launched with the more literal (if somewhat unsexy) name, “Mobile Vendor Plaza Market,” the outdoor food court grew out of a city initiative meant to deter unlicensed street vending in Richmond. It offers those food vendors a \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2024/10/24/richmond-street-vendor-plaza-ceremony/\">pathway to legitimacy\u003c/a>, along with a central location, just a short walk from the BART station, where they can peddle their wares. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Open since October 2024, when it launched with the more literal (if somewhat unsexy) name, “Mobile Vendor Plaza Market,” the outdoor food court grew out of a city initiative meant to deter unlicensed street vending in Richmond. It offers those food vendors a \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2024/10/24/richmond-street-vendor-plaza-ceremony/\">pathway to legitimacy\u003c/a>, along with a central location, just a short walk from the BART station, where they can peddle their wares. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Informal food businesses, such as driveway pupusa stands and backyard \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915646/barbacoa-mejia-richmond-flea-market\">barbacoa\u003c/a> operations, are in many ways the heart and soul of Richmond’s scrappy, unpretentious food scene. Drive down any side street off 23rd and you’ll see any number of uncles and aunties throwing down on the grill. That part of Richmond, thankfully, is still alive and well.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Informal food businesses, such as driveway pupusa stands and backyard \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915646/barbacoa-mejia-richmond-flea-market\">barbacoa\u003c/a> operations, are in many ways the heart and soul of Richmond’s scrappy, unpretentious food scene. Drive down any side street off 23rd and you’ll see any number of uncles and aunties throwing down on the grill. That part of Richmond, thankfully, is still alive and well.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What The Lot offers is a little bit different. While the Bay Area has no shortage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/night-market\">night markets\u003c/a> and Off the Grid–style food truck meetups, I don’t know any that offer such a wildly diverse variety of global cuisines, all within the confines of a tiny parking lot. Most street food markets in the Bay don’t have a single Cameroonian, Guatemalan or Laotian food vendor, much less all three lined up in a row, back to back to back. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>What The Lot offers is a little bit different. While the Bay Area has no shortage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/night-market\">night markets\u003c/a> and Off the Grid–style food truck meetups, I don’t know any that offer such a wildly diverse variety of global cuisines, all within the confines of a tiny parking lot. Most street food markets in the Bay don’t have a single Cameroonian, Guatemalan or Laotian food vendor, much less all three lined up in a row, back to back to back. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork.jpg\" alt=\"Takeout container with cubes of fried pork belly, basil, bell peppers and a fried egg.\" class=\"wp-image-13991949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pai’s Eatery’s basil pork belly bowl, with an optional fried egg add-on. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork.jpg\" alt=\"Takeout container with cubes of fried pork belly, basil, bell peppers and a fried egg.\" class=\"wp-image-13991949\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pai’s Eatery’s basil pork belly bowl, with an optional fried egg add-on. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Over the past few months, I’ve been slowly eating my way through the market, though it still feels like I’ve barely cracked the surface. For now, none of the stands are big, established brands with a lot of social media hype. They’re just cooking up tasty food, without the fuss.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Over the past few months, I’ve been slowly eating my way through the market, though it still feels like I’ve barely cracked the surface. For now, none of the stands are big, established brands with a lot of social media hype. They’re just cooking up tasty food, without the fuss.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here are the five most delicious dishes I’ve tried so far, in no particular order.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Here are the five most delicious dishes I’ve tried so far, in no particular order.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Basil pork belly from Pai’s Eatery ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Basil pork belly from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pais.eatery/\">\u003cstrong>Pai’s Eatery\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Basil pork belly from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pais.eatery/\">\u003cstrong>Pai’s Eatery\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This might be the best-known stand in The Lot’s stable of food vendors, as it’s run by the folks behind Souk Savanh, the dearly departed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989331/best-cheap-affordable-restaurant-meals-bay-area-oakland-sf\">super-budget-friendly\u003c/a> Lao-Thai restaurant in Oakland (currently on hiatus as it gears up to move to a new location). \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This might be the best-known stand in The Lot’s stable of food vendors, as it’s run by the folks behind Souk Savanh, the dearly departed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989331/best-cheap-affordable-restaurant-meals-bay-area-oakland-sf\">super-budget-friendly\u003c/a> Lao-Thai restaurant in Oakland (currently on hiatus as it gears up to move to a new location). \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At The Lot, Pai’s Eatery serves a stripped-down version of the restaurant \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFufq2lIQU/?img_index=1\">menu\u003c/a>, featuring hearty rice bowls and noodle bowls for as little as $10. Their Lao sausage patties are one of my all-time favorites, but recently, I’ve become enamored with the basil pork belly over rice: big cubes of crispy, skin-on pork belly tossed with a saucy, colorful mix of bell peppers, onions and Thai basil.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>At The Lot, Pai’s Eatery serves a stripped-down version of the restaurant \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFufq2lIQU/?img_index=1\">menu\u003c/a>, featuring hearty rice bowls and noodle bowls for as little as $10. Their Lao sausage patties are one of my all-time favorites, but recently, I’ve become enamored with the basil pork belly over rice: big cubes of crispy, skin-on pork belly tossed with a saucy, colorful mix of bell peppers, onions and Thai basil.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot.jpg\" alt=\"A man serving food inside a food tent. The name of the stand is "GRL Catering."\" class=\"wp-image-13991944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">GRL’s food tent is the king of sheer value and portion size.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot.jpg\" alt=\"A man serving food inside a food tent. The name of the stand is "GRL Catering."\" class=\"wp-image-13991944\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">GRL’s food tent is the king of sheer value and portion size.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Jerk chicken plate from GRL Catering",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Jerk chicken plate from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/grlcatering_/\">\u003cstrong>GRL Catering\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Jerk chicken plate from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/grlcatering_/\">\u003cstrong>GRL Catering\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In terms of sheer value and portion size, GRL’s Jamaican food stall is the king of The Lot (and maybe the whole East Bay). I paid $15 for a “small” jerk chicken plate, and the takeout container was absolutely jam-packed with food: two big, saucy chicken legs, chopped up into smaller chunks; several slices of fried plantains; the doughy Jamaican fried bread known as \u003ca href=\"https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020881-festival\">festival\u003c/a>; and a pile of steamed cabbage — all over a big scoop of rice and peas to soak up the juices. (It’s hard for me to even conceive how much food must come with the $22 large plate.) \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In terms of sheer value and portion size, GRL’s Jamaican food stall is the king of The Lot (and maybe the whole East Bay). I paid $15 for a “small” jerk chicken plate, and the takeout container was absolutely jam-packed with food: two big, saucy chicken legs, chopped up into smaller chunks; several slices of fried plantains; the doughy Jamaican fried bread known as \u003ca href=\"https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020881-festival\">festival\u003c/a>; and a pile of steamed cabbage — all over a big scoop of rice and peas to soak up the juices. (It’s hard for me to even conceive how much food must come with the $22 large plate.) \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>More importantly, this is some of the tastiest jerk chicken I’ve had in a minute — smoky and incredibly tender with a zip of heat, slathered in a jerk-style barbecue sauce that’s more savory and spicy than sweet. The most delicious bites were the little bits of charred, blackened skin.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>More importantly, this is some of the tastiest jerk chicken I’ve had in a minute — smoky and incredibly tender with a zip of heat, slathered in a jerk-style barbecue sauce that’s more savory and spicy than sweet. The most delicious bites were the little bits of charred, blackened skin.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas.jpg\" alt=\"A huge mound of sauce-drizzled fries in a Styrofoam clamshell container.\" class=\"wp-image-13991946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Guatemalan street-style fried chicken and fries, courtesy of Pollo Con Papas Fritas.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas.jpg\" alt=\"A huge mound of sauce-drizzled fries in a Styrofoam clamshell container.\" class=\"wp-image-13991946\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Guatemalan street-style fried chicken and fries, courtesy of Pollo Con Papas Fritas.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fried chicken and fries ‘estilo chapín’ from Pollo Con Papas Fritas\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Lot is home to two near-identical stands selling Guatemalan-style fried chicken. During my most recent market visit, the stand I tried, Pollo Con Papas Fritas (not to be confused with the nearby Pollo Con Papas) was the slightly busier operation between the two, and its chicken proved thoroughly up to snuff. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Lot is home to two near-identical stands selling Guatemalan-style fried chicken. During my most recent market visit, the stand I tried, Pollo Con Papas Fritas (not to be confused with the nearby Pollo Con Papas) was the slightly busier operation between the two, and its chicken proved thoroughly up to snuff. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This isn’t the aggressively seasoned Pollo Campero–style fast food fried chicken that’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-14/pollo-campero-central-america-los-angeles\">popular in Guatemala and El Salvador\u003c/a>. Instead, it’s more of a Guatemalan street food style: For $12, you get two pieces of dark meat buried under a giant mound of thick, hand-cut fries topped with colorful squeeze-bottle squiggles of ketchup, mayo and green salsa. The fries are fine, more fluffy than crisp by design, but the real beauty of the dish is that the chicken itself is so thoroughly buried underneath that it’s shielded from all that sauce: The skin stays nice and crunchy, and the flesh is hot and decently juicy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This isn’t the aggressively seasoned Pollo Campero–style fast food fried chicken that’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-14/pollo-campero-central-america-los-angeles\">popular in Guatemala and El Salvador\u003c/a>. Instead, it’s more of a Guatemalan street food style: For $12, you get two pieces of dark meat buried under a giant mound of thick, hand-cut fries topped with colorful squeeze-bottle squiggles of ketchup, mayo and green salsa. The fries are fine, more fluffy than crisp by design, but the real beauty of the dish is that the chicken itself is so thoroughly buried underneath that it’s shielded from all that sauce: The skin stays nice and crunchy, and the flesh is hot and decently juicy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew.jpg\" alt=\"Tomato sauce–soaked pieces of fried catfish in a takeout container.\" class=\"wp-image-13991947\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kilama Passion Foods’ tomato-forward Cameroonian catfish stew.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the only Cameroonian food businesses I’ve come across in the Bay Area, Kilama Passion Foods’ tent serves a catfish stew that is shockingly, but quite tastily, tomato-forward — “almost chicken parm–like” was my initial reaction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>One of the only Cameroonian food businesses I’ve come across in the Bay Area, Kilama Passion Foods’ tent serves a catfish stew that is shockingly, but quite tastily, tomato-forward — “almost chicken parm–like” was my initial reaction. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I like all the other components of the plate even better: the plump grains of seasoned yellow rice and, especially, the fried plantains, which are extra crispy around the edges. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I like all the other components of the plate even better: the plump grains of seasoned yellow rice and, especially, the fried plantains, which are extra crispy around the edges. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren.jpg\" alt=\"Two churros in a white paper bag, with food tents at a street market in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-13991945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some of the Bay Area’s tastiest churros, courtesy of Churros My Fren.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren.jpg\" alt=\"Two churros in a white paper bag, with food tents at a street market in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-13991945\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some of the Bay Area’s tastiest churros, courtesy of Churros My Fren.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Churros from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/churrosmyfrenn/\">\u003cstrong>Churros My Fren\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I ignored this Mexican churro stand during my first couple of trips to The Lot because, well, I figured I can get churros anywhere in Richmond. Now I can’t imagine \u003cem>not \u003c/em>snagging a churro or two from Churros My Fren before I leave. These are some of the best I’ve had in recent memory — they’re long and skinny, with deep ridges that help maximize their crinkly cinnamon sugar–enhanced crunch, while the inside stays tender and custardy. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I ignored this Mexican churro stand during my first couple of trips to The Lot because, well, I figured I can get churros anywhere in Richmond. Now I can’t imagine \u003cem>not \u003c/em>snagging a churro or two from Churros My Fren before I leave. These are some of the best I’ve had in recent memory — they’re long and skinny, with deep ridges that help maximize their crinkly cinnamon sugar–enhanced crunch, while the inside stays tender and custardy. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Like many of The Lot’s offerings, the churros are a bargain at $2 apiece. One of these days, I’ll bring a couple of friends along and splurge on the giant, spiral-shaped churro rosca.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Like many of The Lot’s offerings, the churros are a bargain at $2 apiece. One of these days, I’ll bring a couple of friends along and splurge on the giant, spiral-shaped churro rosca.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4685/The-Lot-Downtown-Richmond-Food-Court-for\">\u003cem>The Lot\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open from roughly 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each stand keeps its own hours, though, and you’ll find a slightly different mix of vendors at lunchtime than you will in the evening. Many of the food vendors also sell at Richmond’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.richmondfarmersmarket.org/marina-bay-park-market\">\u003cem>Marina Bay farmers market\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> on Sundays.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4685/The-Lot-Downtown-Richmond-Food-Court-for\">\u003cem>The Lot\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open from roughly 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each stand keeps its own hours, though, and you’ll find a slightly different mix of vendors at lunchtime than you will in the evening. Many of the food vendors also sell at Richmond’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.richmondfarmersmarket.org/marina-bay-park-market\">\u003cem>Marina Bay farmers market\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> on Sundays.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "A guide to one of the East Bay’s most diverse — and most underrated — street food markets.",
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"title": "What to Eat at The Lot, Richmond’s Street Food Market | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Every Tuesday and Thursday, a small, empty lot in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> transforms into one of the Bay Area’s most vibrant street food markets. About 15 or 20 food tents line up at any given time, the smell of fish sauce, Thai basil, smoked meat and fried plantains wafting in the air. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Welcome to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4685/The-Lot-Downtown-Richmond-Food-Court-for\">The Lot\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Open since October 2024, when it launched with the more literal (if somewhat unsexy) name, “Mobile Vendor Plaza Market,” the outdoor food court grew out of a city initiative meant to deter unlicensed street vending in Richmond. It offers those food vendors a \u003ca href=\"https://richmondside.org/2024/10/24/richmond-street-vendor-plaza-ceremony/\">pathway to legitimacy\u003c/a>, along with a central location, just a short walk from the BART station, where they can peddle their wares. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Informal food businesses, such as driveway pupusa stands and backyard \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13915646/barbacoa-mejia-richmond-flea-market\">barbacoa\u003c/a> operations, are in many ways the heart and soul of Richmond’s scrappy, unpretentious food scene. Drive down any side street off 23rd and you’ll see any number of uncles and aunties throwing down on the grill. That part of Richmond, thankfully, is still alive and well.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What The Lot offers is a little bit different. While the Bay Area has no shortage of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/night-market\">night markets\u003c/a> and Off the Grid–style food truck meetups, I don’t know any that offer such a wildly diverse variety of global cuisines, all within the confines of a tiny parking lot. Most street food markets in the Bay don’t have a single Cameroonian, Guatemalan or Laotian food vendor, much less all three lined up in a row, back to back to back. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork.jpg\" alt=\"Takeout container with cubes of fried pork belly, basil, bell peppers and a fried egg.\" class=\"wp-image-13991949\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pais-eatery-basil-pork-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pai’s Eatery’s basil pork belly bowl, with an optional fried egg add-on. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Over the past few months, I’ve been slowly eating my way through the market, though it still feels like I’ve barely cracked the surface. For now, none of the stands are big, established brands with a lot of social media hype. They’re just cooking up tasty food, without the fuss.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are the five most delicious dishes I’ve tried so far, in no particular order.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Basil pork belly from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/pais.eatery/\">\u003cstrong>Pai’s Eatery\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This might be the best-known stand in The Lot’s stable of food vendors, as it’s run by the folks behind Souk Savanh, the dearly departed, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989331/best-cheap-affordable-restaurant-meals-bay-area-oakland-sf\">super-budget-friendly\u003c/a> Lao-Thai restaurant in Oakland (currently on hiatus as it gears up to move to a new location). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At The Lot, Pai’s Eatery serves a stripped-down version of the restaurant \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFufq2lIQU/?img_index=1\">menu\u003c/a>, featuring hearty rice bowls and noodle bowls for as little as $10. Their Lao sausage patties are one of my all-time favorites, but recently, I’ve become enamored with the basil pork belly over rice: big cubes of crispy, skin-on pork belly tossed with a saucy, colorful mix of bell peppers, onions and Thai basil.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot.jpg\" alt='A man serving food inside a food tent. The name of the stand is \"GRL Catering.\"' class=\"wp-image-13991944\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GRL-at-The-Lot-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">GRL’s food tent is the king of sheer value and portion size. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Jerk chicken plate from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/grlcatering_/\">\u003cstrong>GRL Catering\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In terms of sheer value and portion size, GRL’s Jamaican food stall is the king of The Lot (and maybe the whole East Bay). I paid $15 for a “small” jerk chicken plate, and the takeout container was absolutely jam-packed with food: two big, saucy chicken legs, chopped up into smaller chunks; several slices of fried plantains; the doughy Jamaican fried bread known as \u003ca href=\"https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020881-festival\">festival\u003c/a>; and a pile of steamed cabbage — all over a big scoop of rice and peas to soak up the juices. (It’s hard for me to even conceive how much food must come with the $22 large plate.) \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>More importantly, this is some of the tastiest jerk chicken I’ve had in a minute — smoky and incredibly tender with a zip of heat, slathered in a jerk-style barbecue sauce that’s more savory and spicy than sweet. The most delicious bites were the little bits of charred, blackened skin.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas.jpg\" alt=\"A huge mound of sauce-drizzled fries in a Styrofoam clamshell container.\" class=\"wp-image-13991946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/pollo-con-papas-fritas-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Guatemalan street-style fried chicken and fries, courtesy of Pollo Con Papas Fritas. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Fried chicken and fries ‘estilo chapín’ from Pollo Con Papas Fritas\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Lot is home to two near-identical stands selling Guatemalan-style fried chicken. During my most recent market visit, the stand I tried, Pollo Con Papas Fritas (not to be confused with the nearby Pollo Con Papas) was the slightly busier operation between the two, and its chicken proved thoroughly up to snuff. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This isn’t the aggressively seasoned Pollo Campero–style fast food fried chicken that’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-14/pollo-campero-central-america-los-angeles\">popular in Guatemala and El Salvador\u003c/a>. Instead, it’s more of a Guatemalan street food style: For $12, you get two pieces of dark meat buried under a giant mound of thick, hand-cut fries topped with colorful squeeze-bottle squiggles of ketchup, mayo and green salsa. The fries are fine, more fluffy than crisp by design, but the real beauty of the dish is that the chicken itself is so thoroughly buried underneath that it’s shielded from all that sauce: The skin stays nice and crunchy, and the flesh is hot and decently juicy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew.jpg\" alt=\"Tomato sauce–soaked pieces of fried catfish in a takeout container.\" class=\"wp-image-13991947\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Kilama-catfish-stew-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kilama Passion Foods’ tomato-forward Cameroonian catfish stew. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Catfish stew from Kilama Passion Foods\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the only Cameroonian food businesses I’ve come across in the Bay Area, Kilama Passion Foods’ tent serves a catfish stew that is shockingly, but quite tastily, tomato-forward — “almost chicken parm–like” was my initial reaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I like all the other components of the plate even better: the plump grains of seasoned yellow rice and, especially, the fried plantains, which are extra crispy around the edges. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren.jpg\" alt=\"Two churros in a white paper bag, with food tents at a street market in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-13991945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/churros-my-fren-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some of the Bay Area’s tastiest churros, courtesy of Churros My Fren. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Churros from \u003c/strong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/churrosmyfrenn/\">\u003cstrong>Churros My Fren\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I ignored this Mexican churro stand during my first couple of trips to The Lot because, well, I figured I can get churros anywhere in Richmond. Now I can’t imagine \u003cem>not \u003c/em>snagging a churro or two from Churros My Fren before I leave. These are some of the best I’ve had in recent memory — they’re long and skinny, with deep ridges that help maximize their crinkly cinnamon sugar–enhanced crunch, while the inside stays tender and custardy. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Like many of The Lot’s offerings, the churros are a bargain at $2 apiece. One of these days, I’ll bring a couple of friends along and splurge on the giant, spiral-shaped churro rosca.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4685/The-Lot-Downtown-Richmond-Food-Court-for\">\u003cem>The Lot\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> is open from roughly 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each stand keeps its own hours, though, and you’ll find a slightly different mix of vendors at lunchtime than you will in the evening. Many of the food vendors also sell at Richmond’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.richmondfarmersmarket.org/marina-bay-park-market\">\u003cem>Marina Bay farmers market\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> on Sundays.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "goldpie-pizza-pop-up-richmond-weed-dispensary-east-bay-7-stars",
"title": "The East Bay’s Most Exciting New Pizza Pop-up Is at a Richmond Weed Dispensary",
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"headTitle": "The East Bay’s Most Exciting New Pizza Pop-up Is at a Richmond Weed Dispensary | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>In the hierarchy of foods that pair perfectly with a hit of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/marijuana\">weed\u003c/a>, a cheesy, hot slice of pizza has to rank among the most iconic — right up there with other stoner faves like \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzRvMylDVi8\">White Castle\u003c/a>, ice cream and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It shouldn’t come as any surprise, then, that one of the Bay Area’s most promising new pizza pop-ups would be stationed in front of a Richmond cannabis shop. Every Sunday and Monday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/7starshhc_/\">7 Stars Holistic Healing Center\u003c/a> regulars line up at the little tented food stand right outside the dispensary to snag a piping-hot, oil-slicked pepperoni or whipped ricotta pizza. It’s some of the tastiest East Coast–style you can find in this stretch of the East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pop-up is called \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/goldpieig/\">Goldpie\u003c/a>, and it’s the brainchild of Scott Hataye, whose day job is as a “budtender” at 7 Stars. For the past seven years, though, he’s also dabbled in the pizza world, moonlighting as the doughmaker at Emeryville’s Rotten City Pizza, a New York–inspired pizza restaurant that closed last summer after an impressive 17-year run. (When I first moved to the East Bay in the late aughts, Rotten City was the closest thing I could find to a proper New York slice shop.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I love that pizza and actually really, really miss it,” Hataye says of his time at the restaurant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent.jpg\" alt=\"A food tent set up in front of a marijuana dispensary.\" class=\"wp-image-13990182\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Goldpie proprietor Scott Hataye’s day job is as a “budtender” at 7 Stars. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Rotten City closed last June, he took it as a sign that maybe it was time for him to launch his own pizza business. There’s a bit of Rotten City Pizza in the bones of Hataye’s pies, mostly in terms of the dough, which he says is \u003cem>very \u003c/em>similar to Rotten City’s, made with a blend of Central Milling 00 flour and bread flour and cold-fermented for up to 72 hours. The biggest difference, Hataye says, is that he makes a denser, richer red sauce, by cooking down Bianco DiNapoli brand crushed tomatoes (Rotten City was a \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/rotten-city-pizzas-bicoastal-tendencies-1/\">raw sauce\u003c/a> pizzeria). And because he bakes the pizzas in portable Gozney mini pizza ovens, which get as hot as 1,000 degrees, they’re smaller and less floppy than your classic foldable New York pizza. They’re about 12 to 13 inches in diameter, the perfect size for one hungry pizza eater (or two slightly daintier ones). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The finished product is a stylistic hybrid, Hataye says — sort of a cross between Neapolitan, New York, New Haven and Chicago-style tavern pizzas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The important thing is that Goldpie’s pizza is legitimately tasty. The top of each pie is slicked with oil, and the crust is quite thin and crunchy-bottomed, with dark blistered spots verging on burnt toward the edges — in a really delicious way, if you’re a fan of that charred flavor, as I am. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven.jpg\" alt=\"A whole pepperoni pizza inside a foil-lined cardboard pizza box.\" class=\"wp-image-13990183\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The “Heaven on Earth” features pesto, cupping pepperoni, hot honey and crsipy fried garlic. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I loved the “Heaven on Earth,” with its salty-sweet palette of pepperoni, pesto, hot honey and fried garlic. The sausage pie, meanwhile, was a more straightforward East Coast–style pizza — an ideal union of oozy cheese, zesty tomato sauce and a flavorful, crispy-chewy crust.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other top sellers include the classic pepperoni and the “Brooklyn” (garlic, olive oil, whipped ricotta), which is Hataye’s take on a New York–style white pie. \u003ca href=\"https://www.7starshhc.com/blog/goldpie-pizza\">Whichever pizza you order\u003c/a>, make sure to ask for a little tub of the housemade candied jalapeños — a truly excellent pizza condiment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hataye says a few customers have asked whether he ever infuses marijuana into his food (he doesn’t), but in general, he doesn’t have any intention of veering toward gimmicky “pothead pizza.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think they’re pretty satisfied with the pizzas as they are,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table.jpg\" alt=\"A painting of a cartoon horse and dog propped up on an outdoor table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990184\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">There’s a table set up next to the Goldpie tent where pizza eaters can “dine in” if they like. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the end, the best part of the experience is the fact that Hataye and Mike Bennally (a former Rotten City general manager who helps out on pop-up days) make every pizza to order right in front of you, tossing and stretching the dough, and then lovingly tending to each pie the entire time it’s in the oven. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That level of personal care has started to pay off. Slowly but surely, a nice little community has formed around Goldpie, as more and more customers who aren’t even affiliated with the dispensary now go out of their way to visit the pop-up. Some wind up staying to eat at the table that Hataye has set up outside, watching one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DX5wmSOhE8r/\">’80s and ’90s cult classic movies\u003c/a> they have playing at all times.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eventually, Hataye says he would love to turn that community into a full-blown restaurant, though for now he’s mostly focused on just getting the word out about the pop-up. But he and Bennally have already talked about the prospect of opening a brick-and-mortar pizzeria of their own — maybe in Pinole — some time in the next year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I would love to be able to do that,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/goldpieig/\">\u003cem>Goldpie\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> pops up outside 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center, at 3219 Pierce St. in Richmond (across the street from the 99 Ranch Market plaza) on Sundays and Mondays, 11:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. They currently sell \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.7starshhc.com/blog/goldpie-pizza\">\u003cem>whole pizzas only\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, for $15–$20 a pie. Customers can call or text 510-529-5007 if they want to place their orders ahead of time.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the hierarchy of foods that pair perfectly with a hit of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/marijuana\">weed\u003c/a>, a cheesy, hot slice of pizza has to rank among the most iconic — right up there with other stoner faves like \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzRvMylDVi8\">White Castle\u003c/a>, ice cream and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It shouldn’t come as any surprise, then, that one of the Bay Area’s most promising new pizza pop-ups would be stationed in front of a Richmond cannabis shop. Every Sunday and Monday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/7starshhc_/\">7 Stars Holistic Healing Center\u003c/a> regulars line up at the little tented food stand right outside the dispensary to snag a piping-hot, oil-slicked pepperoni or whipped ricotta pizza. It’s some of the tastiest East Coast–style you can find in this stretch of the East Bay.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It shouldn’t come as any surprise, then, that one of the Bay Area’s most promising new pizza pop-ups would be stationed in front of a Richmond cannabis shop. Every Sunday and Monday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/7starshhc_/\">7 Stars Holistic Healing Center\u003c/a> regulars line up at the little tented food stand right outside the dispensary to snag a piping-hot, oil-slicked pepperoni or whipped ricotta pizza. It’s some of the tastiest East Coast–style you can find in this stretch of the East Bay.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The pop-up is called \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/goldpieig/\">Goldpie\u003c/a>, and it’s the brainchild of Scott Hataye, whose day job is as a “budtender” at 7 Stars. For the past seven years, though, he’s also dabbled in the pizza world, moonlighting as the doughmaker at Emeryville’s Rotten City Pizza, a New York–inspired pizza restaurant that closed last summer after an impressive 17-year run. (When I first moved to the East Bay in the late aughts, Rotten City was the closest thing I could find to a proper New York slice shop.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The pop-up is called \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/goldpieig/\">Goldpie\u003c/a>, and it’s the brainchild of Scott Hataye, whose day job is as a “budtender” at 7 Stars. For the past seven years, though, he’s also dabbled in the pizza world, moonlighting as the doughmaker at Emeryville’s Rotten City Pizza, a New York–inspired pizza restaurant that closed last summer after an impressive 17-year run. (When I first moved to the East Bay in the late aughts, Rotten City was the closest thing I could find to a proper New York slice shop.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I love that pizza and actually really, really miss it,” Hataye says of his time at the restaurant. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent.jpg\" alt=\"A food tent set up in front of a marijuana dispensary.\" class=\"wp-image-13990182\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Goldpie proprietor Scott Hataye’s day job is as a “budtender” at 7 Stars.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent.jpg\" alt=\"A food tent set up in front of a marijuana dispensary.\" class=\"wp-image-13990182\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Goldpie proprietor Scott Hataye’s day job is as a “budtender” at 7 Stars.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When Rotten City closed last June, he took it as a sign that maybe it was time for him to launch his own pizza business. There’s a bit of Rotten City Pizza in the bones of Hataye’s pies, mostly in terms of the dough, which he says is \u003cem>very \u003c/em>similar to Rotten City’s, made with a blend of Central Milling 00 flour and bread flour and cold-fermented for up to 72 hours. The biggest difference, Hataye says, is that he makes a denser, richer red sauce, by cooking down Bianco DiNapoli brand crushed tomatoes (Rotten City was a \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/rotten-city-pizzas-bicoastal-tendencies-1/\">raw sauce\u003c/a> pizzeria). And because he bakes the pizzas in portable Gozney mini pizza ovens, which get as hot as 1,000 degrees, they’re smaller and less floppy than your classic foldable New York pizza. They’re about 12 to 13 inches in diameter, the perfect size for one hungry pizza eater (or two slightly daintier ones). \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When Rotten City closed last June, he took it as a sign that maybe it was time for him to launch his own pizza business. There’s a bit of Rotten City Pizza in the bones of Hataye’s pies, mostly in terms of the dough, which he says is \u003cem>very \u003c/em>similar to Rotten City’s, made with a blend of Central Milling 00 flour and bread flour and cold-fermented for up to 72 hours. The biggest difference, Hataye says, is that he makes a denser, richer red sauce, by cooking down Bianco DiNapoli brand crushed tomatoes (Rotten City was a \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/rotten-city-pizzas-bicoastal-tendencies-1/\">raw sauce\u003c/a> pizzeria). And because he bakes the pizzas in portable Gozney mini pizza ovens, which get as hot as 1,000 degrees, they’re smaller and less floppy than your classic foldable New York pizza. They’re about 12 to 13 inches in diameter, the perfect size for one hungry pizza eater (or two slightly daintier ones). \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The finished product is a stylistic hybrid, Hataye says — sort of a cross between Neapolitan, New York, New Haven and Chicago-style tavern pizzas. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The important thing is that Goldpie’s pizza is legitimately tasty. The top of each pie is slicked with oil, and the crust is quite thin and crunchy-bottomed, with dark blistered spots verging on burnt toward the edges — in a really delicious way, if you’re a fan of that charred flavor, as I am. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The important thing is that Goldpie’s pizza is legitimately tasty. The top of each pie is slicked with oil, and the crust is quite thin and crunchy-bottomed, with dark blistered spots verging on burnt toward the edges — in a really delicious way, if you’re a fan of that charred flavor, as I am. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven.jpg\" alt=\"A whole pepperoni pizza inside a foil-lined cardboard pizza box.\" class=\"wp-image-13990183\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The “Heaven on Earth” features pesto, cupping pepperoni, hot honey and crsipy fried garlic.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven.jpg\" alt=\"A whole pepperoni pizza inside a foil-lined cardboard pizza box.\" class=\"wp-image-13990183\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The “Heaven on Earth” features pesto, cupping pepperoni, hot honey and crsipy fried garlic.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I loved the “Heaven on Earth,” with its salty-sweet palette of pepperoni, pesto, hot honey and fried garlic. The sausage pie, meanwhile, was a more straightforward East Coast–style pizza — an ideal union of oozy cheese, zesty tomato sauce and a flavorful, crispy-chewy crust.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I loved the “Heaven on Earth,” with its salty-sweet palette of pepperoni, pesto, hot honey and fried garlic. The sausage pie, meanwhile, was a more straightforward East Coast–style pizza — an ideal union of oozy cheese, zesty tomato sauce and a flavorful, crispy-chewy crust.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other top sellers include the classic pepperoni and the “Brooklyn” (garlic, olive oil, whipped ricotta), which is Hataye’s take on a New York–style white pie. \u003ca href=\"https://www.7starshhc.com/blog/goldpie-pizza\">Whichever pizza you order\u003c/a>, make sure to ask for a little tub of the housemade candied jalapeños — a truly excellent pizza condiment.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other top sellers include the classic pepperoni and the “Brooklyn” (garlic, olive oil, whipped ricotta), which is Hataye’s take on a New York–style white pie. \u003ca href=\"https://www.7starshhc.com/blog/goldpie-pizza\">Whichever pizza you order\u003c/a>, make sure to ask for a little tub of the housemade candied jalapeños — a truly excellent pizza condiment.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hataye says a few customers have asked whether he ever infuses marijuana into his food (he doesn’t), but in general, he doesn’t have any intention of veering toward gimmicky “pothead pizza.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think they’re pretty satisfied with the pizzas as they are,” he says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table.jpg\" alt=\"A painting of a cartoon horse and dog propped up on an outdoor table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990184\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">There’s a table set up next to the Goldpie tent where pizza eaters can “dine in” if they like.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the end, the best part of the experience is the fact that Hataye and Mike Bennally (a former Rotten City general manager who helps out on pop-up days) make every pizza to order right in front of you, tossing and stretching the dough, and then lovingly tending to each pie the entire time it’s in the oven. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That level of personal care has started to pay off. Slowly but surely, a nice little community has formed around Goldpie, as more and more customers who aren’t even affiliated with the dispensary now go out of their way to visit the pop-up. Some wind up staying to eat at the table that Hataye has set up outside, watching one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DX5wmSOhE8r/\">’80s and ’90s cult classic movies\u003c/a> they have playing at all times.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That level of personal care has started to pay off. Slowly but surely, a nice little community has formed around Goldpie, as more and more customers who aren’t even affiliated with the dispensary now go out of their way to visit the pop-up. Some wind up staying to eat at the table that Hataye has set up outside, watching one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DX5wmSOhE8r/\">’80s and ’90s cult classic movies\u003c/a> they have playing at all times.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Eventually, Hataye says he would love to turn that community into a full-blown restaurant, though for now he’s mostly focused on just getting the word out about the pop-up. But he and Bennally have already talked about the prospect of opening a brick-and-mortar pizzeria of their own — maybe in Pinole — some time in the next year.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Eventually, Hataye says he would love to turn that community into a full-blown restaurant, though for now he’s mostly focused on just getting the word out about the pop-up. But he and Bennally have already talked about the prospect of opening a brick-and-mortar pizzeria of their own — maybe in Pinole — some time in the next year.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I would love to be able to do that,” he says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/goldpieig/\">\u003cem>Goldpie\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> pops up outside 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center, at 3219 Pierce St. in Richmond (across the street from the 99 Ranch Market plaza) on Sundays and Mondays, 11:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. They currently sell \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.7starshhc.com/blog/goldpie-pizza\">\u003cem>whole pizzas only\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, for $15–$20 a pie. Customers can call or text 510-529-5007 if they want to place their orders ahead of time.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/goldpieig/\">\u003cem>Goldpie\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> pops up outside 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center, at 3219 Pierce St. in Richmond (across the street from the 99 Ranch Market plaza) on Sundays and Mondays, 11:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. They currently sell \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.7starshhc.com/blog/goldpie-pizza\">\u003cem>whole pizzas only\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, for $15–$20 a pie. Customers can call or text 510-529-5007 if they want to place their orders ahead of time.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Goldpie pops up Sundays and Mondays at the 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center.",
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"title": "A New Pizza Pop-up at an East Bay Weed Dispensary Takes Off | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In the hierarchy of foods that pair perfectly with a hit of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/marijuana\">weed\u003c/a>, a cheesy, hot slice of pizza has to rank among the most iconic — right up there with other stoner faves like \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzRvMylDVi8\">White Castle\u003c/a>, ice cream and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It shouldn’t come as any surprise, then, that one of the Bay Area’s most promising new pizza pop-ups would be stationed in front of a Richmond cannabis shop. Every Sunday and Monday, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/7starshhc_/\">7 Stars Holistic Healing Center\u003c/a> regulars line up at the little tented food stand right outside the dispensary to snag a piping-hot, oil-slicked pepperoni or whipped ricotta pizza. It’s some of the tastiest East Coast–style you can find in this stretch of the East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The pop-up is called \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/goldpieig/\">Goldpie\u003c/a>, and it’s the brainchild of Scott Hataye, whose day job is as a “budtender” at 7 Stars. For the past seven years, though, he’s also dabbled in the pizza world, moonlighting as the doughmaker at Emeryville’s Rotten City Pizza, a New York–inspired pizza restaurant that closed last summer after an impressive 17-year run. (When I first moved to the East Bay in the late aughts, Rotten City was the closest thing I could find to a proper New York slice shop.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I love that pizza and actually really, really miss it,” Hataye says of his time at the restaurant. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent.jpg\" alt=\"A food tent set up in front of a marijuana dispensary.\" class=\"wp-image-13990182\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-tent-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Goldpie proprietor Scott Hataye’s day job is as a “budtender” at 7 Stars. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When Rotten City closed last June, he took it as a sign that maybe it was time for him to launch his own pizza business. There’s a bit of Rotten City Pizza in the bones of Hataye’s pies, mostly in terms of the dough, which he says is \u003cem>very \u003c/em>similar to Rotten City’s, made with a blend of Central Milling 00 flour and bread flour and cold-fermented for up to 72 hours. The biggest difference, Hataye says, is that he makes a denser, richer red sauce, by cooking down Bianco DiNapoli brand crushed tomatoes (Rotten City was a \u003ca href=\"https://eastbayexpress.com/rotten-city-pizzas-bicoastal-tendencies-1/\">raw sauce\u003c/a> pizzeria). And because he bakes the pizzas in portable Gozney mini pizza ovens, which get as hot as 1,000 degrees, they’re smaller and less floppy than your classic foldable New York pizza. They’re about 12 to 13 inches in diameter, the perfect size for one hungry pizza eater (or two slightly daintier ones). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The finished product is a stylistic hybrid, Hataye says — sort of a cross between Neapolitan, New York, New Haven and Chicago-style tavern pizzas. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The important thing is that Goldpie’s pizza is legitimately tasty. The top of each pie is slicked with oil, and the crust is quite thin and crunchy-bottomed, with dark blistered spots verging on burnt toward the edges — in a really delicious way, if you’re a fan of that charred flavor, as I am. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven.jpg\" alt=\"A whole pepperoni pizza inside a foil-lined cardboard pizza box.\" class=\"wp-image-13990183\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-heaven-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The “Heaven on Earth” features pesto, cupping pepperoni, hot honey and crsipy fried garlic. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I loved the “Heaven on Earth,” with its salty-sweet palette of pepperoni, pesto, hot honey and fried garlic. The sausage pie, meanwhile, was a more straightforward East Coast–style pizza — an ideal union of oozy cheese, zesty tomato sauce and a flavorful, crispy-chewy crust.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other top sellers include the classic pepperoni and the “Brooklyn” (garlic, olive oil, whipped ricotta), which is Hataye’s take on a New York–style white pie. \u003ca href=\"https://www.7starshhc.com/blog/goldpie-pizza\">Whichever pizza you order\u003c/a>, make sure to ask for a little tub of the housemade candied jalapeños — a truly excellent pizza condiment.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Hataye says a few customers have asked whether he ever infuses marijuana into his food (he doesn’t), but in general, he doesn’t have any intention of veering toward gimmicky “pothead pizza.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think they’re pretty satisfied with the pizzas as they are,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table.jpg\" alt=\"A painting of a cartoon horse and dog propped up on an outdoor table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990184\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/goldpie-table-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">There’s a table set up next to the Goldpie tent where pizza eaters can “dine in” if they like. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the end, the best part of the experience is the fact that Hataye and Mike Bennally (a former Rotten City general manager who helps out on pop-up days) make every pizza to order right in front of you, tossing and stretching the dough, and then lovingly tending to each pie the entire time it’s in the oven. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That level of personal care has started to pay off. Slowly but surely, a nice little community has formed around Goldpie, as more and more customers who aren’t even affiliated with the dispensary now go out of their way to visit the pop-up. Some wind up staying to eat at the table that Hataye has set up outside, watching one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DX5wmSOhE8r/\">’80s and ’90s cult classic movies\u003c/a> they have playing at all times.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eventually, Hataye says he would love to turn that community into a full-blown restaurant, though for now he’s mostly focused on just getting the word out about the pop-up. But he and Bennally have already talked about the prospect of opening a brick-and-mortar pizzeria of their own — maybe in Pinole — some time in the next year.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I would love to be able to do that,” he says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/goldpieig/\">\u003cem>Goldpie\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> pops up outside 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center, at 3219 Pierce St. in Richmond (across the street from the 99 Ranch Market plaza) on Sundays and Mondays, 11:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. They currently sell \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.7starshhc.com/blog/goldpie-pizza\">\u003cem>whole pizzas only\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, for $15–$20 a pie. Customers can call or text 510-529-5007 if they want to place their orders ahead of time.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-burger-joints-bay-area",
"title": "10 Classic (and Not-So-Classic) Bay Area Burger Joints",
"publishDate": 1779390883,
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"headTitle": "10 Classic (and Not-So-Classic) Bay Area Burger Joints | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Nothing says summer quite like a char-grilled burger and a chocolate shake, enjoyed on a sunny patio or at an old-fashioned carhop with the A/C blasting. Here in the Bay Area, we’re lucky to have the best of both worlds — nostalgic, old-timey burger joints that have been feeding locals since the ’50s or ’60s \u003cem>and \u003c/em>new-school fusion spots that are infusing their burgers with South Asian spices and Mexican al pastor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here, then, are 10 of my favorite classic — and not-so-classic — spots to grab a delicious burger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Phila Burger Station\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1100 23rd St., Richmond\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In this age of flashy, Instagram-optimized smash burgers, an old-school joint like Phila Burger Station is a comfort and a joy. The burgers themselves are a bit of a throwback — the beef patties are juicy and decently hefty, with a nice loose grind to them. All of the basic components are great: the crunch of the pickles and the crisp iceberg lettuce, the creamy swipe of mayo, the ooziness of the American cheese — and, if you go for the signature Phila Burger, a luxurious slice of pastrami on top to gild the lily. This is a sloppy burger, a five- or six-napkin burger. Meanwhile, the fries come out blistering hot, and the shop’s Philadelphia namesake isn’t just for show: The cheesesteak is one of the best in the Bay (though purists may want to ask them to hold the lettuce and tomato). And even though the restaurant is just a takeout window, the owner is so friendly and kind that he makes every customer feel like a regular.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"An overstuffed burger, fries and soda on a metal try.\" class=\"wp-image-13990064\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Trompo Burger at Johnny Boi. The burger features fire-roasted al pastor pork, grilled pineapple, white American cheese, fried leeks and chipotle sauce. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Johnny Boi \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>201 Tewksbury Ave., Richmond\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This lively, Mexican American–owned burger joint in Point Richmond has a big, graffiti-inspired mural of Selena, Tupac and Frida Kahlo in the dining room and a crowd-pleasing menu centered on some of the East Bay’s tastiest smash burgers. Johnny Boi does the basics well (I love the beer-battered onion rings) and adds fun, thoughtful extras like the smoky-sweet bacon jam that tops a few of the burgers. The flashiest item is the Trompo, a smash burger topped with pineapple and pork al pastor, both shaved off a vertical spit. This is homegrown fusion, Bay Area style, at its very finest. The restaurant also serves maybe the single best (and most affordable!) kids’ meal in town: $6 for an adorable, perfectly sized mini smash burger and a side of tater tots or fries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13990100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A cheeseburger, fries and cola on a metal picnic table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990100\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quarter-pound burger, curly fries and Pepsi. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13990097\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of a burger restaurant, with a big retro-style "Beep's Burgers" sign.\" class=\"wp-image-13990097\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A ’60s-era neon sign points the way to Beep’s. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beep’s Burgers \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1051 Ocean Ave., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A perennial contender on assorted Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989331/best-cheap-affordable-restaurant-meals-bay-area-oakland-sf\">cheap eats lists\u003c/a>, this ’60s-era throwback serves some of the city’s tastiest and most reasonably priced (for SF) fast food–style burgers. The burgers have the appealing simplicity I associate with a good backyard cookout: juicy, well-charred patties; fresh toppings; and a squishy, compact bun. Add one of their superlatively slurpable Oreo shakes and an order of garlic fries, and it’s easy to see why Beep’s is the unrivaled favorite of local teens. Night owls, take note: The restaurant \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13972197/beeps-burgers-best-late-night-san-francisco-milkshakes\">stays open until 2 a.m. daily\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of a spread of burgers, fries and milkshakes on a picnic table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990118\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A spread of burgers and shakes at Smokehouse, a Berkeley classic since 1951. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Smokehouse\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3115 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A Berkeley institution dating back to 1951, Smokehouse is notable for its emphasis on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985780/smokehouse-berkeley-late-night-burgers-hot-dogs-shakes\">flame-grilled\u003cem> \u003c/em>burgers\u003c/a>. In fact, it’s one of just a handful of Bay Area burger joints that still cook their burger patties and hot dogs over an open fire, adding a deep smoky, charred flavor that’s awfully hard to beat. Most everything on the menu is solid to very good: the shakes, the onion rings, the thick-cut fries. The back patio is super family-friendly, with a big grassy lawn where kids and dogs can run around.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt='Colorful red, blue and yellow exterior of a burger shop. The sign reads \"Hyphy Burger.\"' class=\"wp-image-13990018\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Hyphy Burger on West Grand Avenue in Oakland. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hyphy Burger \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>898 W. Grand Ave., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>No Bay Area burger joint has louder branding than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979306/hyphy-burger-grand-opening-west-oakland-guapdad\">Hyphy Burger\u003c/a>, with its sideshow- and hyphy-themed iconography, splashes of bright color, and menu items with names like the “Burnout Burger” and “You Feel Me” sauce. The important thing, though, is that the food actually lives up to the hype. The thin smashed patties on the double Hyphy Burger are crispy and frilly-edged to the extreme, infused with an extra boost of caramelized char. I love the generous pile of thin-sliced grilled onions, and the way the melty American cheese just kind of oozes into the patty as you eat. Meanwhile, the banana pudding and Oreo milkshake — a truly divine combination — gets my highest recommendation. The restaurant has a second, drive-thru-focused location at 9825 International Blvd. in East Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og.jpg\" alt=\"An oozy cheeseburger, just removed from it yellow paper wrapping.\" class=\"wp-image-13990120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The “OG” cheeseburger at Lovely’s: a smashed beef patty, American cheese, pickles and griddled onions on a potato bun. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lovely’s \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2344 Webster St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now located in a shipping container set inside a lovely, string light–bedecked beer garden, this longtime pop-up was an early comer (circa 2018) to the Bay Area’s now-ubiquitous smash burger scene. These days, there are tons of burger joints that traffic in thinner, lacier and more outrageously crunchy exemplars of the form. Where Lovely’s wins over almost everyone, though, is in terms of flavor. The beef patties are so well-seasoned; the rich fattiness of the Cream Co. beef really shines through. Meanwhile, the fries are made with hand-cut Chipperbecs — super-fluffy with a deep, true potato flavor — and even something as simple as caramelized onions gets a bit of extra oomph. (Schmaltz is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.lovelysburgers.com/oakland#anchors-meqiip9y\">not-so-secret ingredient\u003c/a>.) Most days, I go for the simple, classic OG (just American cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and griddled onions on a potato bun), but the Drive-Thru makes for a great change of pace when I crave a fresh iceberg lettuce crunch — and those aforementioned schmaltz onions. The restaurant also has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.lovelysburgers.com/cole-valley\">second location\u003c/a> in San Francisco’s Cole Valley neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"An old-fashioned burger shop. The sign above reads, "Cecil's Famous Burgers."\" class=\"wp-image-13990121\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cecil’s is a Hayward institution going back to the 1950s, when the restaurant first opened as a Foster’s Freeze. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cecil’s Famous Burgers \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>547 Tennyson Rd., Hayward\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This old-fashioned Hayward burger shack has been dishing out classic fast food–style burgers and shakes since the ’50s, when it first \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/234304749943128/posts/8706566282716890/\">opened as a Foster’s Freeze\u003c/a>. These days Cecil’s is using fairly generic pre-frozen burger patties that are mostly notable for their customizability and affordable price: Burger patties come as small as 1/6 of a pound (for just over $6), and all but the most expensive combo meals (with, say, a triple bacon cheeseburger) can be had for less than $15. The standard quarter-pound burger is called a “Bulky.” I ordered mine with crispy pastrami on top, and that extra bit of salty, smoky flavor, combined with a decent char on the patty itself, really hit the spot. Add one of Cecil’s thick chocolate shakes, and you’ll feel like you’re reliving the best part of high school all over again. Note: There are a couple of slightly sketchy-looking metal tables outside, but most customers seem to grab and go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries.jpg\" alt=\"A burger and fries nestled in a red and white checkered paper wrap.\" class=\"wp-image-13990122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The desi burgers at YSG Halal are infused with a hit of South Asian spices. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">YSG Halal \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>4342 Thornton Ave., Fremont\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This little glass box of a burger shack in a Fremont strip mall specializes in desi burgers — i.e., burgers with South Asian–inspired toppings and spices like cumin and coriander. My favorite is the ChaplYee burger, YSG’s fierce take on Pakistani chapli kebab, which features a super-oniony beef patty loaded with chopped chilies. Pair it with seasoned fries, a tub of the restaurant’s fiendishly addicting SpiceYee sauce and a mango milkshake. How’s that for a Bay Area–style all-American meal? Bonus: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952384/pakistani-desi-burger-fremont-late-night\">YSG Halal is open to satisfy your desi burger cravings until 1 a.m.\u003c/a> most nights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dad’s Luncheonette \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>225 Cabrillo Hwy. S., Half Moon Bay\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What happens when a fine dining chef decamps for a simpler life on the California coastline? If you’re lucky, you wind up with the best, and most idiosyncratic, little roadside burger shack in San Mateo County. I use the term “burger” loosely here, as what Dad’s Luncheonette specializes in are “hamburger sandwiches” (a take on a patty melt, essentially) and they are phenomenal: juicy and well-seasoned and crowned with a runny-yolked fried egg, served on grilled white bread from Pacifica’s Rosalind Bakery. Located in an old train caboose that’s been converted into a diner, Dad’s has all the quaint seaside charm a daytripper — or local — could ask for.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer.jpg\" alt=\"A paper-wrapped burger, a sleeve of fries and a root beer float in a frosty mug.\" class=\"wp-image-13990123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At Big A, the root beer floats come with unlimited root beer refills. The Grass Valley classic recently reopened under new ownership. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Big A Root Beer Drive-In \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>810 E. Main St., Grass Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I know, Grass Valley is not exactly the Bay Area, but this old-fashioned carhop burger joint makes for the perfect pitstop for roadtrippers en route to North Tahoe or the South Yuba River Valley. The burgers are excellent — big and juicy, with crunchy, well-charred edges to the meat. Most notably, Big A’s house-brewed root beer, served ice-cold in frosty mugs, is some of the best I’ve had. And if the idea of a root beer float with\u003cem> free root beer refills \u003c/em>sounds appealing to you, this is most definitely your spot. Recently revived after a yearlong hiatus, the restaurant has kept almost all of its original menu intact, with one notable addition: \u003ca href=\"https://www.theunion.com/news/burgers-and-dumplings-big-a-set-for-return-with-dumplings-in-the-mix/article_be3fcc1e-6da1-4274-bf34-0c8a414bdfc3.html#:~:text=After%20a%20vacancy%20of%20over,entity%20closed%20abruptly%20in%20October\">homemade boiled dumplings\u003c/a> — a nod to the new owner’s family heritage, as well as the deep Chinese history of California’s Gold Country.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Nothing says summer quite like a char-grilled burger and a chocolate shake, enjoyed on a sunny patio or at an old-fashioned carhop with the A/C blasting. Here in the Bay Area, we’re lucky to have the best of both worlds — nostalgic, old-timey burger joints that have been feeding locals since the ’50s or ’60s \u003cem>and \u003c/em>new-school fusion spots that are infusing their burgers with South Asian spices and Mexican al pastor. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Nothing says summer quite like a char-grilled burger and a chocolate shake, enjoyed on a sunny patio or at an old-fashioned carhop with the A/C blasting. Here in the Bay Area, we’re lucky to have the best of both worlds — nostalgic, old-timey burger joints that have been feeding locals since the ’50s or ’60s \u003cem>and \u003c/em>new-school fusion spots that are infusing their burgers with South Asian spices and Mexican al pastor. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here, then, are 10 of my favorite classic — and not-so-classic — spots to grab a delicious burger.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Here, then, are 10 of my favorite classic — and not-so-classic — spots to grab a delicious burger.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Phila Burger Station",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Phila Burger Station\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Phila Burger Station\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1100 23rd St., Richmond\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1100 23rd St., Richmond\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In this age of flashy, Instagram-optimized smash burgers, an old-school joint like Phila Burger Station is a comfort and a joy. The burgers themselves are a bit of a throwback — the beef patties are juicy and decently hefty, with a nice loose grind to them. All of the basic components are great: the crunch of the pickles and the crisp iceberg lettuce, the creamy swipe of mayo, the ooziness of the American cheese — and, if you go for the signature Phila Burger, a luxurious slice of pastrami on top to gild the lily. This is a sloppy burger, a five- or six-napkin burger. Meanwhile, the fries come out blistering hot, and the shop’s Philadelphia namesake isn’t just for show: The cheesesteak is one of the best in the Bay (though purists may want to ask them to hold the lettuce and tomato). And even though the restaurant is just a takeout window, the owner is so friendly and kind that he makes every customer feel like a regular.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In this age of flashy, Instagram-optimized smash burgers, an old-school joint like Phila Burger Station is a comfort and a joy. The burgers themselves are a bit of a throwback — the beef patties are juicy and decently hefty, with a nice loose grind to them. All of the basic components are great: the crunch of the pickles and the crisp iceberg lettuce, the creamy swipe of mayo, the ooziness of the American cheese — and, if you go for the signature Phila Burger, a luxurious slice of pastrami on top to gild the lily. This is a sloppy burger, a five- or six-napkin burger. Meanwhile, the fries come out blistering hot, and the shop’s Philadelphia namesake isn’t just for show: The cheesesteak is one of the best in the Bay (though purists may want to ask them to hold the lettuce and tomato). And even though the restaurant is just a takeout window, the owner is so friendly and kind that he makes every customer feel like a regular.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"An overstuffed burger, fries and soda on a metal try.\" class=\"wp-image-13990064\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Trompo Burger at Johnny Boi. The burger features fire-roasted al pastor pork, grilled pineapple, white American cheese, fried leeks and chipotle sauce. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"An overstuffed burger, fries and soda on a metal try.\" class=\"wp-image-13990064\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Trompo Burger at Johnny Boi. The burger features fire-roasted al pastor pork, grilled pineapple, white American cheese, fried leeks and chipotle sauce. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Johnny Boi ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Johnny Boi \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Johnny Boi \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>201 Tewksbury Ave., Richmond\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>201 Tewksbury Ave., Richmond\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This lively, Mexican American–owned burger joint in Point Richmond has a big, graffiti-inspired mural of Selena, Tupac and Frida Kahlo in the dining room and a crowd-pleasing menu centered on some of the East Bay’s tastiest smash burgers. Johnny Boi does the basics well (I love the beer-battered onion rings) and adds fun, thoughtful extras like the smoky-sweet bacon jam that tops a few of the burgers. The flashiest item is the Trompo, a smash burger topped with pineapple and pork al pastor, both shaved off a vertical spit. This is homegrown fusion, Bay Area style, at its very finest. The restaurant also serves maybe the single best (and most affordable!) kids’ meal in town: $6 for an adorable, perfectly sized mini smash burger and a side of tater tots or fries. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This lively, Mexican American–owned burger joint in Point Richmond has a big, graffiti-inspired mural of Selena, Tupac and Frida Kahlo in the dining room and a crowd-pleasing menu centered on some of the East Bay’s tastiest smash burgers. Johnny Boi does the basics well (I love the beer-battered onion rings) and adds fun, thoughtful extras like the smoky-sweet bacon jam that tops a few of the burgers. The flashiest item is the Trompo, a smash burger topped with pineapple and pork al pastor, both shaved off a vertical spit. This is homegrown fusion, Bay Area style, at its very finest. The restaurant also serves maybe the single best (and most affordable!) kids’ meal in town: $6 for an adorable, perfectly sized mini smash burger and a side of tater tots or fries. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n\n\u003c/figure>\n",
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null,
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null,
"\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A cheeseburger, fries and cola on a metal picnic table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990100\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quarter-pound burger, curly fries and Pepsi.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A cheeseburger, fries and cola on a metal picnic table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990100\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quarter-pound burger, curly fries and Pepsi.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of a burger restaurant, with a big retro-style "Beep's Burgers" sign.\" class=\"wp-image-13990097\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A ’60s-era neon sign points the way to Beep’s.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of a burger restaurant, with a big retro-style "Beep's Burgers" sign.\" class=\"wp-image-13990097\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A ’60s-era neon sign points the way to Beep’s.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Beep’s Burgers ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beep’s Burgers \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beep’s Burgers \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1051 Ocean Ave., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1051 Ocean Ave., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A perennial contender on assorted Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989331/best-cheap-affordable-restaurant-meals-bay-area-oakland-sf\">cheap eats lists\u003c/a>, this ’60s-era throwback serves some of the city’s tastiest and most reasonably priced (for SF) fast food–style burgers. The burgers have the appealing simplicity I associate with a good backyard cookout: juicy, well-charred patties; fresh toppings; and a squishy, compact bun. Add one of their superlatively slurpable Oreo shakes and an order of garlic fries, and it’s easy to see why Beep’s is the unrivaled favorite of local teens. Night owls, take note: The restaurant \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13972197/beeps-burgers-best-late-night-san-francisco-milkshakes\">stays open until 2 a.m. daily\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A perennial contender on assorted Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989331/best-cheap-affordable-restaurant-meals-bay-area-oakland-sf\">cheap eats lists\u003c/a>, this ’60s-era throwback serves some of the city’s tastiest and most reasonably priced (for SF) fast food–style burgers. The burgers have the appealing simplicity I associate with a good backyard cookout: juicy, well-charred patties; fresh toppings; and a squishy, compact bun. Add one of their superlatively slurpable Oreo shakes and an order of garlic fries, and it’s easy to see why Beep’s is the unrivaled favorite of local teens. Night owls, take note: The restaurant \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13972197/beeps-burgers-best-late-night-san-francisco-milkshakes\">stays open until 2 a.m. daily\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"id": 13990118,
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"imageCredit": "Luke Tsai/KQED",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of a spread of burgers, fries and milkshakes on a picnic table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990118\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A spread of burgers and shakes at Smokehouse, a Berkeley classic since 1951.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of a spread of burgers, fries and milkshakes on a picnic table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990118\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A spread of burgers and shakes at Smokehouse, a Berkeley classic since 1951.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Smokehouse",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Smokehouse\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Smokehouse\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3115 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3115 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A Berkeley institution dating back to 1951, Smokehouse is notable for its emphasis on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985780/smokehouse-berkeley-late-night-burgers-hot-dogs-shakes\">flame-grilled\u003cem> \u003c/em>burgers\u003c/a>. In fact, it’s one of just a handful of Bay Area burger joints that still cook their burger patties and hot dogs over an open fire, adding a deep smoky, charred flavor that’s awfully hard to beat. Most everything on the menu is solid to very good: the shakes, the onion rings, the thick-cut fries. The back patio is super family-friendly, with a big grassy lawn where kids and dogs can run around.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A Berkeley institution dating back to 1951, Smokehouse is notable for its emphasis on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985780/smokehouse-berkeley-late-night-burgers-hot-dogs-shakes\">flame-grilled\u003cem> \u003c/em>burgers\u003c/a>. In fact, it’s one of just a handful of Bay Area burger joints that still cook their burger patties and hot dogs over an open fire, adding a deep smoky, charred flavor that’s awfully hard to beat. Most everything on the menu is solid to very good: the shakes, the onion rings, the thick-cut fries. The back patio is super family-friendly, with a big grassy lawn where kids and dogs can run around.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Colorful red, blue and yellow exterior of a burger shop. The sign reads "Hyphy Burger."\" class=\"wp-image-13990018\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Hyphy Burger on West Grand Avenue in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Colorful red, blue and yellow exterior of a burger shop. The sign reads "Hyphy Burger."\" class=\"wp-image-13990018\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Hyphy Burger on West Grand Avenue in Oakland.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Hyphy Burger ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>898 W. Grand Ave., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>No Bay Area burger joint has louder branding than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979306/hyphy-burger-grand-opening-west-oakland-guapdad\">Hyphy Burger\u003c/a>, with its sideshow- and hyphy-themed iconography, splashes of bright color, and menu items with names like the “Burnout Burger” and “You Feel Me” sauce. The important thing, though, is that the food actually lives up to the hype. The thin smashed patties on the double Hyphy Burger are crispy and frilly-edged to the extreme, infused with an extra boost of caramelized char. I love the generous pile of thin-sliced grilled onions, and the way the melty American cheese just kind of oozes into the patty as you eat. Meanwhile, the banana pudding and Oreo milkshake — a truly divine combination — gets my highest recommendation. The restaurant has a second, drive-thru-focused location at 9825 International Blvd. in East Oakland.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>No Bay Area burger joint has louder branding than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979306/hyphy-burger-grand-opening-west-oakland-guapdad\">Hyphy Burger\u003c/a>, with its sideshow- and hyphy-themed iconography, splashes of bright color, and menu items with names like the “Burnout Burger” and “You Feel Me” sauce. The important thing, though, is that the food actually lives up to the hype. The thin smashed patties on the double Hyphy Burger are crispy and frilly-edged to the extreme, infused with an extra boost of caramelized char. I love the generous pile of thin-sliced grilled onions, and the way the melty American cheese just kind of oozes into the patty as you eat. Meanwhile, the banana pudding and Oreo milkshake — a truly divine combination — gets my highest recommendation. The restaurant has a second, drive-thru-focused location at 9825 International Blvd. in East Oakland.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og.jpg\" alt=\"An oozy cheeseburger, just removed from it yellow paper wrapping.\" class=\"wp-image-13990120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The “OG” cheeseburger at Lovely’s: a smashed beef patty, American cheese, pickles and griddled onions on a potato bun.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og.jpg\" alt=\"An oozy cheeseburger, just removed from it yellow paper wrapping.\" class=\"wp-image-13990120\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The “OG” cheeseburger at Lovely’s: a smashed beef patty, American cheese, pickles and griddled onions on a potato bun.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Lovely’s ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2344 Webster St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now located in a shipping container set inside a lovely, string light–bedecked beer garden, this longtime pop-up was an early comer (circa 2018) to the Bay Area’s now-ubiquitous smash burger scene. These days, there are tons of burger joints that traffic in thinner, lacier and more outrageously crunchy exemplars of the form. Where Lovely’s wins over almost everyone, though, is in terms of flavor. The beef patties are so well-seasoned; the rich fattiness of the Cream Co. beef really shines through. Meanwhile, the fries are made with hand-cut Chipperbecs — super-fluffy with a deep, true potato flavor — and even something as simple as caramelized onions gets a bit of extra oomph. (Schmaltz is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.lovelysburgers.com/oakland#anchors-meqiip9y\">not-so-secret ingredient\u003c/a>.) Most days, I go for the simple, classic OG (just American cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and griddled onions on a potato bun), but the Drive-Thru makes for a great change of pace when I crave a fresh iceberg lettuce crunch — and those aforementioned schmaltz onions. The restaurant also has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.lovelysburgers.com/cole-valley\">second location\u003c/a> in San Francisco’s Cole Valley neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Now located in a shipping container set inside a lovely, string light–bedecked beer garden, this longtime pop-up was an early comer (circa 2018) to the Bay Area’s now-ubiquitous smash burger scene. These days, there are tons of burger joints that traffic in thinner, lacier and more outrageously crunchy exemplars of the form. Where Lovely’s wins over almost everyone, though, is in terms of flavor. The beef patties are so well-seasoned; the rich fattiness of the Cream Co. beef really shines through. Meanwhile, the fries are made with hand-cut Chipperbecs — super-fluffy with a deep, true potato flavor — and even something as simple as caramelized onions gets a bit of extra oomph. (Schmaltz is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.lovelysburgers.com/oakland#anchors-meqiip9y\">not-so-secret ingredient\u003c/a>.) Most days, I go for the simple, classic OG (just American cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and griddled onions on a potato bun), but the Drive-Thru makes for a great change of pace when I crave a fresh iceberg lettuce crunch — and those aforementioned schmaltz onions. The restaurant also has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.lovelysburgers.com/cole-valley\">second location\u003c/a> in San Francisco’s Cole Valley neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"An old-fashioned burger shop. The sign above reads, "Cecil's Famous Burgers."\" class=\"wp-image-13990121\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cecil’s is a Hayward institution going back to the 1950s, when the restaurant first opened as a Foster’s Freeze.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"An old-fashioned burger shop. The sign above reads, "Cecil's Famous Burgers."\" class=\"wp-image-13990121\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cecil’s is a Hayward institution going back to the 1950s, when the restaurant first opened as a Foster’s Freeze.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Cecil’s Famous Burgers ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cecil’s Famous Burgers \u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cecil’s Famous Burgers \u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>547 Tennyson Rd., Hayward\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This old-fashioned Hayward burger shack has been dishing out classic fast food–style burgers and shakes since the ’50s, when it first \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/234304749943128/posts/8706566282716890/\">opened as a Foster’s Freeze\u003c/a>. These days Cecil’s is using fairly generic pre-frozen burger patties that are mostly notable for their customizability and affordable price: Burger patties come as small as 1/6 of a pound (for just over $6), and all but the most expensive combo meals (with, say, a triple bacon cheeseburger) can be had for less than $15. The standard quarter-pound burger is called a “Bulky.” I ordered mine with crispy pastrami on top, and that extra bit of salty, smoky flavor, combined with a decent char on the patty itself, really hit the spot. Add one of Cecil’s thick chocolate shakes, and you’ll feel like you’re reliving the best part of high school all over again. Note: There are a couple of slightly sketchy-looking metal tables outside, but most customers seem to grab and go.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This old-fashioned Hayward burger shack has been dishing out classic fast food–style burgers and shakes since the ’50s, when it first \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/234304749943128/posts/8706566282716890/\">opened as a Foster’s Freeze\u003c/a>. These days Cecil’s is using fairly generic pre-frozen burger patties that are mostly notable for their customizability and affordable price: Burger patties come as small as 1/6 of a pound (for just over $6), and all but the most expensive combo meals (with, say, a triple bacon cheeseburger) can be had for less than $15. The standard quarter-pound burger is called a “Bulky.” I ordered mine with crispy pastrami on top, and that extra bit of salty, smoky flavor, combined with a decent char on the patty itself, really hit the spot. Add one of Cecil’s thick chocolate shakes, and you’ll feel like you’re reliving the best part of high school all over again. Note: There are a couple of slightly sketchy-looking metal tables outside, but most customers seem to grab and go.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"attrs": {
"id": 13990122,
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries.jpg\" alt=\"A burger and fries nestled in a red and white checkered paper wrap.\" class=\"wp-image-13990122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The desi burgers at YSG Halal are infused with a hit of South Asian spices.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries.jpg\" alt=\"A burger and fries nestled in a red and white checkered paper wrap.\" class=\"wp-image-13990122\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The desi burgers at YSG Halal are infused with a hit of South Asian spices.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "YSG Halal ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">YSG Halal \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>4342 Thornton Ave., Fremont\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>4342 Thornton Ave., Fremont\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This little glass box of a burger shack in a Fremont strip mall specializes in desi burgers — i.e., burgers with South Asian–inspired toppings and spices like cumin and coriander. My favorite is the ChaplYee burger, YSG’s fierce take on Pakistani chapli kebab, which features a super-oniony beef patty loaded with chopped chilies. Pair it with seasoned fries, a tub of the restaurant’s fiendishly addicting SpiceYee sauce and a mango milkshake. How’s that for a Bay Area–style all-American meal? Bonus: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952384/pakistani-desi-burger-fremont-late-night\">YSG Halal is open to satisfy your desi burger cravings until 1 a.m.\u003c/a> most nights.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This little glass box of a burger shack in a Fremont strip mall specializes in desi burgers — i.e., burgers with South Asian–inspired toppings and spices like cumin and coriander. My favorite is the ChaplYee burger, YSG’s fierce take on Pakistani chapli kebab, which features a super-oniony beef patty loaded with chopped chilies. Pair it with seasoned fries, a tub of the restaurant’s fiendishly addicting SpiceYee sauce and a mango milkshake. How’s that for a Bay Area–style all-American meal? Bonus: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952384/pakistani-desi-burger-fremont-late-night\">YSG Halal is open to satisfy your desi burger cravings until 1 a.m.\u003c/a> most nights.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Dad’s Luncheonette ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dad’s Luncheonette \u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>225 Cabrillo Hwy. S., Half Moon Bay\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>225 Cabrillo Hwy. S., Half Moon Bay\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>What happens when a fine dining chef decamps for a simpler life on the California coastline? If you’re lucky, you wind up with the best, and most idiosyncratic, little roadside burger shack in San Mateo County. I use the term “burger” loosely here, as what Dad’s Luncheonette specializes in are “hamburger sandwiches” (a take on a patty melt, essentially) and they are phenomenal: juicy and well-seasoned and crowned with a runny-yolked fried egg, served on grilled white bread from Pacifica’s Rosalind Bakery. Located in an old train caboose that’s been converted into a diner, Dad’s has all the quaint seaside charm a daytripper — or local — could ask for.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>What happens when a fine dining chef decamps for a simpler life on the California coastline? If you’re lucky, you wind up with the best, and most idiosyncratic, little roadside burger shack in San Mateo County. I use the term “burger” loosely here, as what Dad’s Luncheonette specializes in are “hamburger sandwiches” (a take on a patty melt, essentially) and they are phenomenal: juicy and well-seasoned and crowned with a runny-yolked fried egg, served on grilled white bread from Pacifica’s Rosalind Bakery. Located in an old train caboose that’s been converted into a diner, Dad’s has all the quaint seaside charm a daytripper — or local — could ask for.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>810 E. Main St., Grass Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I know, Grass Valley is not exactly the Bay Area, but this old-fashioned carhop burger joint makes for the perfect pitstop for roadtrippers en route to North Tahoe or the South Yuba River Valley. The burgers are excellent — big and juicy, with crunchy, well-charred edges to the meat. Most notably, Big A’s house-brewed root beer, served ice-cold in frosty mugs, is some of the best I’ve had. And if the idea of a root beer float with\u003cem> free root beer refills \u003c/em>sounds appealing to you, this is most definitely your spot. Recently revived after a yearlong hiatus, the restaurant has kept almost all of its original menu intact, with one notable addition: \u003ca href=\"https://www.theunion.com/news/burgers-and-dumplings-big-a-set-for-return-with-dumplings-in-the-mix/article_be3fcc1e-6da1-4274-bf34-0c8a414bdfc3.html#:~:text=After%20a%20vacancy%20of%20over,entity%20closed%20abruptly%20in%20October\">homemade boiled dumplings\u003c/a> — a nod to the new owner’s family heritage, as well as the deep Chinese history of California’s Gold Country.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I know, Grass Valley is not exactly the Bay Area, but this old-fashioned carhop burger joint makes for the perfect pitstop for roadtrippers en route to North Tahoe or the South Yuba River Valley. The burgers are excellent — big and juicy, with crunchy, well-charred edges to the meat. Most notably, Big A’s house-brewed root beer, served ice-cold in frosty mugs, is some of the best I’ve had. And if the idea of a root beer float with\u003cem> free root beer refills \u003c/em>sounds appealing to you, this is most definitely your spot. Recently revived after a yearlong hiatus, the restaurant has kept almost all of its original menu intact, with one notable addition: \u003ca href=\"https://www.theunion.com/news/burgers-and-dumplings-big-a-set-for-return-with-dumplings-in-the-mix/article_be3fcc1e-6da1-4274-bf34-0c8a414bdfc3.html#:~:text=After%20a%20vacancy%20of%20over,entity%20closed%20abruptly%20in%20October\">homemade boiled dumplings\u003c/a> — a nod to the new owner’s family heritage, as well as the deep Chinese history of California’s Gold Country.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The crispiest smash burgers and most nostalgic, old-timey carhops.",
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"source": "Summer Guide 2026",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Nothing says summer quite like a char-grilled burger and a chocolate shake, enjoyed on a sunny patio or at an old-fashioned carhop with the A/C blasting. Here in the Bay Area, we’re lucky to have the best of both worlds — nostalgic, old-timey burger joints that have been feeding locals since the ’50s or ’60s \u003cem>and \u003c/em>new-school fusion spots that are infusing their burgers with South Asian spices and Mexican al pastor. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here, then, are 10 of my favorite classic — and not-so-classic — spots to grab a delicious burger.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Phila Burger Station\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1100 23rd St., Richmond\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In this age of flashy, Instagram-optimized smash burgers, an old-school joint like Phila Burger Station is a comfort and a joy. The burgers themselves are a bit of a throwback — the beef patties are juicy and decently hefty, with a nice loose grind to them. All of the basic components are great: the crunch of the pickles and the crisp iceberg lettuce, the creamy swipe of mayo, the ooziness of the American cheese — and, if you go for the signature Phila Burger, a luxurious slice of pastrami on top to gild the lily. This is a sloppy burger, a five- or six-napkin burger. Meanwhile, the fries come out blistering hot, and the shop’s Philadelphia namesake isn’t just for show: The cheesesteak is one of the best in the Bay (though purists may want to ask them to hold the lettuce and tomato). And even though the restaurant is just a takeout window, the owner is so friendly and kind that he makes every customer feel like a regular.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed.jpg\" alt=\"An overstuffed burger, fries and soda on a metal try.\" class=\"wp-image-13990064\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/052026Summer-Guide_-Burger-Joints-_GH_004_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Trompo Burger at Johnny Boi. The burger features fire-roasted al pastor pork, grilled pineapple, white American cheese, fried leeks and chipotle sauce. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Johnny Boi \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>201 Tewksbury Ave., Richmond\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This lively, Mexican American–owned burger joint in Point Richmond has a big, graffiti-inspired mural of Selena, Tupac and Frida Kahlo in the dining room and a crowd-pleasing menu centered on some of the East Bay’s tastiest smash burgers. Johnny Boi does the basics well (I love the beer-battered onion rings) and adds fun, thoughtful extras like the smoky-sweet bacon jam that tops a few of the burgers. The flashiest item is the Trompo, a smash burger topped with pineapple and pork al pastor, both shaved off a vertical spit. This is homegrown fusion, Bay Area style, at its very finest. The restaurant also serves maybe the single best (and most affordable!) kids’ meal in town: $6 for an adorable, perfectly sized mini smash burger and a side of tater tots or fries. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13990100\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A cheeseburger, fries and cola on a metal picnic table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990100\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT01377_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A quarter-pound burger, curly fries and Pepsi. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"13990097\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of a burger restaurant, with a big retro-style "Beep's Burgers" sign.\" class=\"wp-image-13990097\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260520-SUMMERGUIDEBURGERJOINT00791_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A ’60s-era neon sign points the way to Beep’s. (Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Beep’s Burgers \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1051 Ocean Ave., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A perennial contender on assorted Bay Area \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989331/best-cheap-affordable-restaurant-meals-bay-area-oakland-sf\">cheap eats lists\u003c/a>, this ’60s-era throwback serves some of the city’s tastiest and most reasonably priced (for SF) fast food–style burgers. The burgers have the appealing simplicity I associate with a good backyard cookout: juicy, well-charred patties; fresh toppings; and a squishy, compact bun. Add one of their superlatively slurpable Oreo shakes and an order of garlic fries, and it’s easy to see why Beep’s is the unrivaled favorite of local teens. Night owls, take note: The restaurant \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13972197/beeps-burgers-best-late-night-san-francisco-milkshakes\">stays open until 2 a.m. daily\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread.jpg\" alt=\"Overhead view of a spread of burgers, fries and milkshakes on a picnic table.\" class=\"wp-image-13990118\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/smokehouse-spread-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A spread of burgers and shakes at Smokehouse, a Berkeley classic since 1951. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Smokehouse\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3115 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A Berkeley institution dating back to 1951, Smokehouse is notable for its emphasis on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985780/smokehouse-berkeley-late-night-burgers-hot-dogs-shakes\">flame-grilled\u003cem> \u003c/em>burgers\u003c/a>. In fact, it’s one of just a handful of Bay Area burger joints that still cook their burger patties and hot dogs over an open fire, adding a deep smoky, charred flavor that’s awfully hard to beat. Most everything on the menu is solid to very good: the shakes, the onion rings, the thick-cut fries. The back patio is super family-friendly, with a big grassy lawn where kids and dogs can run around.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt='Colorful red, blue and yellow exterior of a burger shop. The sign reads \"Hyphy Burger.\"' class=\"wp-image-13990018\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260519-HYPHY-BURGER-MD-06-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Hyphy Burger on West Grand Avenue in Oakland. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hyphy Burger \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>898 W. Grand Ave., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>No Bay Area burger joint has louder branding than \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979306/hyphy-burger-grand-opening-west-oakland-guapdad\">Hyphy Burger\u003c/a>, with its sideshow- and hyphy-themed iconography, splashes of bright color, and menu items with names like the “Burnout Burger” and “You Feel Me” sauce. The important thing, though, is that the food actually lives up to the hype. The thin smashed patties on the double Hyphy Burger are crispy and frilly-edged to the extreme, infused with an extra boost of caramelized char. I love the generous pile of thin-sliced grilled onions, and the way the melty American cheese just kind of oozes into the patty as you eat. Meanwhile, the banana pudding and Oreo milkshake — a truly divine combination — gets my highest recommendation. The restaurant has a second, drive-thru-focused location at 9825 International Blvd. in East Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og.jpg\" alt=\"An oozy cheeseburger, just removed from it yellow paper wrapping.\" class=\"wp-image-13990120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/lovelys-og-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The “OG” cheeseburger at Lovely’s: a smashed beef patty, American cheese, pickles and griddled onions on a potato bun. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lovely’s \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2344 Webster St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now located in a shipping container set inside a lovely, string light–bedecked beer garden, this longtime pop-up was an early comer (circa 2018) to the Bay Area’s now-ubiquitous smash burger scene. These days, there are tons of burger joints that traffic in thinner, lacier and more outrageously crunchy exemplars of the form. Where Lovely’s wins over almost everyone, though, is in terms of flavor. The beef patties are so well-seasoned; the rich fattiness of the Cream Co. beef really shines through. Meanwhile, the fries are made with hand-cut Chipperbecs — super-fluffy with a deep, true potato flavor — and even something as simple as caramelized onions gets a bit of extra oomph. (Schmaltz is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.lovelysburgers.com/oakland#anchors-meqiip9y\">not-so-secret ingredient\u003c/a>.) Most days, I go for the simple, classic OG (just American cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and griddled onions on a potato bun), but the Drive-Thru makes for a great change of pace when I crave a fresh iceberg lettuce crunch — and those aforementioned schmaltz onions. The restaurant also has a \u003ca href=\"https://www.lovelysburgers.com/cole-valley\">second location\u003c/a> in San Francisco’s Cole Valley neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"An old-fashioned burger shop. The sign above reads, "Cecil's Famous Burgers."\" class=\"wp-image-13990121\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/cecils-exterior-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cecil’s is a Hayward institution going back to the 1950s, when the restaurant first opened as a Foster’s Freeze. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cecil’s Famous Burgers \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>547 Tennyson Rd., Hayward\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This old-fashioned Hayward burger shack has been dishing out classic fast food–style burgers and shakes since the ’50s, when it first \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/234304749943128/posts/8706566282716890/\">opened as a Foster’s Freeze\u003c/a>. These days Cecil’s is using fairly generic pre-frozen burger patties that are mostly notable for their customizability and affordable price: Burger patties come as small as 1/6 of a pound (for just over $6), and all but the most expensive combo meals (with, say, a triple bacon cheeseburger) can be had for less than $15. The standard quarter-pound burger is called a “Bulky.” I ordered mine with crispy pastrami on top, and that extra bit of salty, smoky flavor, combined with a decent char on the patty itself, really hit the spot. Add one of Cecil’s thick chocolate shakes, and you’ll feel like you’re reliving the best part of high school all over again. Note: There are a couple of slightly sketchy-looking metal tables outside, but most customers seem to grab and go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries.jpg\" alt=\"A burger and fries nestled in a red and white checkered paper wrap.\" class=\"wp-image-13990122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/ysg-burger-fries-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The desi burgers at YSG Halal are infused with a hit of South Asian spices. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">YSG Halal \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>4342 Thornton Ave., Fremont\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This little glass box of a burger shack in a Fremont strip mall specializes in desi burgers — i.e., burgers with South Asian–inspired toppings and spices like cumin and coriander. My favorite is the ChaplYee burger, YSG’s fierce take on Pakistani chapli kebab, which features a super-oniony beef patty loaded with chopped chilies. Pair it with seasoned fries, a tub of the restaurant’s fiendishly addicting SpiceYee sauce and a mango milkshake. How’s that for a Bay Area–style all-American meal? Bonus: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952384/pakistani-desi-burger-fremont-late-night\">YSG Halal is open to satisfy your desi burger cravings until 1 a.m.\u003c/a> most nights.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dad’s Luncheonette \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>225 Cabrillo Hwy. S., Half Moon Bay\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>What happens when a fine dining chef decamps for a simpler life on the California coastline? If you’re lucky, you wind up with the best, and most idiosyncratic, little roadside burger shack in San Mateo County. I use the term “burger” loosely here, as what Dad’s Luncheonette specializes in are “hamburger sandwiches” (a take on a patty melt, essentially) and they are phenomenal: juicy and well-seasoned and crowned with a runny-yolked fried egg, served on grilled white bread from Pacifica’s Rosalind Bakery. Located in an old train caboose that’s been converted into a diner, Dad’s has all the quaint seaside charm a daytripper — or local — could ask for.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer.jpg\" alt=\"A paper-wrapped burger, a sleeve of fries and a root beer float in a frosty mug.\" class=\"wp-image-13990123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/big-a-root-beer-600x600.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">At Big A, the root beer floats come with unlimited root beer refills. The Grass Valley classic recently reopened under new ownership. (Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Big A Root Beer Drive-In \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>810 E. Main St., Grass Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I know, Grass Valley is not exactly the Bay Area, but this old-fashioned carhop burger joint makes for the perfect pitstop for roadtrippers en route to North Tahoe or the South Yuba River Valley. The burgers are excellent — big and juicy, with crunchy, well-charred edges to the meat. Most notably, Big A’s house-brewed root beer, served ice-cold in frosty mugs, is some of the best I’ve had. And if the idea of a root beer float with\u003cem> free root beer refills \u003c/em>sounds appealing to you, this is most definitely your spot. Recently revived after a yearlong hiatus, the restaurant has kept almost all of its original menu intact, with one notable addition: \u003ca href=\"https://www.theunion.com/news/burgers-and-dumplings-big-a-set-for-return-with-dumplings-in-the-mix/article_be3fcc1e-6da1-4274-bf34-0c8a414bdfc3.html#:~:text=After%20a%20vacancy%20of%20over,entity%20closed%20abruptly%20in%20October\">homemade boiled dumplings\u003c/a> — a nod to the new owner’s family heritage, as well as the deep Chinese history of California’s Gold Country.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Red bandanas with white polka dots were everywhere. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Older women and young girls, along with a few men and a couple of dogs, were all sporting the trademark handkerchiefs at a gathering in Richmond on Saturday for \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=9C38A9C8-FA44-3C56-CA15E40A29143DA9\">National Rosie the Riveter Day\u003c/a>. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Over 100 people sat outside of the official \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nationalparks.org/explore/parks/rosie-the-riveter-wwii-home-front-national-historical-park?g_acctid=243-556-1774&g_adgroupid=&g_adid=&g_adtype=none&g_campaign=Nat%27l+Park%E2%80%94PMax+Test&g_campaignid=23173955240&g_keyword=&g_keywordid=&g_network=x&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23168728314&gbraid=0AAAAAD3zGuiduxalF5cIzNZZE2xZvgQ5T&gclid=CjwKCAjwyYPOBhBxEiwAgpT8P6g694rn6wC2oxYKPQCcy821dV7c-Tgm1hCqVk51zVNoZ2g4S9ZCaxoCsTgQAvD_BwE\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rosie the Riveter / WWII Home Front National Historical Park.\u003c/span>\u003c/a> On\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> stage in front of them, a handful of former welders and steelworkers, representing the millions of real-life Rosies who entered the workforce during World War II, were honored for their efforts.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13987849\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13987849\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975.jpg\" alt='A handheld fan that reads \"We Can Do It\" is passed in the foreground, as Marcella Hubbard signs an autograph in the background.' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A handheld fan is passed in the foreground, as Hubbard signs an autograph in the background. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As the event host shared each person’s name and a bit of their story, I stood in the crowd taking photos and making mental notes of how many women moved to the Bay Area, met husbands and raised families while simultaneously manufacturing all-terrain jeeps and leading the construction of massive battleships. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Imagine living in the belly of the war machine, knowing that this country doesn’t value you because of your identity. But your innate effort to find purpose — love, meaningful employment or simply a better life — is intertwined with the ever-expanding reach of global imperialism and domestic disregard for your demographic.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eighty years later, how much has changed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Largely, society’s views on sexism, racism, ablism and other exclusionary beliefs have shifted since the 1940s. But it’d be beyond naive to say these ideas don’t continue to influence individuals and institutions alike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And war, well, this country is forever at war — with other nations, as well as people inside its borders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13987866\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13987866\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2.jpg\" alt=\"A person in a big USA flag styled shirt passes out flowers to women sitting in wheelchairs on stage. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"1837\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2-160x147.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2-768x705.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2-1536x1411.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">At Richmond’s Rosie the Riveter celebration, Hubbard — and every other former steelworker and welder — was presented with a bouquet of flowers. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It says a lot about people’s ability to pursue happiness in the midst of discrimination and denigration. Amazing how people will fight for democracy while constantly reminded that their voice isn’t valued. And it’s mind-blowing that out of all the machines made for combat, people — in this instance, women specifically — are the ones who’ve stood the test of time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the March 21 event, center stage, was \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Marcella Hubbard\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wearing a red bandana, a matching bright red blazer and a pair of blue jeans, Hubbard waved to the crowd from her wheelchair. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As she did, the event host noted that Hubbard would turn 105 in just a few days.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Before another volunteer gave Hubbard a bouquet of flowers, the host gave us a window into Hubbard’s life: born in Mississippi, she was one of 22 children. Hubbard moved to California, became a welder and worked in a factory during the war. Later in life she worked for the post office until retirement.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13987865\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13987865\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941.jpg\" alt=\"A wide shot of the crowd at Richmonds Rosie the Riveter celebration. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rosie the Riveter bandanas were plentiful this weekend in Richmond. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m familiar with Hubbard’s story, having known her and her family for more than two decades. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13894885/marcella-hubbards-purple-100th-birthday-celebration\">I wrote about her five years ago\u003c/a> when she reached the century mark; plus she’s my mother’s neighbor. But when I heard her story on that Saturday, along with the stories of the other women who worked in the factories during WWII, something resonated.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Hubbard left the stage, she was greeted by a group of Girl Scouts asking for her autograph and posing with her for photos — nearly a century in age difference. I thought about some of the threads that connect then to now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postid='arts_13931436']The \u003ca href=\"https://redoakvictory.us/\">SS Red Oak Victory\u003c/a>, a warship converted into a museum, is docked in Richmond. It’s the last of the 747 vessels constructed at the Richmond Kaiser Shipyards during the war. The industrial boom of building barges like this one brought an influx of nearly 70,000 people to Richmond throughout the 1940s. And even more people worked and lived in Marin, West Oakland and other cities with shipyards, causing an overall boom to the Bay Area’s population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After moving from the South, Hubbard eventually settled in North Oakland. Her love of the color purple is shown through the paint job on her family’s multistory house, as well as the color of the items grown in her garden — purple flowers and purple collard greens.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13987851\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13987851\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-scaled.jpg\" alt='\"... It took a war to liberate American women,\" reads a sign mounted inside of the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond.' width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“… It took a war to liberate American women,” reads a sign mounted inside of the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After the event celebrating the Rosies, Hubbard’s family gathered in the backyard of the purple house. Cake was served, and music played. My nine-year-old daughter got a slice as she hung out with Hubbard’s great-great-granddaughter.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the kids played, I left to attend a film festival in Emeryville before grabbing some pizza and beer with friends. Despite the war with Iran driving \u003ca href=\"https://info.oregon.aaa.com/gas-prices-soar-to-highest-spring-break-prices-since-2022/\">gas prices\u003c/a> to COVID-19 pandemic levels, there were still enough cars on the streets to create traffic jams at the usual hot spots. Even as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/charts/employment-situation/civilian-unemployment-rate.htm\">unemployment rate\u003c/a> soars to 4% \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/disappearing-economic-data-bad-economy-recession-unemployment-bls-jobs-report-2026-2\">(or higher)\u003c/a>, people continue to go outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Theaters are occupied, and restaurants are filled with people. A couple on Bay Street walked past me holding hands. A line of people looking for slices and pies extended out of June’s Pizza. And Marcella Hubbard and her family celebrated in their backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As news reports show bombs exploding in the Middle East, and further deployment of ICE agents domestically, it’s clear that the war machine is impacting people’s livelihoods here and abroad. But amidst the angst, disgust and disagreement with the current federal administration, many Americans are still hard at work — pursuing happiness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following morning I helped my mother in her garden. We pulled weeds and cut away dead debris in preparation for spring. Through the chain-link fence, I talked with Hubbard’s family about the previous day’s event. Everyone enjoyed themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before packing up, I looked up the purple house’s stairs, and there Hubbard was, waving at me like she did to the crowd the day before.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Red bandanas with white polka dots were everywhere. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Older women and young girls, along with a few men and a couple of dogs, were all sporting the trademark handkerchiefs at a gathering in Richmond on Saturday for \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=9C38A9C8-FA44-3C56-CA15E40A29143DA9\">National Rosie the Riveter Day\u003c/a>. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Over 100 people sat outside of the official \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nationalparks.org/explore/parks/rosie-the-riveter-wwii-home-front-national-historical-park?g_acctid=243-556-1774&g_adgroupid=&g_adid=&g_adtype=none&g_campaign=Nat%27l+Park%E2%80%94PMax+Test&g_campaignid=23173955240&g_keyword=&g_keywordid=&g_network=x&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23168728314&gbraid=0AAAAAD3zGuiduxalF5cIzNZZE2xZvgQ5T&gclid=CjwKCAjwyYPOBhBxEiwAgpT8P6g694rn6wC2oxYKPQCcy821dV7c-Tgm1hCqVk51zVNoZ2g4S9ZCaxoCsTgQAvD_BwE\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rosie the Riveter / WWII Home Front National Historical Park.\u003c/span>\u003c/a> On\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> stage in front of them, a handful of former welders and steelworkers, representing the millions of real-life Rosies who entered the workforce during World War II, were honored for their efforts.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13987849\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13987849\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975.jpg\" alt='A handheld fan that reads \"We Can Do It\" is passed in the foreground, as Marcella Hubbard signs an autograph in the background.' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00975-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A handheld fan is passed in the foreground, as Hubbard signs an autograph in the background. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As the event host shared each person’s name and a bit of their story, I stood in the crowd taking photos and making mental notes of how many women moved to the Bay Area, met husbands and raised families while simultaneously manufacturing all-terrain jeeps and leading the construction of massive battleships. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Imagine living in the belly of the war machine, knowing that this country doesn’t value you because of your identity. But your innate effort to find purpose — love, meaningful employment or simply a better life — is intertwined with the ever-expanding reach of global imperialism and domestic disregard for your demographic.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eighty years later, how much has changed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Largely, society’s views on sexism, racism, ablism and other exclusionary beliefs have shifted since the 1940s. But it’d be beyond naive to say these ideas don’t continue to influence individuals and institutions alike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And war, well, this country is forever at war — with other nations, as well as people inside its borders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13987866\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13987866\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2.jpg\" alt=\"A person in a big USA flag styled shirt passes out flowers to women sitting in wheelchairs on stage. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"1837\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2-160x147.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2-768x705.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Hubbard-2-1536x1411.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">At Richmond’s Rosie the Riveter celebration, Hubbard — and every other former steelworker and welder — was presented with a bouquet of flowers. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It says a lot about people’s ability to pursue happiness in the midst of discrimination and denigration. Amazing how people will fight for democracy while constantly reminded that their voice isn’t valued. And it’s mind-blowing that out of all the machines made for combat, people — in this instance, women specifically — are the ones who’ve stood the test of time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the March 21 event, center stage, was \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Marcella Hubbard\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wearing a red bandana, a matching bright red blazer and a pair of blue jeans, Hubbard waved to the crowd from her wheelchair. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">As she did, the event host noted that Hubbard would turn 105 in just a few days.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Before another volunteer gave Hubbard a bouquet of flowers, the host gave us a window into Hubbard’s life: born in Mississippi, she was one of 22 children. Hubbard moved to California, became a welder and worked in a factory during the war. Later in life she worked for the post office until retirement.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13987865\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13987865\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941.jpg\" alt=\"A wide shot of the crowd at Richmonds Rosie the Riveter celebration. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/DSC00941-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rosie the Riveter bandanas were plentiful this weekend in Richmond. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’m familiar with Hubbard’s story, having known her and her family for more than two decades. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13894885/marcella-hubbards-purple-100th-birthday-celebration\">I wrote about her five years ago\u003c/a> when she reached the century mark; plus she’s my mother’s neighbor. But when I heard her story on that Saturday, along with the stories of the other women who worked in the factories during WWII, something resonated.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Hubbard left the stage, she was greeted by a group of Girl Scouts asking for her autograph and posing with her for photos — nearly a century in age difference. I thought about some of the threads that connect then to now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://redoakvictory.us/\">SS Red Oak Victory\u003c/a>, a warship converted into a museum, is docked in Richmond. It’s the last of the 747 vessels constructed at the Richmond Kaiser Shipyards during the war. The industrial boom of building barges like this one brought an influx of nearly 70,000 people to Richmond throughout the 1940s. And even more people worked and lived in Marin, West Oakland and other cities with shipyards, causing an overall boom to the Bay Area’s population.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After moving from the South, Hubbard eventually settled in North Oakland. Her love of the color purple is shown through the paint job on her family’s multistory house, as well as the color of the items grown in her garden — purple flowers and purple collard greens.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13987851\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13987851\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-scaled.jpg\" alt='\"... It took a war to liberate American women,\" reads a sign mounted inside of the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond.' width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-scaled.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IMG_0309-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“… It took a war to liberate American women,” reads a sign mounted inside of the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond. \u003ccite>(Pendarvis Harshaw)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After the event celebrating the Rosies, Hubbard’s family gathered in the backyard of the purple house. Cake was served, and music played. My nine-year-old daughter got a slice as she hung out with Hubbard’s great-great-granddaughter.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the kids played, I left to attend a film festival in Emeryville before grabbing some pizza and beer with friends. Despite the war with Iran driving \u003ca href=\"https://info.oregon.aaa.com/gas-prices-soar-to-highest-spring-break-prices-since-2022/\">gas prices\u003c/a> to COVID-19 pandemic levels, there were still enough cars on the streets to create traffic jams at the usual hot spots. Even as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bls.gov/charts/employment-situation/civilian-unemployment-rate.htm\">unemployment rate\u003c/a> soars to 4% \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/disappearing-economic-data-bad-economy-recession-unemployment-bls-jobs-report-2026-2\">(or higher)\u003c/a>, people continue to go outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Theaters are occupied, and restaurants are filled with people. A couple on Bay Street walked past me holding hands. A line of people looking for slices and pies extended out of June’s Pizza. And Marcella Hubbard and her family celebrated in their backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As news reports show bombs exploding in the Middle East, and further deployment of ICE agents domestically, it’s clear that the war machine is impacting people’s livelihoods here and abroad. But amidst the angst, disgust and disagreement with the current federal administration, many Americans are still hard at work — pursuing happiness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following morning I helped my mother in her garden. We pulled weeds and cut away dead debris in preparation for spring. Through the chain-link fence, I talked with Hubbard’s family about the previous day’s event. Everyone enjoyed themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before packing up, I looked up the purple house’s stairs, and there Hubbard was, waving at me like she did to the crowd the day before.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "cheap-cantonese-restaurant-richmond-east-bay-grand-cafe-dim-sum-claypot-rice",
"title": "This Hong Kong Cafe Might Be the East Bay’s Most Affordable New Restaurant",
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"content": "\u003cp>The Target plaza off Macdonald Avenue isn’t the first place you’d think of when planning a lunch excursion in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a>. After all, this is the domain of better-than-replacement-level fast food (i.e., Wingstop and Panda Express), not anyone’s idea of destination dining.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it was something of a surprise when, a few weeks ago, I stepped into the plaza’s newest restaurant, Grand Cafe, and found a packed dining room. Almost all of the diners were Chinese seniors, a demographic I’ve rarely encountered on this side of town. Everyone was bent over steaming hot bowls of claypot rice and wonton noodle soup. Somehow, it seems, I’d stumbled into a proper Hong Kong–style cafe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The kicker? Nothing on the menu was priced at more than $10.75. Several entrées, in fact, were just $7 or $8, undercutting the Panda Express next door. At a time when affordability has reached a crisis point for so many Bay Area families, Grand Cafe might just be the East Bay’s most reasonably priced new restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As it turns out, the restaurant moved to Richmond this past summer after its \u003ca href=\"https://www.yelp.com/biz/grand-cafe-south-san-francisco\">original South San Francisco location\u003c/a> closed. During my first visit, I decided to try the claypot rice with spare ribs and preserved sausage ($10.75), a Cantonese classic. It came loaded with meat and tender-crisp greens, with a little dish of sweet seasoned soy sauce to pour on top, and the rice was properly crackly and crispy on the edges. It was delicious — if anything, a little less decadently oily and salty than my favorite versions, and more like something a home cook would serve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13986262\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13986262\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice.jpg\" alt=\"Claypot rice and a plate of beef chow fun on cafeteria-style trays.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Both the claypot rice and the beef chow fun came with complimentary soup and hot soy milk. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The value, on the other hand, was hard to top. All dine-in customers get a free cup of hot tea or unsweetened soy milk, the latter of which I doctored up to my liking with sugar. My meal also came with a complimentary bowl of pork bone soup — savory and soothing, loaded with leafy greens. An order of dry-cooked beef chow fun (also $10.75) — a solid, generously portioned rendition — came with all of the same extras.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the tradeoffs for Grand Cafe’s bargain-basement prices is a very DIY approach to service. The dining room — sparsely decorated, apart from a lone Bruce Lee poster in the corner — is set up somewhat cafeteria-style. Food comes out on trays; utensils, condiments and to-go containers are all laid out neatly on a shelf for you to help yourself. A large wire shelving unit along the opposite wall has enough space for a couple dozen diners to bus their trays and dishes when they’re done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, a sign taped to the front counter reads, “No Tips Needed,” and stresses that food might take 10 to 20 minutes to come out, since every dish is cooked to order. Over a handful of visits, I never had to wait nearly that long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13986263\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13986263\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu.jpg\" alt=\"Chinese restaurant menu pinned on the wall.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Part of Grand Cafe’s menu, which is posted on the wall. As of January 2026, no item was priced higher than $10.75. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Unlike a full-on traditional Hong Kong–style \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cha_chaan_teng\">cha chaan teng\u003c/a>, Grand Cafe only offers a couple of Western-style dishes — a spaghetti with meat sauce I’ve yet to try, for instance. And my sense is that the menu, with its assortment of noodle dishes, rice plates, jook and snacky dim sum, is a bit too broad for \u003ci>every\u003c/i> item to be a hit. (I’d still go to a proper dim sum house for pan-fried daikon cakes or steamed rice rolls.) And the seasoning tends to be on the mild side, which is part of the restaurant’s appeal to Chinese elders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">\u003cb>\u003cstrong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">[aside postID='arts_13950577,arts_13974383']\u003c/span>\u003c/strong>\u003c/b>\u003c/span>The prices, of course, are hard to beat. Beef brisket noodle soup for $8.75? Pork and preserved egg porridge for less than $6? Grand Cafe might not be a destination restaurant, but if you live in the neighborhood, as I do, it’s easy to imagine it becoming a weekly lunchtime staple.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the restaurant has already been open for seven months, it still seems to have a perpetual stream of people poking their head in for the first time, surprised they’ve never seen the place before. Partly, that’s because of Grand Cafe’s somewhat unlikely location and limited hours — it closes at 2 p.m. every day. The owners also seem to have no interest in marketing the business, politely but firmly declining my requests for an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re already too busy,” the woman at the counter, who seemed like she might be the owner, told me. For now, she’s more than content to just serve the crowd of local regulars.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Grand Cafe is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m., at 4250 Macdonald Ave. Ste. D.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The Target plaza off Macdonald Avenue isn’t the first place you’d think of when planning a lunch excursion in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a>. After all, this is the domain of better-than-replacement-level fast food (i.e., Wingstop and Panda Express), not anyone’s idea of destination dining.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it was something of a surprise when, a few weeks ago, I stepped into the plaza’s newest restaurant, Grand Cafe, and found a packed dining room. Almost all of the diners were Chinese seniors, a demographic I’ve rarely encountered on this side of town. Everyone was bent over steaming hot bowls of claypot rice and wonton noodle soup. Somehow, it seems, I’d stumbled into a proper Hong Kong–style cafe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The kicker? Nothing on the menu was priced at more than $10.75. Several entrées, in fact, were just $7 or $8, undercutting the Panda Express next door. At a time when affordability has reached a crisis point for so many Bay Area families, Grand Cafe might just be the East Bay’s most reasonably priced new restaurant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As it turns out, the restaurant moved to Richmond this past summer after its \u003ca href=\"https://www.yelp.com/biz/grand-cafe-south-san-francisco\">original South San Francisco location\u003c/a> closed. During my first visit, I decided to try the claypot rice with spare ribs and preserved sausage ($10.75), a Cantonese classic. It came loaded with meat and tender-crisp greens, with a little dish of sweet seasoned soy sauce to pour on top, and the rice was properly crackly and crispy on the edges. It was delicious — if anything, a little less decadently oily and salty than my favorite versions, and more like something a home cook would serve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13986262\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13986262\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice.jpg\" alt=\"Claypot rice and a plate of beef chow fun on cafeteria-style trays.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-claypot-rice-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Both the claypot rice and the beef chow fun came with complimentary soup and hot soy milk. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The value, on the other hand, was hard to top. All dine-in customers get a free cup of hot tea or unsweetened soy milk, the latter of which I doctored up to my liking with sugar. My meal also came with a complimentary bowl of pork bone soup — savory and soothing, loaded with leafy greens. An order of dry-cooked beef chow fun (also $10.75) — a solid, generously portioned rendition — came with all of the same extras.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the tradeoffs for Grand Cafe’s bargain-basement prices is a very DIY approach to service. The dining room — sparsely decorated, apart from a lone Bruce Lee poster in the corner — is set up somewhat cafeteria-style. Food comes out on trays; utensils, condiments and to-go containers are all laid out neatly on a shelf for you to help yourself. A large wire shelving unit along the opposite wall has enough space for a couple dozen diners to bus their trays and dishes when they’re done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, a sign taped to the front counter reads, “No Tips Needed,” and stresses that food might take 10 to 20 minutes to come out, since every dish is cooked to order. Over a handful of visits, I never had to wait nearly that long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13986263\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13986263\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu.jpg\" alt=\"Chinese restaurant menu pinned on the wall.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/grand-cafe-menu-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Part of Grand Cafe’s menu, which is posted on the wall. As of January 2026, no item was priced higher than $10.75. \u003ccite>(Luke Tsai/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Unlike a full-on traditional Hong Kong–style \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cha_chaan_teng\">cha chaan teng\u003c/a>, Grand Cafe only offers a couple of Western-style dishes — a spaghetti with meat sauce I’ve yet to try, for instance. And my sense is that the menu, with its assortment of noodle dishes, rice plates, jook and snacky dim sum, is a bit too broad for \u003ci>every\u003c/i> item to be a hit. (I’d still go to a proper dim sum house for pan-fried daikon cakes or steamed rice rolls.) And the seasoning tends to be on the mild side, which is part of the restaurant’s appeal to Chinese elders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"color: #2b2b2b;font-weight: 400\">\u003cb>\u003cstrong>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/span>\u003c/strong>\u003c/b>\u003c/span>The prices, of course, are hard to beat. Beef brisket noodle soup for $8.75? Pork and preserved egg porridge for less than $6? Grand Cafe might not be a destination restaurant, but if you live in the neighborhood, as I do, it’s easy to imagine it becoming a weekly lunchtime staple.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though the restaurant has already been open for seven months, it still seems to have a perpetual stream of people poking their head in for the first time, surprised they’ve never seen the place before. Partly, that’s because of Grand Cafe’s somewhat unlikely location and limited hours — it closes at 2 p.m. every day. The owners also seem to have no interest in marketing the business, politely but firmly declining my requests for an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re already too busy,” the woman at the counter, who seemed like she might be the owner, told me. For now, she’s more than content to just serve the crowd of local regulars.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Grand Cafe is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m., at 4250 Macdonald Ave. Ste. D.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>As a small crowd gathered in an industrial complex in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> on Friday night, a puppeteer dressed as a molting bird gave birth to a human doll baby, followed by a brief magic show. A ska band ripped through a short set, a sideshow performer swallowed two swords and stuck fishhooks in her eyelids, and another local band \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/37196/a-portal-to-chaos-and-adventure-in-a-playground\">named after a kids’ portal to chaos\u003c/a> closed out the night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just your average evening at Richmond’s newest DIY, all-ages, substance-free venue, \u003ca href=\"https://ragtagshows.com/\">The Planetarium\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A former karaoke lounge situated inside a maze of \u003ca href=\"https://intergalactic.rocks/\">practice spaces\u003c/a>, The Planetarium serves a city not exactly known for providing opportunities to its younger creative residents. After being open for only a few weeks, it’s already gaining a following.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Finding your people\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At Friday’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DTls0sTkn14/\">Cosmik Debris\u003c/a> variety show, one person came for the puppets at the recommendation of someone on their local music Signal chat; another, from Berkeley, wanted to recapture the feeling they had as a teen punk in San Diego. Someone else saw a flyer while helping a friend during their KALX DJ set, and another couple was invited for a friend’s birthday. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13985700\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13985700\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Adventure Playground performs at the Planetarium in Richmond on Jan. 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I knew we were doing good when I had some guy come to his second show, when we’d only had four,” said Alex Botkin, one of The Planetarium’s co-founders, who grew up half a mile down the road in El Cerrito. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project of three longtime DIYers who met at the long-running Berkeley punk club \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/924-gilman\">924 Gilman\u003c/a>, The Planetarium has hosted half a dozen events since its grand opening on Jan. 2. Currently scheduled are 32 additional shows, mostly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, through May. Booking as Ragtag Productions, the trio caters to smaller, younger bands, touring acts, and transgressive performance art — all communities in which the founders have been involved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I spent a lot of time traveling between weird performance art worlds in the East Bay in search of community,” said Plantearium co-founder Kirk Pearson, a New York native who moved to the Bay about 10 years ago. “I found all of these groups of people, several of which were incredibly good performers, but with absolutely no venue that was suited for them to perform. So that’s at least part of my excitement [with The Plantarium].” \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13985695\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13985695\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Risa Lenore performs a puppet show at the Planetarium in Richmond on Jan. 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Tickets to a Planetarium show will hover between $10 and $15 to encourage artistic discovery without a hefty price tag. “By having that openness to variety and all the bands that are having a great time, you’ll probably have a good time,” Alex said. \u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Roots in DIY\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Community begets community, and The Planetarium is proof of the East Bay’s deep DIY and punk roots. Pearson is a composer and sound designer who founded \u003ca href=\"https://dogbotic.com/\">Dogbotic\u003c/a> and previously did sound at Gilman. Botkin, a musician with the band awakebutstillinbed (who also played with Friday’s ska band, Sad Snack), books shows and ran a record label in addition to years of volunteer work at Gilman. His partner Lexi Botkin grew up going to shows and volunteering at Gilman, in addition to playing bass and selling merch for bands. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was just a show rat. I was at everything and talking to everybody, and helping out however I could,” said Lexi, a Berkeley educator who grew up in Pleasanton and San Jose. “Ever since I was a kid, my dream was to have a business where I could help foster art communities and creativity.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13985701\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13985701\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attendees dance as Adventure Playground performs at the Planetarium in Richmond on Jan. 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>With a good deal on rent from their friends in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/middleagedqueers/\">Middle-Aged Queers\u003c/a> — who purchased the building with the intention of opening a venue but lacked the time — and a lot of help from their community, The Planetarium was born. The room that would become the venue was in decent shape, with cool lighting in place and some supplies to spruce things up. It was already permitted for noise with the city of Richmond. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve gotten tremendous deals from friends and stuff from former venues, or [from] touring bands,” Alex said, pointing to the venue’s soundboard. “Once you’re involved in [DIY spaces] enough and know enough people, it’s not hard to find community support in that way.” \u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Everyone is a star\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Planetarium has already started to see a “karmic return” in the form of community interest. When asked how they’re connecting with bands and artists, Lexi was quick to note, “We’re not finding them. They’re finding \u003ci>us\u003c/i>.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of venues closing right now, and every venue that opens doesn’t really fix it. It just sort of fills part of the deficit. The amount of inquiries we got puts us into almost summer with some of our shows,” Alex added. “Bands are desperate for places that they can play.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13985694\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13985694\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Planetarium founders Alex Botkin, Kirk Pearson and Lexi Botkin pose for a photo at the music venue in Richmond on Jan. 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Planetarium could be seen as a new generation’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/12493208/burnt-ramen-long-running-underground-venue-in-richmond-shut-down\">Burnt Ramen\u003c/a>, the Richmond DIY space that closed in 2016, and adds to popular DIY venues such as Gilman in Berkeley and Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/staygoldoakland/?hl=en\">Stay Gold Deli\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://tamarackoakland.com/calendar\">Tamarack\u003c/a>. The venue will decidedly not host any punishing “elder bar rock.” Adds Pearson: “If you are a band of 17-year-olds or 18-year-olds, you can play here.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s still plenty of work to do at The Planetarium, from building a proper stage and soundbooth to fixing some busted flooring. The co-founders aren’t worried; “perfect is the enemy of good,” as Pearson noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And, befitting a place that puts punk bands alongside puppet shows, it’s about more than the music. Lexi said she hopes to host events like clothing swaps and drives, DIY clothing repairs, and “study shares” where attendees tutor each other. Regardless of what may get booked at The Planetarium, all events will share a common perspective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no attitude in this space. There’s a bunch of fun, colorful lights; there’s already aliens on the wall. This is goofy and silly, and you have to be open to that,” Alex said. “Everyone’s just here and it’s all a level playing field. Nobody is the top dog.” \u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Find \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/planetariumrichmond/\">details and information about upcoming shows\u003c/a> at the Planetarium on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/planetariumrichmond/\">Instagram\u003c/a> or at \u003ca href=\"https://ragtagshows.com/index.html\">Ragtag Productions’ website\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As a small crowd gathered in an industrial complex in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/richmond\">Richmond\u003c/a> on Friday night, a puppeteer dressed as a molting bird gave birth to a human doll baby, followed by a brief magic show. A ska band ripped through a short set, a sideshow performer swallowed two swords and stuck fishhooks in her eyelids, and another local band \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/37196/a-portal-to-chaos-and-adventure-in-a-playground\">named after a kids’ portal to chaos\u003c/a> closed out the night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just your average evening at Richmond’s newest DIY, all-ages, substance-free venue, \u003ca href=\"https://ragtagshows.com/\">The Planetarium\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A former karaoke lounge situated inside a maze of \u003ca href=\"https://intergalactic.rocks/\">practice spaces\u003c/a>, The Planetarium serves a city not exactly known for providing opportunities to its younger creative residents. After being open for only a few weeks, it’s already gaining a following.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Finding your people\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At Friday’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DTls0sTkn14/\">Cosmik Debris\u003c/a> variety show, one person came for the puppets at the recommendation of someone on their local music Signal chat; another, from Berkeley, wanted to recapture the feeling they had as a teen punk in San Diego. Someone else saw a flyer while helping a friend during their KALX DJ set, and another couple was invited for a friend’s birthday. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13985700\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13985700\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-26-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Adventure Playground performs at the Planetarium in Richmond on Jan. 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I knew we were doing good when I had some guy come to his second show, when we’d only had four,” said Alex Botkin, one of The Planetarium’s co-founders, who grew up half a mile down the road in El Cerrito. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project of three longtime DIYers who met at the long-running Berkeley punk club \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/924-gilman\">924 Gilman\u003c/a>, The Planetarium has hosted half a dozen events since its grand opening on Jan. 2. Currently scheduled are 32 additional shows, mostly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, through May. Booking as Ragtag Productions, the trio caters to smaller, younger bands, touring acts, and transgressive performance art — all communities in which the founders have been involved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I spent a lot of time traveling between weird performance art worlds in the East Bay in search of community,” said Plantearium co-founder Kirk Pearson, a New York native who moved to the Bay about 10 years ago. “I found all of these groups of people, several of which were incredibly good performers, but with absolutely no venue that was suited for them to perform. So that’s at least part of my excitement [with The Plantarium].” \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13985695\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13985695\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Risa Lenore performs a puppet show at the Planetarium in Richmond on Jan. 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Tickets to a Planetarium show will hover between $10 and $15 to encourage artistic discovery without a hefty price tag. “By having that openness to variety and all the bands that are having a great time, you’ll probably have a good time,” Alex said. \u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Roots in DIY\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Community begets community, and The Planetarium is proof of the East Bay’s deep DIY and punk roots. Pearson is a composer and sound designer who founded \u003ca href=\"https://dogbotic.com/\">Dogbotic\u003c/a> and previously did sound at Gilman. Botkin, a musician with the band awakebutstillinbed (who also played with Friday’s ska band, Sad Snack), books shows and ran a record label in addition to years of volunteer work at Gilman. His partner Lexi Botkin grew up going to shows and volunteering at Gilman, in addition to playing bass and selling merch for bands. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was just a show rat. I was at everything and talking to everybody, and helping out however I could,” said Lexi, a Berkeley educator who grew up in Pleasanton and San Jose. “Ever since I was a kid, my dream was to have a business where I could help foster art communities and creativity.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13985701\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13985701\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-29-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attendees dance as Adventure Playground performs at the Planetarium in Richmond on Jan. 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>With a good deal on rent from their friends in \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/middleagedqueers/\">Middle-Aged Queers\u003c/a> — who purchased the building with the intention of opening a venue but lacked the time — and a lot of help from their community, The Planetarium was born. The room that would become the venue was in decent shape, with cool lighting in place and some supplies to spruce things up. It was already permitted for noise with the city of Richmond. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve gotten tremendous deals from friends and stuff from former venues, or [from] touring bands,” Alex said, pointing to the venue’s soundboard. “Once you’re involved in [DIY spaces] enough and know enough people, it’s not hard to find community support in that way.” \u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Everyone is a star\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Planetarium has already started to see a “karmic return” in the form of community interest. When asked how they’re connecting with bands and artists, Lexi was quick to note, “We’re not finding them. They’re finding \u003ci>us\u003c/i>.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s a lot of venues closing right now, and every venue that opens doesn’t really fix it. It just sort of fills part of the deficit. The amount of inquiries we got puts us into almost summer with some of our shows,” Alex added. “Bands are desperate for places that they can play.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13985694\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13985694\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/01/20260116_PLANETARIUMRICHMOND_GC-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Planetarium founders Alex Botkin, Kirk Pearson and Lexi Botkin pose for a photo at the music venue in Richmond on Jan. 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Planetarium could be seen as a new generation’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/12493208/burnt-ramen-long-running-underground-venue-in-richmond-shut-down\">Burnt Ramen\u003c/a>, the Richmond DIY space that closed in 2016, and adds to popular DIY venues such as Gilman in Berkeley and Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/staygoldoakland/?hl=en\">Stay Gold Deli\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://tamarackoakland.com/calendar\">Tamarack\u003c/a>. The venue will decidedly not host any punishing “elder bar rock.” Adds Pearson: “If you are a band of 17-year-olds or 18-year-olds, you can play here.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s still plenty of work to do at The Planetarium, from building a proper stage and soundbooth to fixing some busted flooring. The co-founders aren’t worried; “perfect is the enemy of good,” as Pearson noted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And, befitting a place that puts punk bands alongside puppet shows, it’s about more than the music. Lexi said she hopes to host events like clothing swaps and drives, DIY clothing repairs, and “study shares” where attendees tutor each other. Regardless of what may get booked at The Planetarium, all events will share a common perspective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s no attitude in this space. There’s a bunch of fun, colorful lights; there’s already aliens on the wall. This is goofy and silly, and you have to be open to that,” Alex said. “Everyone’s just here and it’s all a level playing field. Nobody is the top dog.” \u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Find \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/planetariumrichmond/\">details and information about upcoming shows\u003c/a> at the Planetarium on \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/planetariumrichmond/\">Instagram\u003c/a> or at \u003ca href=\"https://ragtagshows.com/index.html\">Ragtag Productions’ website\u003c/a>.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "khaysie-opera-singer-hip-hop-richmond",
"title": "This East Bay Artist Proves ‘Opera Can Be Performed Anywhere’",
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"headTitle": "This East Bay Artist Proves ‘Opera Can Be Performed Anywhere’ | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13983887\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777.jpeg\" alt=\"A man in sunglasses, a white vest and black shirt stands with his hands in front of him as he poses for a photo.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1930\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13983887\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777-160x161.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777-768x772.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777-1528x1536.jpeg 1528w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Richmond tenor Khaysie wants to make opera more accessible — starting with where it’s performed. \u003ccite>(Cassandra Sanidad)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As famed streamer and influencer \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVkTeXBuweY\">IShowSpeed\u003c/a> stood atop the roof of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979306/hyphy-burger-grand-opening-west-oakland-guapdad\">Hyphy Burger\u003c/a> in September, millions of fans from around the world tuned in. Hundreds more stood on the streets of West Oakland below. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in the midst of people screaming, cars swinging and tires screeching, someone started singing opera. A tenor, to be exact. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DPDWuMBDkcK/\">I tried to get his attention\u003c/a>,” says Richmond vocalist and musician \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thekhaysie/\">Khaysie\u003c/a>, who was hoping to grab some of IShowSpeed’s limelight. “But there were just a lot of people present.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13979306']He momentarily gave up, driving home to Richmond before tuning back into IShowSpeed’s live stream and realizing the influencer had made another stop, at the Guitar Center in Emeryville.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Again Khaysie pulled up, attempting to showcase his talents. Again he was overlooked. But this time, now after midnight, he joined the fleet of 50-plus cars following IShowSpeed’s tour bus to the South Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wee hours of the morning, outside of a robotics company in Palo Alto, Khaysie saw a window of opportunity when IShowSpeed exited his tour bus — and the cameras were pointed in his direction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13983888\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13983888\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"A man on one knee, holding a microphone while singing on stage. \" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-scaled.jpeg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-160x240.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-1024x1536.jpeg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-1365x2048.jpeg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Khaysie says he was attracted to opera once he realized how could tap into his emotions while performing. \u003ccite>(Ramon - Duality Visualz)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That’s when I sang the classic ‘Ave Maria,’” he says, understating how he dominated the airwaves by belting notes from the opera staple. “And that’s why (IShowSpeed) reacted. He was like, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DPEdRk8EXMu/\">‘What the hell\u003c/a>?!’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because IShowSpeed’s following is so massive, that brief glimpse of attention opened doors for the 32-year-old artist, who’s pursued music since he was 10. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the weeks since, Khaysie has been interviewed on\u003cem> \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DPk3eKjgOr1/\">99.7 NOW FM\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DPkPWziEgUi/?img_index=1\">\u003cem> La Kaliente 1370 AM\u003c/em>,\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@sanfranciscolives/video/7555300748553211167\">hosted the dumpling eating contest\u003c/a> at this year’s San Francisco Moon Festival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13983779']This coming weekend, Khaysie will perform in San Francisco at the \u003ca href=\"https://fridapeople.com/\">Frida People collective’s\u003c/a> fall \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gathering-light-tending-the-inner-flame-hosted-by-frida-people-collective-tickets-1874341880019?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnD2mYdcG-jYMR83AMpcNKO3ElQHwNkkXZjS69g2c-UVGrfVHqmNFZYdum9ng_aem_5s96l-qSqkx5sSbsJ26yBg\">“Gathering Light” event\u003c/a>, an in-person and livestreamed performance with a focus on the healing power of art.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frida People founder \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/missanaqu/\">Ana Quiñonez \u003c/a>and Oakland journalist \u003ca href=\"https://www.kalw.org/people/kristal-raheem?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnDtGKBo-Vwtht1DJw2crrpWzkr6Xr1_TGoSfXLEsQjNXGs73z-tp4j6IByGM_aem_A5GftaEd-QqdfMD5yQR0gw\">Kristal Raheem\u003c/a> will co-host the event and lead a discussion about tending to one’s “inner flame.” The evening also features performances by San Francisco rapper and singer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kaly_incognegreaux/\">Kaly Jay\u003c/a>, East Oakland R&B artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kenyatta2saucey/\">Kenyatta \u003c/a>and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Khaysie is approaching Friday’s show the same way he approaches other gigs; opting for street clothes instead of the expected black suit and tie of an opera singer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want people to think that opera can be performed anywhere,” he says. “You don’t have to look a certain way… When people hear my voice they’re gonna be like, ‘What the heck?'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t0FVrJCNXM\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Khaysie also plans to give audience members a sample of a hip-hopera he’s been working on. Without going too deep into detail, Khaysie says his work differs from MTV’s 2001 \u003cem>Carmen: A Hip Hopera \u003c/em>(with Beyoncé and Mos Def), as well as theatrical treatments of hip-hop like R. Kelly’s \u003cem>Trapped In The Closet\u003c/em> saga and the award-winning musical \u003cem>Hamilton\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead of a corny remix of \u003cem>The Marriage of Figaro\u003c/em> sped up to sound contemporary, Khaysie says he’s creating something that’s “authentically hip-hop” with sincere storytelling and entertaining instrumentation; a piece that conveys the range of emotions he’s seen other opera singers display.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At age 16, Khaysie, who came up with through the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youngmusiciansco.org/\">Young Musicians Coral Orchestra\u003c/a>, got a taste of opera’s power when famed tenor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/d/da-dn/rodrick-dixon/\">Rodrick Dixon\u003c/a> visited UC Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In front of the audience, Dixon asked Khaysie to present a piece. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And when I finished my operatic song,” he recalls, “he asked me, why do I want to sing opera?'” Khaysie replied that the art form allows him to fully express himself and tap into his emotions. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dixon countered, “So why didn’t you do that?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caught off guard, Khaysie stepped back as Dixon took to the stage and gave a short performance of his own. “When I looked into his eyes,” recalls Khaysie, “I could see the raw emotion that he sang in each and every note. His voice was so powerful that it shook my body.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Khaysie’s tears flowed as Dixon asked if he truly wanted to commit to the craft. “At that point I was sold,” says Khaysie, who went on to obtain a vocal performance degree with a focus on opera from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/chris-sanchez/\">University of Michigan\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since graduating nearly 10 years ago, he’s experienced the roller coaster that comes with being an artist of any sort: periodic lulls, followed by reminders of the fire inside. “Each time that I try to run away from music,” he says, “music always found me.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s explored different types of music, composing R&B, soul, reggaeton and dembow songs. He’s also performed on traditional concert stages with \u003ca href=\"https://www.westedgeopera.org/\">West Edge Opera\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://music.berkeley.edu/performance-ensembles/uc-berkeley-chamber-chorus\">UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLSpiwMub2k\">Golden Gate Symphony Orchestra & Chorus \u003c/a>at the Palace of Fine Arts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Working as an a elementary school teacher in Richmond, Khaysie practices mindfulness with his students throughout the day, and attributes his recent success to healing his own inner child and getting reacquainted with his faith in God.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A churchgoer as a kid in the East Bay, he strayed after college but recently found his way back. With that came renewed confidence. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, he affirms, “I’m going to use music to serve a bigger purpose, to inspire people and to use my voice for positive impact.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Khaysie performs as part of Frida People collective’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gathering-light-tending-the-inner-flame-hosted-by-frida-people-collective-tickets-1874341880019\">‘Gathering Light’ event\u003c/a> on Friday, Nov. 22, at KALW (220 Montgomery St., San Francisco). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gathering-light-tending-the-inner-flame-hosted-by-frida-people-collective-tickets-1874341880019\">Check here for tickets and more information\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"subhead": "Richmond opera singer Khaysie is hellbent on making the genre more accessible. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13983887\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777.jpeg\" alt=\"A man in sunglasses, a white vest and black shirt stands with his hands in front of him as he poses for a photo.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1930\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13983887\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777-160x161.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777-768x772.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_1554-scaled-e1763498850777-1528x1536.jpeg 1528w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Richmond tenor Khaysie wants to make opera more accessible — starting with where it’s performed. \u003ccite>(Cassandra Sanidad)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As famed streamer and influencer \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVkTeXBuweY\">IShowSpeed\u003c/a> stood atop the roof of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979306/hyphy-burger-grand-opening-west-oakland-guapdad\">Hyphy Burger\u003c/a> in September, millions of fans from around the world tuned in. Hundreds more stood on the streets of West Oakland below. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And in the midst of people screaming, cars swinging and tires screeching, someone started singing opera. A tenor, to be exact. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DPDWuMBDkcK/\">I tried to get his attention\u003c/a>,” says Richmond vocalist and musician \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thekhaysie/\">Khaysie\u003c/a>, who was hoping to grab some of IShowSpeed’s limelight. “But there were just a lot of people present.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>He momentarily gave up, driving home to Richmond before tuning back into IShowSpeed’s live stream and realizing the influencer had made another stop, at the Guitar Center in Emeryville.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Again Khaysie pulled up, attempting to showcase his talents. Again he was overlooked. But this time, now after midnight, he joined the fleet of 50-plus cars following IShowSpeed’s tour bus to the South Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the wee hours of the morning, outside of a robotics company in Palo Alto, Khaysie saw a window of opportunity when IShowSpeed exited his tour bus — and the cameras were pointed in his direction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13983888\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13983888\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"A man on one knee, holding a microphone while singing on stage. \" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-scaled.jpeg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-160x240.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-1024x1536.jpeg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/IMG_0342-1365x2048.jpeg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Khaysie says he was attracted to opera once he realized how could tap into his emotions while performing. \u003ccite>(Ramon - Duality Visualz)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“That’s when I sang the classic ‘Ave Maria,’” he says, understating how he dominated the airwaves by belting notes from the opera staple. “And that’s why (IShowSpeed) reacted. He was like, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DPEdRk8EXMu/\">‘What the hell\u003c/a>?!’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because IShowSpeed’s following is so massive, that brief glimpse of attention opened doors for the 32-year-old artist, who’s pursued music since he was 10. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the weeks since, Khaysie has been interviewed on\u003cem> \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DPk3eKjgOr1/\">99.7 NOW FM\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DPkPWziEgUi/?img_index=1\">\u003cem> La Kaliente 1370 AM\u003c/em>,\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@sanfranciscolives/video/7555300748553211167\">hosted the dumpling eating contest\u003c/a> at this year’s San Francisco Moon Festival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>This coming weekend, Khaysie will perform in San Francisco at the \u003ca href=\"https://fridapeople.com/\">Frida People collective’s\u003c/a> fall \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gathering-light-tending-the-inner-flame-hosted-by-frida-people-collective-tickets-1874341880019?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnD2mYdcG-jYMR83AMpcNKO3ElQHwNkkXZjS69g2c-UVGrfVHqmNFZYdum9ng_aem_5s96l-qSqkx5sSbsJ26yBg\">“Gathering Light” event\u003c/a>, an in-person and livestreamed performance with a focus on the healing power of art.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frida People founder \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/missanaqu/\">Ana Quiñonez \u003c/a>and Oakland journalist \u003ca href=\"https://www.kalw.org/people/kristal-raheem?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnDtGKBo-Vwtht1DJw2crrpWzkr6Xr1_TGoSfXLEsQjNXGs73z-tp4j6IByGM_aem_A5GftaEd-QqdfMD5yQR0gw\">Kristal Raheem\u003c/a> will co-host the event and lead a discussion about tending to one’s “inner flame.” The evening also features performances by San Francisco rapper and singer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kaly_incognegreaux/\">Kaly Jay\u003c/a>, East Oakland R&B artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kenyatta2saucey/\">Kenyatta \u003c/a>and more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Khaysie is approaching Friday’s show the same way he approaches other gigs; opting for street clothes instead of the expected black suit and tie of an opera singer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want people to think that opera can be performed anywhere,” he says. “You don’t have to look a certain way… When people hear my voice they’re gonna be like, ‘What the heck?'”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/2t0FVrJCNXM'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/2t0FVrJCNXM'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Khaysie also plans to give audience members a sample of a hip-hopera he’s been working on. Without going too deep into detail, Khaysie says his work differs from MTV’s 2001 \u003cem>Carmen: A Hip Hopera \u003c/em>(with Beyoncé and Mos Def), as well as theatrical treatments of hip-hop like R. Kelly’s \u003cem>Trapped In The Closet\u003c/em> saga and the award-winning musical \u003cem>Hamilton\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead of a corny remix of \u003cem>The Marriage of Figaro\u003c/em> sped up to sound contemporary, Khaysie says he’s creating something that’s “authentically hip-hop” with sincere storytelling and entertaining instrumentation; a piece that conveys the range of emotions he’s seen other opera singers display.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At age 16, Khaysie, who came up with through the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youngmusiciansco.org/\">Young Musicians Coral Orchestra\u003c/a>, got a taste of opera’s power when famed tenor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kennedy-center.org/artists/d/da-dn/rodrick-dixon/\">Rodrick Dixon\u003c/a> visited UC Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In front of the audience, Dixon asked Khaysie to present a piece. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And when I finished my operatic song,” he recalls, “he asked me, why do I want to sing opera?'” Khaysie replied that the art form allows him to fully express himself and tap into his emotions. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dixon countered, “So why didn’t you do that?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Caught off guard, Khaysie stepped back as Dixon took to the stage and gave a short performance of his own. “When I looked into his eyes,” recalls Khaysie, “I could see the raw emotion that he sang in each and every note. His voice was so powerful that it shook my body.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Khaysie’s tears flowed as Dixon asked if he truly wanted to commit to the craft. “At that point I was sold,” says Khaysie, who went on to obtain a vocal performance degree with a focus on opera from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/chris-sanchez/\">University of Michigan\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since graduating nearly 10 years ago, he’s experienced the roller coaster that comes with being an artist of any sort: periodic lulls, followed by reminders of the fire inside. “Each time that I try to run away from music,” he says, “music always found me.” \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s explored different types of music, composing R&B, soul, reggaeton and dembow songs. He’s also performed on traditional concert stages with \u003ca href=\"https://www.westedgeopera.org/\">West Edge Opera\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://music.berkeley.edu/performance-ensembles/uc-berkeley-chamber-chorus\">UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus\u003c/a> and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLSpiwMub2k\">Golden Gate Symphony Orchestra & Chorus \u003c/a>at the Palace of Fine Arts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Working as an a elementary school teacher in Richmond, Khaysie practices mindfulness with his students throughout the day, and attributes his recent success to healing his own inner child and getting reacquainted with his faith in God.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A churchgoer as a kid in the East Bay, he strayed after college but recently found his way back. With that came renewed confidence. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, he affirms, “I’m going to use music to serve a bigger purpose, to inspire people and to use my voice for positive impact.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Khaysie performs as part of Frida People collective’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gathering-light-tending-the-inner-flame-hosted-by-frida-people-collective-tickets-1874341880019\">‘Gathering Light’ event\u003c/a> on Friday, Nov. 22, at KALW (220 Montgomery St., San Francisco). \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gathering-light-tending-the-inner-flame-hosted-by-frida-people-collective-tickets-1874341880019\">Check here for tickets and more information\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "tiffany-conway-artist-florence-biennale",
"title": "Artist Tiffany Conway is Bringing the Bay to the Florence Biennale",
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"headTitle": "Artist Tiffany Conway is Bringing the Bay to the Florence Biennale | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981736\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981736\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"An African American woman wearing a black top, blue jeans and glasses, sitting in a studio with white walls surrounded by colorful paintings.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-1365x2048.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist Tiffany Conway, raised all around the Bay Area, will represent the region next month at the high-profile Florence Biennale in Italy. \u003ccite>( Bryon Malik)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When Bay Area artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyconwayart/\">Tiffany Conway\u003c/a> got an email in May of this year suggesting she apply to the Florence Biennale, she didn’t think it was real.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Founded in 1997, the prestigious art exhibition has been a major platform for renowned artists of all sorts, while bolstering the careers of emerging creatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now — after properly vetting the invitation, applying and being accepted — Conway will show her work at this year’s event in mid-October.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is a major opportunity,” says Conway during a recent call.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981742\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981742\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful portrait of an African American woman with a cone-shaped afro adorned with flowers.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2030\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3-160x162.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3-768x780.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3-1513x1536.jpg 1513w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tiffany Conway, ‘Crowned,’ 2023. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ahead of the trip to Italy, Conway will host a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thefactorybar.net/events/2025/9/20/rejoice-pop-up-art-show-amp-live-painting-with-tiffany-conway\">pop-up show at The Factory Bar in Richmond\u003c/a> this Saturday, Sept. 27, and also show her work as a part of the Musuem of the African Diaspora’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nexus-sfbay.com/schedule\">Nexus: SF/Bay Area Black Art Week\u003c/a> on Oct. 4 and 5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With all she has brewing, Conway is especially excited for the trip to Europe. She’ll be one of 600 artists from all over the world, and the only Black woman from the U.S., showing art that aligns with this year’s theme of “Light and Darkness.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The concept, says Conway, is open to interpretation. Which is ideal, as her work doesn’t exactly embrace darkness — at least not at first glance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981743\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981743\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful painting of four women on a black background. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1-160x205.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1-768x983.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1-1200x1536.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1-1600x2048.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tiffany Conway, ‘Girls Dem,’ 2023. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Conway’s oil-based paintings are full of electric blues and pastel pinks that accent her brown-skinned characters. She often places her subjects in natural landscapes, and adorns them with floral designs. “You can look at my work and see that it’s very colorful,” she says, “and that is to imply a sense of joy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she clarifies, those bright colors come from darkness, literally and figuratively.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When she’s painting, Conway does a color test to ensure her colors are balanced. “I usually do that by taking a picture of the painting, and then changing the filter to black and white or gray scale,” she explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13981636']Balancing the bliss of illumination with the heft of the shadows is a theme that’s ingrained in Conway’s art before paint even touches the canvas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I work with the idea of transmuting grief to joy,” says the Richmond-based painter. It’s her way of cultivating her own world, based on “the memory and history of the Black experience, primarily the Black American experience,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The goal of my work is to express and get to a place of joy. And I do that by using the Black body as a vehicle, and also using color as a form of language.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981744\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981744\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in a yellow dress shirt, green and orange colored tie and blue jeans, stands in a room surrounded by her paintings. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"1991\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5-160x159.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5-768x765.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5-1536x1529.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tiffany Conway, a self-taught visual artist from the Bay Area, paints images of Black folks, utilizing floral patterns and bright colors. \u003ccite>(Patanisha Alia Williams)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Conway has been painting for over 15 years. Aside from a few classes at Academy of Art University, and a couple of community college courses in the East Bay, she’s largely self-taught. “My style,” she says, “was kind of cultivated over the years, and I really locked in about five years ago at the beginning of the pandemic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the past few years Conway’s work has been part of a traveling art fair, which introduced her artwork to the people connected to the Florence Biennale.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Honored to be part of the forthcoming exhibition, Conway is clear that external validation isn’t a necessity, but it does give her some reassurance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me,” says Conway, “it is really just confirmation that I’m on the right path.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981745\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1905px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981745\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A portrait painting of an African American man in a blue shirt with a few flowers scattered throughout his hair. \" width=\"1905\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-scaled.jpg 1905w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-160x215.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-768x1032.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-1143x1536.jpg 1143w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-1524x2048.jpg 1524w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1905px) 100vw, 1905px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tiffany Conway, ‘Vermillion,’ 2022. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She reflects on the number of artists who’ve stepped away from their craft due to social pressures and financial burdens, adding that she, too, has thought about hanging up the paint brush. “So, having this opportunity come to me in this crazy time that we’re living in,” she says, “it just really feels like… this is meant to be, and this is the correct path for me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Conway will be in Florence from Oct. 18–26, and is looking forward to expanding her global reach, connecting with gallerists and curators from the across the map and showing the world what she’s made of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It gives me the opportunity to shine brighter,” says Conway.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Tiffany Conway hosts a pop-up event at \u003ca href=\"https://www.thefactorybar.net/events/2025/9/20/rejoice-pop-up-art-show-amp-live-painting-with-tiffany-conway\">The Factory Bar in Richmond\u003c/a> on Saturday, Sept. 27, and shows her work as a part of the Musuem of the African Diaspora’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nexus-sfbay.com/schedule\">Nexus: SF/Bay Area Black Art Week\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "With her colorful paintings, Tiffany Conway has a unique way of balancing light and darkness.",
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"title": "Artist Tiffany Conway is Bringing the Bay to the Florence Biennale | KQED",
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"headline": "Artist Tiffany Conway is Bringing the Bay to the Florence Biennale",
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"subhead": "Here's how a Richmond-based painter landed in one of the world's most prestigious art shows.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981736\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981736\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"An African American woman wearing a black top, blue jeans and glasses, sitting in a studio with white walls surrounded by colorful paintings.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-2-1365x2048.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artist Tiffany Conway, raised all around the Bay Area, will represent the region next month at the high-profile Florence Biennale in Italy. \u003ccite>( Bryon Malik)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When Bay Area artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyconwayart/\">Tiffany Conway\u003c/a> got an email in May of this year suggesting she apply to the Florence Biennale, she didn’t think it was real.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Founded in 1997, the prestigious art exhibition has been a major platform for renowned artists of all sorts, while bolstering the careers of emerging creatives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now — after properly vetting the invitation, applying and being accepted — Conway will show her work at this year’s event in mid-October.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is a major opportunity,” says Conway during a recent call.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981742\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981742\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful portrait of an African American woman with a cone-shaped afro adorned with flowers.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2030\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3-160x162.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3-768x780.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-3-1513x1536.jpg 1513w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tiffany Conway, ‘Crowned,’ 2023. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Ahead of the trip to Italy, Conway will host a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thefactorybar.net/events/2025/9/20/rejoice-pop-up-art-show-amp-live-painting-with-tiffany-conway\">pop-up show at The Factory Bar in Richmond\u003c/a> this Saturday, Sept. 27, and also show her work as a part of the Musuem of the African Diaspora’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nexus-sfbay.com/schedule\">Nexus: SF/Bay Area Black Art Week\u003c/a> on Oct. 4 and 5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With all she has brewing, Conway is especially excited for the trip to Europe. She’ll be one of 600 artists from all over the world, and the only Black woman from the U.S., showing art that aligns with this year’s theme of “Light and Darkness.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The concept, says Conway, is open to interpretation. Which is ideal, as her work doesn’t exactly embrace darkness — at least not at first glance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981743\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981743\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1.jpg\" alt=\"A colorful painting of four women on a black background. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1-160x205.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1-768x983.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1-1200x1536.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-1-1600x2048.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tiffany Conway, ‘Girls Dem,’ 2023. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Conway’s oil-based paintings are full of electric blues and pastel pinks that accent her brown-skinned characters. She often places her subjects in natural landscapes, and adorns them with floral designs. “You can look at my work and see that it’s very colorful,” she says, “and that is to imply a sense of joy.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, she clarifies, those bright colors come from darkness, literally and figuratively.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When she’s painting, Conway does a color test to ensure her colors are balanced. “I usually do that by taking a picture of the painting, and then changing the filter to black and white or gray scale,” she explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Balancing the bliss of illumination with the heft of the shadows is a theme that’s ingrained in Conway’s art before paint even touches the canvas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I work with the idea of transmuting grief to joy,” says the Richmond-based painter. It’s her way of cultivating her own world, based on “the memory and history of the Black experience, primarily the Black American experience,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The goal of my work is to express and get to a place of joy. And I do that by using the Black body as a vehicle, and also using color as a form of language.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981744\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981744\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in a yellow dress shirt, green and orange colored tie and blue jeans, stands in a room surrounded by her paintings. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"1991\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5-160x159.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5-768x765.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-5-1536x1529.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tiffany Conway, a self-taught visual artist from the Bay Area, paints images of Black folks, utilizing floral patterns and bright colors. \u003ccite>(Patanisha Alia Williams)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Conway has been painting for over 15 years. Aside from a few classes at Academy of Art University, and a couple of community college courses in the East Bay, she’s largely self-taught. “My style,” she says, “was kind of cultivated over the years, and I really locked in about five years ago at the beginning of the pandemic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the past few years Conway’s work has been part of a traveling art fair, which introduced her artwork to the people connected to the Florence Biennale.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Honored to be part of the forthcoming exhibition, Conway is clear that external validation isn’t a necessity, but it does give her some reassurance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me,” says Conway, “it is really just confirmation that I’m on the right path.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981745\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1905px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981745\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A portrait painting of an African American man in a blue shirt with a few flowers scattered throughout his hair. \" width=\"1905\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-scaled.jpg 1905w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-160x215.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-768x1032.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-1143x1536.jpg 1143w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Tiffany-Conway-4-1524x2048.jpg 1524w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1905px) 100vw, 1905px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tiffany Conway, ‘Vermillion,’ 2022. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the artist)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She reflects on the number of artists who’ve stepped away from their craft due to social pressures and financial burdens, adding that she, too, has thought about hanging up the paint brush. “So, having this opportunity come to me in this crazy time that we’re living in,” she says, “it just really feels like… this is meant to be, and this is the correct path for me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Conway will be in Florence from Oct. 18–26, and is looking forward to expanding her global reach, connecting with gallerists and curators from the across the map and showing the world what she’s made of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It gives me the opportunity to shine brighter,” says Conway.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Tiffany Conway hosts a pop-up event at \u003ca href=\"https://www.thefactorybar.net/events/2025/9/20/rejoice-pop-up-art-show-amp-live-painting-with-tiffany-conway\">The Factory Bar in Richmond\u003c/a> on Saturday, Sept. 27, and shows her work as a part of the Musuem of the African Diaspora’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.nexus-sfbay.com/schedule\">Nexus: SF/Bay Area Black Art Week\u003c/a> on Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "fijiana-welcome-to-the-bay-indo-fijian-rap-video",
"title": "Fijiana’s ‘Welcome to the Bay’ Sparks Questions About Our Cultural Melting Pot",
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"headTitle": "Fijiana’s ‘Welcome to the Bay’ Sparks Questions About Our Cultural Melting Pot | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Where else but the Bay Area can you find some authentic Indo-Fijian slap?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13911398/rightnowish-pallavi-aka-fijiana-rapper-hindi-sexuality\">Richmond rapper Fijiana\u003c/a> dropped “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqLdpgeM1ac\">Welcome to The Bay\u003c/a>,” a track pairing that distinct Bay Area flavor with sounds from the Indian diaspora, including traditional flutes like the shehnai and the bansuri.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over 808 kicks and persistent hi-hats, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/iamfijiana/\">Fijiana\u003c/a> raps about “going 80 on the 80” from Richmond to Oakland alongside references to dharma and bindis. She even raps a few bars in Fiji Hindi.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the video for “Welcome to the Bay,” Fijiana stops by immigrant-owned markets in Richmond before pulling up on the homies at Lake Merritt. Later, she hangs out the window of a BMW doing donuts near the historic 16th Street Station in West Oakland, a Fijian flag proudly waving from the vehicle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981077\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13981077\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14%E2%80%AFAM-2000x1363.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1363\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-2000x1363.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-160x109.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-768x523.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-1536x1047.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-2048x1395.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fijiana’s ’Welcome to the Bay’ video features artists, landmarks and local community members. It’s an ode to Fijiana’s Bay Area circles. \u003ccite>(Heaathh/Erik Saevi)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It feels so good that people are connecting to this piece,” Fijiana tells me, reflecting on the video’s overwhelming response. “I almost, like, can’t even believe it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Directed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/heath.visuals/\">Heaathh\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eriksaevi/\">Erik Saevi\u003c/a> (with creative direction from Fijiana and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/riya.xx/\">Riya Saloni\u003c/a>), “Welcome to the Bay” keeps racking up tens of thousands of views on \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqLdpgeM1ac\">YouTube\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOJdE_uCZrp/\">Instagram\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@iamfijiana/video/7545176804068314423?lang=en\">TikTok\u003c/a>, earning praise locally and abroad. And at the same time, it’s added to the longstanding conversation about hip-hop, cross-cultural connections and appropriation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The song’s success has also offered a glimpse into what goes into making a viral hit. There’s been a genuine wave of support for “Welcome to the Bay,” notably from other Bay Area artists like Keak Da Sneak, IamSu! and Capolow. Yet Fijiana and her team’s savvy social media work has also added to the hype: She posted a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOOVChYEcWc/\">doctored meme\u003c/a> that makes it look as if \u003ca href=\"https://www.twitch.tv/kaicenat\">famed streamer Kai Cenat\u003c/a> reacted to the song. (The clip is actually of him listening to a\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/egpSUBiBPy8?si=Iotj6wm5KVIJto17&t=159\"> Jackboys track\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqLdpgeM1ac\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like anything that gets a lot of attention online, the comment section adds another layer to the story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One commenter, also Indo-Fijian, was close to tears, thinking about how “Welcome to the Bay” is helping spread the Fiji Hindi language to all corners of the world. “That really hit me,” says Fijiana, “because it made me very aware that what I’m doing for my people is so important.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet the multiculturalism of the Bay is not without its tension. More than one commenter took Fijiana to task, accusing her of appropriating Black culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fijiana says she understands that Black people are tired of others constantly taking from their creations. She noted in the comments (and in our interview) that at the start of the video she wears a shirt explicitly stating, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOUACZUkhu7/\">Bay Area Culture Is Black Culture\u003c/a>.” [aside postid='arts_13980855']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The song is reflective of her life experience, which includes a mixture of cultural influences, she says. With that, she acknowledges that some people may never accept a Fijian woman of South Asian descent who was raised in close proximity to Richmond’s Black community. She’s learned to be OK with that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Being an immigrant in this country,” she says, “we do grow up in these spaces. I’m actually more around American things than I am of my cultural things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fijiana has faced criticism in the past, albeit it was from the other side of the metaphorical cultural aisle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13911398/rightnowish-pallavi-aka-fijiana-rapper-hindi-sexuality\">In an interview with me in 2022\u003c/a>, she acknowledged some people of the Indian diaspora were perturbed about the sexuality in her video for “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl97qCiK7Bs\">Sanskari Hoe\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even then she discussed growing up in a predominantly Black and Latino community — and the delicate balance she has to strike between her heritage and surrounding influences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981082\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1542px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981082\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1542\" height=\"1546\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi.jpg 1542w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi-768x770.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi-1532x1536.jpg 1532w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1542px) 100vw, 1542px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Richmond rapper Fijiana wears a ‘Numbers’ jersey from the Organic Midnight brand by San Francisco rapper Larry June, and poses on a Harley Davidson motorcycle at Oakland’s Lake Merritt in a scene from ‘Welcome to the Bay.’ \u003ccite>(Heath Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In her latest video, her attempt to effectively depict this cultural intersection pushed Fijiana to call in a second videographer by the name of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/oadayday/?hl=en\">Oaday Day\u003c/a> for a few final, important touches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We wanted to tell the story of what the Bay Area means to us, what it means to an Indo-Fijian girl, what is means to an immigrant girl in this community,” she says. “And we wanted to showcase some of our elders in the community and how dope they are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The video features Richmond’s Palm Market, Aliyah Jewelry and Apna Foods. At one point, a clerk counts money as Fijiana posts up on the counter. In another, Fijiana lays on bags of rice while she recites her bars. The shots of community extend flawlessly to include other Bay Area artists, as images of rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/7namez/\">7Namez\u003c/a>, producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kontrabandbeatz/\">Kontraband Beatz,\u003c/a> model \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kier.aaa/\">Kiera\u003c/a>, photographer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/been.milky/\">Been Milky\u003c/a> and others fill the screen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981262\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13981262\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-2000x3018.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in a blue top and high heels squats as she's photographed in a candid pose. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"3018\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-2000x3018.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-160x241.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-768x1159.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-1018x1536.jpg 1018w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-1357x2048.jpg 1357w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-scaled.jpg 1697w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Behind the scenes at Fijiana’s “Welcome to The Bay” video shoot. \u003ccite>(Been Milky)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This video is so special, because it was \u003cem>so\u003c/em> community,” Fijiana says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to a scene in the video where a friend applies oil to Fijiana’s hair, one viewer, a Black woman, wrote, “It’s the Amla oil for me,” showing that certain personal items can have cross-cultural significance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As a Desi person,” Fijiana says, “Amla oil is an important part of the culture.” Having your hair oiled weekly is a custom, she says: “Our elders do it for us, and our sisters.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the video, the woman oiling Fijiana’s hair is \u003ca href=\"https://www.backstage.com/u/raven-mapanao/\">Raven Mapanao\u003c/a>, a model, actress and close friend of Fijiana’s. The clip is symbolic, Fijiana explains, as last year while Fijiana was in the hospital Mapanao would regularly visit and oil her hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13911398'] For six months a life-threatening autoimmune disease caused the rapper intense mobility issues and concerns of organ failure. “I fought through it, somehow I made it,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While her hair gets oiled and the BMW gets sideways behind her in the video, Fijiana wears a tan knee pad and beige hand bandage, representative of the scars of last year. The scene is a celebration of the fact that she \u003cem>can\u003c/em> move.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s something about going through something like that,” she says, “as unfortunate as it is, I really think it brought me closer to myself, my art and my intention in a way that I don’t think I’ve ever felt.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She cracks up while thinking about the song’s producer, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yoshubmusic/\">a guy named Shub\u003c/a> who she met on YouTube. “He’s just some person, chillin’ at his house in India,” she says with a laugh, thinking about the song’s sudden success. “He’s also probably trippin’, like ‘What’s going on?’ This is poppin’ for both of us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With additional singles on the way ahead of a forthcoming album, Fijiana says there’s more where “Welcome to The Bay” came from.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Through each song, through each single, through each visual,” she says, “I’m trying to let people come into this world of Fijiana.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Where else but the Bay Area can you find some authentic Indo-Fijian slap?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last week, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13911398/rightnowish-pallavi-aka-fijiana-rapper-hindi-sexuality\">Richmond rapper Fijiana\u003c/a> dropped “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqLdpgeM1ac\">Welcome to The Bay\u003c/a>,” a track pairing that distinct Bay Area flavor with sounds from the Indian diaspora, including traditional flutes like the shehnai and the bansuri.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over 808 kicks and persistent hi-hats, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/iamfijiana/\">Fijiana\u003c/a> raps about “going 80 on the 80” from Richmond to Oakland alongside references to dharma and bindis. She even raps a few bars in Fiji Hindi.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the video for “Welcome to the Bay,” Fijiana stops by immigrant-owned markets in Richmond before pulling up on the homies at Lake Merritt. Later, she hangs out the window of a BMW doing donuts near the historic 16th Street Station in West Oakland, a Fijian flag proudly waving from the vehicle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981077\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13981077\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14%E2%80%AFAM-2000x1363.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1363\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-2000x1363.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-160x109.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-768x523.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-1536x1047.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-04-at-10.10.14 AM-2048x1395.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fijiana’s ’Welcome to the Bay’ video features artists, landmarks and local community members. It’s an ode to Fijiana’s Bay Area circles. \u003ccite>(Heaathh/Erik Saevi)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It feels so good that people are connecting to this piece,” Fijiana tells me, reflecting on the video’s overwhelming response. “I almost, like, can’t even believe it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Directed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/heath.visuals/\">Heaathh\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/eriksaevi/\">Erik Saevi\u003c/a> (with creative direction from Fijiana and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/riya.xx/\">Riya Saloni\u003c/a>), “Welcome to the Bay” keeps racking up tens of thousands of views on \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqLdpgeM1ac\">YouTube\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOJdE_uCZrp/\">Instagram\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@iamfijiana/video/7545176804068314423?lang=en\">TikTok\u003c/a>, earning praise locally and abroad. And at the same time, it’s added to the longstanding conversation about hip-hop, cross-cultural connections and appropriation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The song’s success has also offered a glimpse into what goes into making a viral hit. There’s been a genuine wave of support for “Welcome to the Bay,” notably from other Bay Area artists like Keak Da Sneak, IamSu! and Capolow. Yet Fijiana and her team’s savvy social media work has also added to the hype: She posted a \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOOVChYEcWc/\">doctored meme\u003c/a> that makes it look as if \u003ca href=\"https://www.twitch.tv/kaicenat\">famed streamer Kai Cenat\u003c/a> reacted to the song. (The clip is actually of him listening to a\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/egpSUBiBPy8?si=Iotj6wm5KVIJto17&t=159\"> Jackboys track\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/qqLdpgeM1ac'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/qqLdpgeM1ac'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Like anything that gets a lot of attention online, the comment section adds another layer to the story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One commenter, also Indo-Fijian, was close to tears, thinking about how “Welcome to the Bay” is helping spread the Fiji Hindi language to all corners of the world. “That really hit me,” says Fijiana, “because it made me very aware that what I’m doing for my people is so important.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yet the multiculturalism of the Bay is not without its tension. More than one commenter took Fijiana to task, accusing her of appropriating Black culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fijiana says she understands that Black people are tired of others constantly taking from their creations. She noted in the comments (and in our interview) that at the start of the video she wears a shirt explicitly stating, “\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DOUACZUkhu7/\">Bay Area Culture Is Black Culture\u003c/a>.” \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The song is reflective of her life experience, which includes a mixture of cultural influences, she says. With that, she acknowledges that some people may never accept a Fijian woman of South Asian descent who was raised in close proximity to Richmond’s Black community. She’s learned to be OK with that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Being an immigrant in this country,” she says, “we do grow up in these spaces. I’m actually more around American things than I am of my cultural things.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fijiana has faced criticism in the past, albeit it was from the other side of the metaphorical cultural aisle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13911398/rightnowish-pallavi-aka-fijiana-rapper-hindi-sexuality\">In an interview with me in 2022\u003c/a>, she acknowledged some people of the Indian diaspora were perturbed about the sexuality in her video for “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl97qCiK7Bs\">Sanskari Hoe\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even then she discussed growing up in a predominantly Black and Latino community — and the delicate balance she has to strike between her heritage and surrounding influences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981082\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1542px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13981082\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1542\" height=\"1546\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi.jpg 1542w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi-160x160.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi-768x770.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana.JuliaFairbrother.HeathPhotography.ErikSaevi-1532x1536.jpg 1532w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1542px) 100vw, 1542px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Richmond rapper Fijiana wears a ‘Numbers’ jersey from the Organic Midnight brand by San Francisco rapper Larry June, and poses on a Harley Davidson motorcycle at Oakland’s Lake Merritt in a scene from ‘Welcome to the Bay.’ \u003ccite>(Heath Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In her latest video, her attempt to effectively depict this cultural intersection pushed Fijiana to call in a second videographer by the name of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/oadayday/?hl=en\">Oaday Day\u003c/a> for a few final, important touches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We wanted to tell the story of what the Bay Area means to us, what it means to an Indo-Fijian girl, what is means to an immigrant girl in this community,” she says. “And we wanted to showcase some of our elders in the community and how dope they are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The video features Richmond’s Palm Market, Aliyah Jewelry and Apna Foods. At one point, a clerk counts money as Fijiana posts up on the counter. In another, Fijiana lays on bags of rice while she recites her bars. The shots of community extend flawlessly to include other Bay Area artists, as images of rapper \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/7namez/\">7Namez\u003c/a>, producer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kontrabandbeatz/\">Kontraband Beatz,\u003c/a> model \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kier.aaa/\">Kiera\u003c/a>, photographer \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/been.milky/\">Been Milky\u003c/a> and others fill the screen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13981262\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13981262\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-2000x3018.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in a blue top and high heels squats as she's photographed in a candid pose. \" width=\"2000\" height=\"3018\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-2000x3018.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-160x241.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-768x1159.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-1018x1536.jpg 1018w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-1357x2048.jpg 1357w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/Fijiana-Pose-scaled.jpg 1697w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Behind the scenes at Fijiana’s “Welcome to The Bay” video shoot. \u003ccite>(Been Milky)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This video is so special, because it was \u003cem>so\u003c/em> community,” Fijiana says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to a scene in the video where a friend applies oil to Fijiana’s hair, one viewer, a Black woman, wrote, “It’s the Amla oil for me,” showing that certain personal items can have cross-cultural significance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As a Desi person,” Fijiana says, “Amla oil is an important part of the culture.” Having your hair oiled weekly is a custom, she says: “Our elders do it for us, and our sisters.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the video, the woman oiling Fijiana’s hair is \u003ca href=\"https://www.backstage.com/u/raven-mapanao/\">Raven Mapanao\u003c/a>, a model, actress and close friend of Fijiana’s. The clip is symbolic, Fijiana explains, as last year while Fijiana was in the hospital Mapanao would regularly visit and oil her hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> For six months a life-threatening autoimmune disease caused the rapper intense mobility issues and concerns of organ failure. “I fought through it, somehow I made it,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While her hair gets oiled and the BMW gets sideways behind her in the video, Fijiana wears a tan knee pad and beige hand bandage, representative of the scars of last year. The scene is a celebration of the fact that she \u003cem>can\u003c/em> move.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s something about going through something like that,” she says, “as unfortunate as it is, I really think it brought me closer to myself, my art and my intention in a way that I don’t think I’ve ever felt.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She cracks up while thinking about the song’s producer, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yoshubmusic/\">a guy named Shub\u003c/a> who she met on YouTube. “He’s just some person, chillin’ at his house in India,” she says with a laugh, thinking about the song’s sudden success. “He’s also probably trippin’, like ‘What’s going on?’ This is poppin’ for both of us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With additional singles on the way ahead of a forthcoming album, Fijiana says there’s more where “Welcome to The Bay” came from.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Spirituality and religion aren’t readily mentioned when discussing Bay Area hip-hop, but they’ve been present since the start.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the ’80s, Too Short rapped that his city “couldn’t be saved by John The Pope.” The decade after, Richie Rich suggested that “if you’re scared, go to church.” The Jacka quoted the Quran in his early 2000s lyrics, Kamaiyah praised God in her uptempo party songs in the 2010s, and three years ago, Rexx Life Raj dropped an album called \u003cem>The Blue Hour\u003c/em> about his path to spiritual enlightenment after the passing of his parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s just that the Bay’s belief in a higher power is often shrouded by heavy bass lines and lyrical game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13972539']The music of Richmond artist King NTG is more directly devoted to the Lord. His latest album \u003cem>Salvation\u003c/em> dropped March 16, a nod to the Bible scripture John 3:16.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lyrically uplifting without being preachy or condescending, \u003cem>Salvation\u003c/em> retains the mobb and hyphy energy of Bay Area rap, complete with wisdom-filled-wordplay. And it’s clearly made with God at the center of it all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Took out all the curse words, so I ain’t curing it / Entering my new reign, fully immersed in it,” King NTG raps on the track “No Industry Friends” — as a summation of this project and a window into where he is artistically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13973399\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13973399 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A side profile of a man in glasses overlooking the ocean.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-1920x2880.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">King NTG shares his testimony on his latest album ‘Salvation’ in hopes to reach those who need some inspiration. \u003ccite>(NOBL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Throughout the album, King NTG, formerly known as Nio The Gift, tells how he found his personal salvation. After experiencing a taste of rap stardom at a young age, living the fast life came to a slow end. He soon learned to focus on family, mentorship and God, and came back to hip-hop to share his blessings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2006, just after \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/china-nixes-jay-z-concert-over-vulgar-language-1.626571\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">China’s Ministry of Culture banned Jay-Z\u003c/a> from performing in the country, a young Nio The Gift got the green light to perform and distribute his music \u003ca href=\"https://www.xxlmag.com/the-break-presents-nio-tha-gift/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in the Chinese providence of Guangzhou\u003c/a>; the first independent hip-hop artist from the U.S. to do so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13972732']“I got back from China,” King NTG tells me during a recent phone call, “and I hit the ground running … people started to find out what I had done internationally before I was even local.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He dropped a series of projects, including his 2009 album \u003cem>H.I.P.H.O.P. (Here I Present a Hero of Poverty)\u003c/em> and the 2010 album \u003cem>Super Hero\u003c/em>. He worked with rising West Coast rappers of the era, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmjBXy3C3YE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fresno’s Fashawn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://soundcloud.com/thethizzler/erk-tha-jerk-x-symba-x-nio-tha-gift-magic-spell-prod-smka-thizzlercom?in=gabe-rein/sets/true-lyf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Richmond’s Erk Tha Jerk, Antioch’s Symba\u003c/a> and Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8zIAC3yDVI\">Mistah F.A.B.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was the young gun on the scene,” he recalls of his early 20s. “I was getting so much love from everybody who was out there.” And then life started to catch up with him. “I was still kind of one-foot-in, one-foot-out of good and bad decisions in my life,” he reflects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roCrwaDzaDA\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the birth of his first son, King NTG was still trying to figure out life, let alone a music career. “And, you know,” he says with an exhale, “that was when things started to kind of slow down and take a turn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Violence and murder in his hometown of Richmond \u003ca href=\"https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/us/ca/richmond/murder-homicide-rate-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">spiked in 2007 and 2009\u003c/a>, and rapping was a way out. He began feeling the pressure to succeed as a hip-hop artist. His name was ringing bells, but funding a rap career is expensive business.\u003ci>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The studio time costs, beats cost, you got to print up CDs,” he says. “When you find out that music and pursuing your dreams comes with a cost, you start hustling a little bit harder.” He even titled his 2012 album \u003cem>The Hustler’s Spirit\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as Nio the Gift, he realized that no matter how hard he hustled, it wasn’t working. So he backed away from rapping and, discouraged and depressed, returned to the proverbial drawing board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to come back evolved, I wanted to grow,” he says of his personal reassessment. “Nio tha Gift is one person, but \u003cem>who am I\u003c/em>?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13973400\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13973400 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up of a man's tattooed hands, clasped together. \" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">King NTG has “God is real” tattooed on his right hand and “Real is God” on his left. \u003ccite>(NOBL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He got married and expanded his family, started coaching youth basketball and began mentoring young men in group homes. “I could identify with their struggle,” he attests. “I could identify with what it felt like to take chances, to be exposed to violence, to participate in violence, to grow from those things, learn from those things. And, you know, I turned my life completely around.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the new song “Not For Sale” (featuring \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/champgreen/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Champ Green\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/imdbledsoe/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">D. Bledsoe\u003c/a>), King NTG raps, “Neon in my aura, treating life like mi amor/ era of my second prime, like I’m Deion and Shedeur.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s one of a few instances where he references the transition he’s made, and what he’s doing with his newfound perspective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqjxRplc70s\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The clearest examples are the songs “Living My Truth” (Part 1 and Part 2), as well as “Flowers,” in which he discusses dealing with pistols, broken romantic relationships and emerging from the shadow of his brother, former NBA player \u003ca href=\"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/goodedr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Drew Gooden\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over production from Ekzakt, F1rst Class, The Mekanix and Vidal Garcia, the album features vocalists \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/two14rr/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Two14\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/semioddo/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yung Semi\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/gabbyrose_music/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gabby Rose\u003c/a>. There’s verses from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/manidraper/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mani Draper\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/firstnameian/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tcarriermusic/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">T. Carriér,\u003c/a> and even some bars from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thejankgod/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">B*Janky\u003c/a> of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/officialtrunkboiz/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trunk Boiz\u003c/a> on the hyphy era retrospective “You Had To Be There.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In “One Life,” featuring \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/4rax_of_themekanix/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4 rAx of The Mekanix\u003c/a>, King NTG speaks about a constant theme in his work: being a super hero.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My gift has always been to be light in darkness,” he says. “To instill hope in people that seemed hopeless, and to inspire.” Noting that his mission is just to reach one person, he dreams aloud and says, “Imagine God greeting me with ‘Job well done.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13973310\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13973310\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A silhouette image of a man standing with his arms spread, overlooking a big body of water on a sunny day.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">King NTG’s latest album ‘Salvation’ is out now. \u003ccite>(NOBL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Between the album’s 15 songs are three interludes that feature \u003ca href=\"https://tyroncarter.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pastor Tyron Carter\u003c/a>, a childhood friend of King NTG. The two were born a month apart — they grew up in the same city, went to the same school, played on the same basketball team and had the same struggles, but took two different paths in life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In high school, the friends separated as King NTG moved. While Carter went to college, King NTG pursued a rap career funded by the streets. The two reconnected as adults when Carter invited King NTG to be a witness for his wedding. (Years later, King NTG would invite Carter to be the officiant at his own wedding.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through this reconnection King NTG was reintroduced to the word of God. Inviting the pastor to participate in the album was less about repaying a personal debt and more about the listener: “If the people can’t make it to church, I want church to come to the people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In talking with King NTG, and listening to \u003cem>Salvation\u003c/em>, one thing becomes clear: his spiritual path isn’t a solo sojourn, but something he’s done with the support of others, and he’s taken that momentum to reach the next generation of those who need inspiration.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Spirituality and religion aren’t readily mentioned when discussing Bay Area hip-hop, but they’ve been present since the start.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the ’80s, Too Short rapped that his city “couldn’t be saved by John The Pope.” The decade after, Richie Rich suggested that “if you’re scared, go to church.” The Jacka quoted the Quran in his early 2000s lyrics, Kamaiyah praised God in her uptempo party songs in the 2010s, and three years ago, Rexx Life Raj dropped an album called \u003cem>The Blue Hour\u003c/em> about his path to spiritual enlightenment after the passing of his parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s just that the Bay’s belief in a higher power is often shrouded by heavy bass lines and lyrical game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The music of Richmond artist King NTG is more directly devoted to the Lord. His latest album \u003cem>Salvation\u003c/em> dropped March 16, a nod to the Bible scripture John 3:16.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lyrically uplifting without being preachy or condescending, \u003cem>Salvation\u003c/em> retains the mobb and hyphy energy of Bay Area rap, complete with wisdom-filled-wordplay. And it’s clearly made with God at the center of it all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Took out all the curse words, so I ain’t curing it / Entering my new reign, fully immersed in it,” King NTG raps on the track “No Industry Friends” — as a summation of this project and a window into where he is artistically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13973399\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13973399 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A side profile of a man in glasses overlooking the ocean.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/xYg8hmfB-1920x2880.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">King NTG shares his testimony on his latest album ‘Salvation’ in hopes to reach those who need some inspiration. \u003ccite>(NOBL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Throughout the album, King NTG, formerly known as Nio The Gift, tells how he found his personal salvation. After experiencing a taste of rap stardom at a young age, living the fast life came to a slow end. He soon learned to focus on family, mentorship and God, and came back to hip-hop to share his blessings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2006, just after \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/china-nixes-jay-z-concert-over-vulgar-language-1.626571\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">China’s Ministry of Culture banned Jay-Z\u003c/a> from performing in the country, a young Nio The Gift got the green light to perform and distribute his music \u003ca href=\"https://www.xxlmag.com/the-break-presents-nio-tha-gift/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">in the Chinese providence of Guangzhou\u003c/a>; the first independent hip-hop artist from the U.S. to do so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“I got back from China,” King NTG tells me during a recent phone call, “and I hit the ground running … people started to find out what I had done internationally before I was even local.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He dropped a series of projects, including his 2009 album \u003cem>H.I.P.H.O.P. (Here I Present a Hero of Poverty)\u003c/em> and the 2010 album \u003cem>Super Hero\u003c/em>. He worked with rising West Coast rappers of the era, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmjBXy3C3YE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fresno’s Fashawn\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://soundcloud.com/thethizzler/erk-tha-jerk-x-symba-x-nio-tha-gift-magic-spell-prod-smka-thizzlercom?in=gabe-rein/sets/true-lyf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Richmond’s Erk Tha Jerk, Antioch’s Symba\u003c/a> and Oakland’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8zIAC3yDVI\">Mistah F.A.B.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was the young gun on the scene,” he recalls of his early 20s. “I was getting so much love from everybody who was out there.” And then life started to catch up with him. “I was still kind of one-foot-in, one-foot-out of good and bad decisions in my life,” he reflects.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/roCrwaDzaDA'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/roCrwaDzaDA'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>After the birth of his first son, King NTG was still trying to figure out life, let alone a music career. “And, you know,” he says with an exhale, “that was when things started to kind of slow down and take a turn.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Violence and murder in his hometown of Richmond \u003ca href=\"https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/cities/us/ca/richmond/murder-homicide-rate-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">spiked in 2007 and 2009\u003c/a>, and rapping was a way out. He began feeling the pressure to succeed as a hip-hop artist. His name was ringing bells, but funding a rap career is expensive business.\u003ci>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The studio time costs, beats cost, you got to print up CDs,” he says. “When you find out that music and pursuing your dreams comes with a cost, you start hustling a little bit harder.” He even titled his 2012 album \u003cem>The Hustler’s Spirit\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as Nio the Gift, he realized that no matter how hard he hustled, it wasn’t working. So he backed away from rapping and, discouraged and depressed, returned to the proverbial drawing board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wanted to come back evolved, I wanted to grow,” he says of his personal reassessment. “Nio tha Gift is one person, but \u003cem>who am I\u003c/em>?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13973400\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13973400 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up of a man's tattooed hands, clasped together. \" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tHDKr6vm-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">King NTG has “God is real” tattooed on his right hand and “Real is God” on his left. \u003ccite>(NOBL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He got married and expanded his family, started coaching youth basketball and began mentoring young men in group homes. “I could identify with their struggle,” he attests. “I could identify with what it felt like to take chances, to be exposed to violence, to participate in violence, to grow from those things, learn from those things. And, you know, I turned my life completely around.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the new song “Not For Sale” (featuring \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/champgreen/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Champ Green\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/imdbledsoe/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">D. Bledsoe\u003c/a>), King NTG raps, “Neon in my aura, treating life like mi amor/ era of my second prime, like I’m Deion and Shedeur.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s one of a few instances where he references the transition he’s made, and what he’s doing with his newfound perspective.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/lqjxRplc70s'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/lqjxRplc70s'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>The clearest examples are the songs “Living My Truth” (Part 1 and Part 2), as well as “Flowers,” in which he discusses dealing with pistols, broken romantic relationships and emerging from the shadow of his brother, former NBA player \u003ca href=\"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/goodedr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Drew Gooden\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over production from Ekzakt, F1rst Class, The Mekanix and Vidal Garcia, the album features vocalists \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/two14rr/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Two14\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/semioddo/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yung Semi\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/gabbyrose_music/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gabby Rose\u003c/a>. There’s verses from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/manidraper/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mani Draper\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/firstnameian/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ian Kelly\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/tcarriermusic/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">T. Carriér,\u003c/a> and even some bars from \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thejankgod/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">B*Janky\u003c/a> of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/officialtrunkboiz/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trunk Boiz\u003c/a> on the hyphy era retrospective “You Had To Be There.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In “One Life,” featuring \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/4rax_of_themekanix/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4 rAx of The Mekanix\u003c/a>, King NTG speaks about a constant theme in his work: being a super hero.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My gift has always been to be light in darkness,” he says. “To instill hope in people that seemed hopeless, and to inspire.” Noting that his mission is just to reach one person, he dreams aloud and says, “Imagine God greeting me with ‘Job well done.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13973310\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13973310\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A silhouette image of a man standing with his arms spread, overlooking a big body of water on a sunny day.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/DSCF7231Ivan_-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">King NTG’s latest album ‘Salvation’ is out now. \u003ccite>(NOBL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Between the album’s 15 songs are three interludes that feature \u003ca href=\"https://tyroncarter.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pastor Tyron Carter\u003c/a>, a childhood friend of King NTG. The two were born a month apart — they grew up in the same city, went to the same school, played on the same basketball team and had the same struggles, but took two different paths in life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In high school, the friends separated as King NTG moved. While Carter went to college, King NTG pursued a rap career funded by the streets. The two reconnected as adults when Carter invited King NTG to be a witness for his wedding. (Years later, King NTG would invite Carter to be the officiant at his own wedding.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through this reconnection King NTG was reintroduced to the word of God. Inviting the pastor to participate in the album was less about repaying a personal debt and more about the listener: “If the people can’t make it to church, I want church to come to the people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In talking with King NTG, and listening to \u003cem>Salvation\u003c/em>, one thing becomes clear: his spiritual path isn’t a solo sojourn, but something he’s done with the support of others, and he’s taken that momentum to reach the next generation of those who need inspiration.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Life Happened. Richmond’s Mani Draper Chose How to React.",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/manidraper/\">Mani Draper\u003c/a>, a rapper, DJ and producer from Richmond, is the embodiment of that old saying, “You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you react.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On his late 2024 project \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/05W3z5ghO4Z8ceGLXyhPR6\">\u003ci>Winning Formxla\u003c/i>\u003c/a> (produced by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/stevenanderson_art/\">Steven King\u003c/a>), the lyricist poetically illustrates his urge to make it as a rapper in the Bay Area while navigating all that life throws at him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the song “\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/track/5llrSHYS6oFoFDzt0C62tB?si=bbdb9991f99e415d\">Stones Throw\u003c/a>,” he raps, “In spite of everything I lost and what its cost / I can say its been a good year.” The drums on the track fade, giving room to clearly hear his final adlib: “I love you dad.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUeDryZbQgQ\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Draper’s father passed away last May, leaving the artist in a state of mourning. Ever since, Draper has been on a mission to use his pain to build, not destroy. And despite the death of his father, his own health conditions and a case of possible artistic infringement, Draper has held tight to how he’s chosen to react.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month he returned with another album, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/2tn7HHSseYxNjd3RMLCmBF\">\u003cem>blxckmxrket\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Produced by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/heirmaxjordan?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">Heirmax Jordan\u003c/a>, the album is a byproduct of the mourning process, Draper says — the celebration that comes after the tears.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On standout track “Winner Is…,” there’s a cold beat switch halfway through the song, during which Draper recites a mini-mantra, “Keep going, tell them to meet you at the top / Plot big, lock in, give it to God.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the track transitions, Draper, a member of the East Bay-based Grand Nationxl crew, addresses an elephant that’s been in the room since late last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13972658\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Man in green hat and white football jersey poses for a photo.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13972658\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-1920x2880.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mani Draper pauses for a photo while on the set of a recent video shoot. \u003ccite>(Jonel Seon)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Kenny came and took the name, swear for God he did / Beat the block with a Ginger Ale, only God know where the body is,” raps Draper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November, Kendrick Lamar dropped an album titled \u003cem>GNX\u003c/em>, inspired by the Buick Grand National automobile. For the past half-decade, Draper’s been a part of a collective named after that same vehicle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the album dropped Draper says the crew had mixed emotions. Personally, he felt “a cloud of disappointment for a few days in the region.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was getting calls and texts, but no one was saying anything publicly. “Like, dog, you make a post about everything else,” he says. “You could totally just make a post about that. Why the fuck are you on my phone?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after a call his from his mother, he found a more constructive response. “The biggest rapper in the world is aligned with the shit that we on,” Draper says, happy to be sharing the same sentiment. “No matter how big you are, no matter how rich you are, where we come from, it don’t get no more lit than a GN.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OHNGAfWKOs&\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dispelling any notions of appropriation by Lamar or Los Angeles-based artists, Draper elaborates on his “die-hard” love for L.A., noting deep family connections and annual trips to the Garment District for school shopping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The soundtrack to those trips, Draper reflects, were CDs he’d purchase from the Slauson swap meet. “You’re slapping that shit all the way back to the Bay,” he remembers, “and you didn’t even know it was \u003cem>Bullets Ain’t Got No Name\u003c/em>,” referring to the 2008 mixtape from the late Nipsey Hussle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, the experience of seeing Lamar’s rise and the use of the “Grand National” title encouraged Draper to be even more proud of the work he’s working on. And make no mistakes, \u003cem>he’s been working\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13967973']For years, Draper’s been behind the scenes, producing, writing and collaborating with the likes of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/msjanehandcock/\">Jane Handcock\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/iamsu/\">IamSu\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kvnalln/\">Kevin “Erk Tha Jerk” Allen\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It don’t get more talented than those three,” says Draper. He sees being in their proximity as a blessing, pushing him to expand his individual artistry and work as a collective. “Stay close to them, and be willing to step in the service role to help them to maximize their dreams,” Draper explains of his collaborative approach. “And then we just gon’ mob.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As team-oriented as he is, he’s clearly stepping into his own light. On his recent projects he’s rapping it into existence — with a mix of reflection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3H8bQDW1mk\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Them keloids humbled you, now you know you not Spawn,” Draper raps on one track. “Face behind my beard / couldn’t hide the keloids, can’t forget the one on my ear,” he raps on another. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I ask how he got comfortable with rapping about his keloids, which are visible on his face.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve had two surgeries at this point,” he tells me. Before one of them, a plastic surgery operation, he was advised that while it could potentially eradicate the growth, it came with the risk of having them come back bigger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The surgery worked, initially. But oddly, it was the fact that the keloids were momentarily removed that changed him the most.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13957988']In 2017, Draper took a trip to Amsterdam. While there he hit it off with a barista. When he returned to Europe a year later, after having the keloids removed, she didn’t recognize him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She’s like, ‘What did you do?’” Draper recalls being confused: “I’m like, ‘Huh?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The barista told him that the keloids are “the things that make you \u003cem>you\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was the first time he realized he had a beauty mark as opposed to a deficiency. “It fucked me up,” Draper says. “I never considered it as the thing — like, I can’t be mistaken for \u003cem>nobody\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That experience, coupled with working directly with little kids during his day job as an educator, made him choose to work on being more comfortable in his own skin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking in basketball metaphors, Draper tells me that as an artist, he had to learn how to dribble with his off-hand. “It’s that Kobe shit,” he says. “Work on your weaknesses — be obsessed with your weaknesses, and then eventually that can become your strengths.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through that commitment he’s not only grown as an artist, but as a human, and the artistic community around him has benefited because of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And especially over the past year, that dedication to growing and the results thereof constitute possibly no better way to honor the legacy of a deceased parent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m so dialed in on behalf of \u003cem>us\u003c/em>,” says Draper. “And I’m gonna make us proud every time.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/manidraper/\">Mani Draper\u003c/a>, a rapper, DJ and producer from Richmond, is the embodiment of that old saying, “You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you react.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On his late 2024 project \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/05W3z5ghO4Z8ceGLXyhPR6\">\u003ci>Winning Formxla\u003c/i>\u003c/a> (produced by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/stevenanderson_art/\">Steven King\u003c/a>), the lyricist poetically illustrates his urge to make it as a rapper in the Bay Area while navigating all that life throws at him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the song “\u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/track/5llrSHYS6oFoFDzt0C62tB?si=bbdb9991f99e415d\">Stones Throw\u003c/a>,” he raps, “In spite of everything I lost and what its cost / I can say its been a good year.” The drums on the track fade, giving room to clearly hear his final adlib: “I love you dad.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/CUeDryZbQgQ'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/CUeDryZbQgQ'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Draper’s father passed away last May, leaving the artist in a state of mourning. Ever since, Draper has been on a mission to use his pain to build, not destroy. And despite the death of his father, his own health conditions and a case of possible artistic infringement, Draper has held tight to how he’s chosen to react.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last month he returned with another album, \u003ca href=\"https://open.spotify.com/album/2tn7HHSseYxNjd3RMLCmBF\">\u003cem>blxckmxrket\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Produced by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/heirmaxjordan?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D\">Heirmax Jordan\u003c/a>, the album is a byproduct of the mourning process, Draper says — the celebration that comes after the tears.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On standout track “Winner Is…,” there’s a cold beat switch halfway through the song, during which Draper recites a mini-mantra, “Keep going, tell them to meet you at the top / Plot big, lock in, give it to God.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the track transitions, Draper, a member of the East Bay-based Grand Nationxl crew, addresses an elephant that’s been in the room since late last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13972658\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Man in green hat and white football jersey poses for a photo.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13972658\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-1020x1530.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/dscf0291-1920x2880.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mani Draper pauses for a photo while on the set of a recent video shoot. \u003ccite>(Jonel Seon)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Kenny came and took the name, swear for God he did / Beat the block with a Ginger Ale, only God know where the body is,” raps Draper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November, Kendrick Lamar dropped an album titled \u003cem>GNX\u003c/em>, inspired by the Buick Grand National automobile. For the past half-decade, Draper’s been a part of a collective named after that same vehicle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the album dropped Draper says the crew had mixed emotions. Personally, he felt “a cloud of disappointment for a few days in the region.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was getting calls and texts, but no one was saying anything publicly. “Like, dog, you make a post about everything else,” he says. “You could totally just make a post about that. Why the fuck are you on my phone?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But after a call his from his mother, he found a more constructive response. “The biggest rapper in the world is aligned with the shit that we on,” Draper says, happy to be sharing the same sentiment. “No matter how big you are, no matter how rich you are, where we come from, it don’t get no more lit than a GN.”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/4OHNGAfWKOs'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/4OHNGAfWKOs'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Dispelling any notions of appropriation by Lamar or Los Angeles-based artists, Draper elaborates on his “die-hard” love for L.A., noting deep family connections and annual trips to the Garment District for school shopping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The soundtrack to those trips, Draper reflects, were CDs he’d purchase from the Slauson swap meet. “You’re slapping that shit all the way back to the Bay,” he remembers, “and you didn’t even know it was \u003cem>Bullets Ain’t Got No Name\u003c/em>,” referring to the 2008 mixtape from the late Nipsey Hussle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, the experience of seeing Lamar’s rise and the use of the “Grand National” title encouraged Draper to be even more proud of the work he’s working on. And make no mistakes, \u003cem>he’s been working\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>For years, Draper’s been behind the scenes, producing, writing and collaborating with the likes of \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/msjanehandcock/\">Jane Handcock\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/iamsu/\">IamSu\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kvnalln/\">Kevin “Erk Tha Jerk” Allen\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It don’t get more talented than those three,” says Draper. He sees being in their proximity as a blessing, pushing him to expand his individual artistry and work as a collective. “Stay close to them, and be willing to step in the service role to help them to maximize their dreams,” Draper explains of his collaborative approach. “And then we just gon’ mob.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As team-oriented as he is, he’s clearly stepping into his own light. On his recent projects he’s rapping it into existence — with a mix of reflection.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/q3H8bQDW1mk'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/q3H8bQDW1mk'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>“Them keloids humbled you, now you know you not Spawn,” Draper raps on one track. “Face behind my beard / couldn’t hide the keloids, can’t forget the one on my ear,” he raps on another. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I ask how he got comfortable with rapping about his keloids, which are visible on his face.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve had two surgeries at this point,” he tells me. Before one of them, a plastic surgery operation, he was advised that while it could potentially eradicate the growth, it came with the risk of having them come back bigger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The surgery worked, initially. But oddly, it was the fact that the keloids were momentarily removed that changed him the most.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In 2017, Draper took a trip to Amsterdam. While there he hit it off with a barista. When he returned to Europe a year later, after having the keloids removed, she didn’t recognize him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She’s like, ‘What did you do?’” Draper recalls being confused: “I’m like, ‘Huh?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The barista told him that the keloids are “the things that make you \u003cem>you\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was the first time he realized he had a beauty mark as opposed to a deficiency. “It fucked me up,” Draper says. “I never considered it as the thing — like, I can’t be mistaken for \u003cem>nobody\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That experience, coupled with working directly with little kids during his day job as an educator, made him choose to work on being more comfortable in his own skin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking in basketball metaphors, Draper tells me that as an artist, he had to learn how to dribble with his off-hand. “It’s that Kobe shit,” he says. “Work on your weaknesses — be obsessed with your weaknesses, and then eventually that can become your strengths.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Through that commitment he’s not only grown as an artist, but as a human, and the artistic community around him has benefited because of it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And especially over the past year, that dedication to growing and the results thereof constitute possibly no better way to honor the legacy of a deceased parent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m so dialed in on behalf of \u003cem>us\u003c/em>,” says Draper. “And I’m gonna make us proud every time.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"masters-of-scale": {
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"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"morning-edition": {
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"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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},
"pbs-newshour": {
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},
"perspectives": {
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"order": 14
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
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"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
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"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"order": 5
},
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
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"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
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},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
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