This Must Be Compton

In Kendrick Lamar’s star-studded euphony video for “Not Like Us” — a diss grounds aimed astatine Canadian rapper Drake — hundreds of fans are opinionated astir nan Pulitzer Prize and Grammy victor adjacent Compton City Hall.

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As nan lively crowd turns up and dances, they rap on to nan infectious chorus.

“They not for illustration us, they not for illustration us, they not for illustration us.”

It’s a beardown sentiment that goes acold beyond nan rap beef aliases hip-hop successful general. Rather, it perfectly highlights nan tone of Compton and its people: Despite characterizations of unit successful popular civilization portrayals, nan residents of Compton shingle disconnected those misconceptions and rep their metropolis pinch pride.

“Compton’s ever been nan early for me,” Lamar said during his unexpected quality astatine Compton College’s commencement ceremony successful June, astir a period earlier nan momentous video shoot. The Compton autochthonal has agelong made nan metropolis a focal constituent successful his euphony and ocular iconography. “I deliberation we breed immoderate of nan astir unthinkable individuals, creators, intellectuals. ... I’ve traveled nan world, there’s nary spot for illustration this 1 correct here.”

For decades, Compton has fixed nan world icons and change-makers for illustration mogul Dr. Dre, tennis greats Serena and Venus Williams and character Anthony Anderson.

Located southeast of Los Angeles, Compton is known arsenic “Hub City” because it’s located almost precisely successful nan halfway of Los Angeles County. The metropolis was incorporated successful 1888 — nan eighth to do truthful successful nan county. Prior to nan 1950s, Compton was predominantly achromatic moreover arsenic Black families moved to Los Angeles from nan South, some to flight Jim Crow and successful hunt of bully manufacturing jobs. Racially restrictive lodging covenants banned Black and different nonwhite families from surviving successful desirable neighborhoods and suburbs for illustration Compton. Then successful nan 1960s, nan U.S. Supreme Court ruled that nan covenants were illegal. Black families moved into Compton and achromatic residents fled. Now, nan metropolis is mostly Latino.

Home to astir 100,000 residents, Compton is filled pinch history. Compton City Hall and Civic Center, which features a stunning memorial for Martin Luther King Jr. successful nan halfway of nan plaza, was designed by creator Gerald Gladstone successful collaboration pinch Harold L. Williams, a prolific Black designer who apprenticed nether Paul R. Williams (known for designing buildings for illustration nan Los Angeles County Courthouse and nan Beverly Hills Hotel’s Crescent Wing). Less than 1 mile from nan 91 Freeway and nan city’s downtown is nan Richland Farms neighborhood, a deep-rooted oasis for Black equestrians since nan mid-20th period and location to nan beloved Compton Cowboys. Visitors tin thrust down “Eazy Street,” which was primitively called Auto Drive South but was renamed successful 2023 to grant precocious rapper and Compton autochthonal Eazy-E, who helped put nan metropolis connected nan representation pinch his classical azygous “Boyz N nan Hood.” Head complete to East Rancho Dominguez Park to spot wherever tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams honed their skills.

But nan image galore group person of Compton is nan 1 popularized successful nan precocious 1980s and early ’90s. For decades, nan midsize metropolis of Compton struggled pinch an outsize reputation, seared into American popular civilization arsenic a spot synonymous pinch gangs, drive-by shootings and gangsta rap. Albums for illustration N.W.A’s “Straight Outta Compton” and headlines during a achy clip successful American history erstwhile nan supplier pandemic had disproportionately affected Black communities made group cautious astir nan city.

While definite problems persist, specified arsenic economical development, issues pinch rule enforcement and homelessness, nan metropolis has made important strides successful caller years, including lowering its crime rates. The translator is palpable. On Aug. 24, nan metropolis is group to big its first Compton Fest, a free arena featuring unrecorded euphony performances, sheet discussions and workshops, astatine Compton College. The taxable is “Restoring nan Pride of Compton.”

Keith Curry, nan president and CEO of Compton College, has witnessed nan changes successful Compton complete nan years. He recognizes really acold his hometown has come.

“I emotion nan organization and nan people,” he says. “I’m truthful acquainted pinch it. I cognize nan backmost streets and really to get done Compton, and truthful I conscionable consciousness astatine location each time.” As a kid, he recalls bouncing astir to his friends’ houses successful his vicinity during nan summertime while his parents were astatine work. “People connected my artifact took attraction of me. ... They kept maine retired of trouble.”

Curry adds that he has a “chip connected his shoulder” because of really immoderate group position Compton. “I ever consciousness for illustration we’re nan underdog,” he says. “It’s ever thing antagonistic associated pinch Compton and group don’t talk astir nan positives — and there’s a batch of positives.”

From section farms to family-owned restaurants, colorful murals, open-mic nights, an energetic moving nine and more, this must beryllium Compton.