You know, sometimes a place and some music just click together in a weird way. Not always like peanut butter and jelly, sometimes it’s more like pickles and ice cream. Doesn’t sound right, but you remember it.
I found myself down in Manhattan Beach a while back. Needed to get out of my own head, I guess. Walked along the sand, saw the pier, all that postcard stuff. Pretty nice, gotta admit. Lots of fancy houses up on the hill, watching the ocean. Felt a world away from other parts of LA.
So, I had my headphones on. What was I listening to? Kendrick Lamar. Yeah, kinda funny, right? Blasting something like ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ or maybe it was ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ while watching surfers in super clean, sunny Manhattan Beach. It felt…strange. His music talks about a whole different reality, a different side of Los Angeles County. Not the polished, perfect beach scene.
That Feeling On The Sand
It wasn’t exactly relaxing music for that spot. But it made me think. Here I was, trying to find some peace, looking at this kinda perfect view, but Kendrick’s lyrics are pulling you into something completely different. Complex stuff. Real stuff.
I remember thinking about some work nonsense I was trying to forget. Had this stupid disagreement with a colleague, one of those things that just eats at you. And sitting there, on this beautiful beach, listening to Kendrick… it didn’t magically solve anything. But it grounded me somehow.
- It made the perfect scenery feel less like an escape.
- It reminded me things are complicated everywhere.
- It felt more honest than putting on some chill wave stuff, you know?
Honestly, it was a weird mix. The sun, the expensive houses, the chill beach vibe, and then Kendrick’s voice in my ears talking about struggle and survival. It didn’t match, not really. But that contrast stuck with me more than if I’d just listened to the ocean.
Didn’t see Kendrick there, obviously. That wasn’t the point. It was just me, the beach, and that music. A strange afternoon, but one I actually remember clearly. Sometimes the things that don’t quite fit are the things that make you feel something real.
