Just visited Britney’s hometown of Kentwood, LA for the first time! Very weird experience.

[Alexa James]

17 hours ago, PickleSpears said:

I went late last year and I was soo nervous the whole time because it's a tiny, I mean TINY tiny little deep southern town. I just felt uncomfortable as an outsider, especially being there for Britney, and especially during the whole Free Britney movement. I went to her favorite restaurant (used to be Nyla's Burger Basket). I went to her childhood home, Serenity, and the famous Sonic lol. I went to the Kentwood Museum but it was closed even though it was listed as open. Nobody answered the phone so I didn't get to see it. Overall, I just got the vibe that everyone knew I wasn't from there and didn't love that I was there. Maybe it was in my head but it was uncomfortable. The girl that worked at Sonic was really sweet though!

My biggest takeaway was that I really couldn't believe anyone that grew up there could ever become a Hollywood star, much less one of the biggest stars in the world. It's really incredible that Britney was able to make something out of herself. There was no sign of privilege in that place except for Serenity, which she obviously built after fame. The town was full of poverty and felt like somewhere that didn't have a lot of opportunities. It really made me appreciate it even more that she came from such humbling roots and really became someone.

I agree! In spite of all the fame and success, Britney still hasn’t lost her Southern roots. I think that is because of her humble upbringing. You can tell that the town once had a strong sense of community, which fostered a deep sense of appreciation for the simple things in life. I think she frequently returns in order to reconnect with her roots and take a break from the hustle and bustle of California.

 

[Alexa James]

16 hours ago, easy said:

i don't know if she still feels at home there, i imagine she has a lot of conflicting feelings about that place. i do think she can be just a regular person there.

Yeah makes sense. It’s telling that she frequently came back at the height of her fame. There are many big celebrities who came from small towns like Kentwood. Once they left and became famous, they never returned. Ellen Degeneres, Johnny Depp, and Jennifer Lawrence are all from small southern towns and they have completely distanced themselves from that part of their lives. 

[Alexa James]

18 hours ago, queenofhearts said:

I remember her saying the nearest wal mart is about an hour away

but yeah i'm not surprised you find the town dangerous. It's located near mccomb ms and the crime in that area has spiked in recent years. I live about 2 hrs from kentwood and I know  some people that are familiar with the spears family or were even friends with Britney Growing up.  My friends's grandparents live in Mccomb MS and they say people are killing each other  over there and mccomb is right near kentwood so i'm not surprised.

I think it’s interesting that the nearest hospital to Kentwood is in Mississippi. Britney, Brian, and Jamie Lynn were all born in McComb, MS.  I’m guessing that was the closest city with a big hospital.  It’s shocking that the Spears family had to cross state lines for health care services. 
 

Also, a lot of people from Mississippi try to claim Britney because she was technically born there and completed school in McComb.  I mean she and her siblings probably went straight home to Kentwood after being born and didn’t really spend much time in Mississippi outside of school? 

[RedBloodedWoman]

28 minutes ago, Alexa James said:

I think it’s interesting that the nearest hospital to Kentwood is in Mississippi. Britney, Brian, and Jamie Lynn were all born in McComb, MS.  I’m guessing that was the closest city with a big hospital.  It’s shocking that the Spears family had to cross state lines for health care services. 
 

Also, a lot of people from Mississippi try to claim Britney because she was technically born there and completed school in McComb.  I mean she and her siblings probably went straight home to Kentwood after being born and didn’t really spend much time in Mississippi outside of school? 

McComb is like 15 minutes from Kentwood, I know a lady who used to work at a restaurant in McComb & she said the family was struggling so bad before Brit got famous Lynn couldn't tip 

[blissfuloutsider]

Not surprised at all. Thats why they all have lived off her success.. Makes me sad they couldn't just let her be herself.. Even now, the GP won't let her just be herself we all evolve and change at different times and act certain ways at certain points of our lives depending on what we're living or going through.. or feeling.. 

 

Bless her. Bless GODNEY is all I can say.

 

**** that town and her parents and family tbh... For what they've done and caused and her evil father to the day who still is on a power trip and a sick disturbed troll.

[Almost Mystical]

1 hour ago, RedBloodedWoman said:

McComb is like 15 minutes from Kentwood, I know a lady who used to work at a restaurant in McComb & she said the family was struggling so bad before Brit got famous Lynn couldn't tip 

Britney was the obvious breadwinner since she was just a kid. 

[Louis-j]

They have s** with their relatives, they are racist and homophobic, pro-Trump and pro-guns, and they look like they shower once a month.

Welcome to ****wood. 

[queenofhearts]

8 hours ago, Alexa James said:

I think it’s interesting that the nearest hospital to Kentwood is in Mississippi. Britney, Brian, and Jamie Lynn were all born in McComb, MS.  I’m guessing that was the closest city with a big hospital.  It’s shocking that the Spears family had to cross state lines for health care services. 
 

Also, a lot of people from Mississippi try to claim Britney because she was technically born there and completed school in McComb.  I mean she and her siblings probably went straight home to Kentwood after being born and didn’t really spend much time in Mississippi outside of school? 

I mean, she probably spent equal amounts of time in both states. Considering she went to parklane, I bet most of her friends were from Mississippi. I remember in for the record, she said she liked to do spontaneous things and one time her family went to biloxi for the weekend. Biloxi is the beach in Mississippi (although I don't know why you'd go there, because that beach is disgusting, but I suppose back then it was nicer)

[queenofhearts]

7 hours ago, RedBloodedWoman said:

McComb is like 15 minutes from Kentwood, I know a lady who used to work at a restaurant in McComb & she said the family was struggling so bad before Brit got famous Lynn couldn't tip 

OMG pathetic

 

[ObsessedBritFan1]

 

[ferref118]

I live in Dallas which is a 7hour drive to Kentwood. Íve been meaning to go just to check it off my stan list but I am not really interested if the museum is no longer operating. Anyone got more insight on that?

[Moscow]

I know a person from McComb and some office people reside there, earlier this year after all the FreeBrtitney I just asked all these people what are your thoughts on FreeBritney, the person from McComb knew Britney's family early on and she said it's no surprise Britney became famous she always was a very hardworking girl and had the star quality but she always said Britney's family was on the verge of living on the streets they were that poor. 

I wonder if BOMT didn't happen what would've happened to this family? Quite the contrary most people I talked to who are from this side of the town always had something positive to say about Britney! 

I have a business trip this year in U.S and this time I thought I'll go and see Britney's town thanks to OP for the description but I will still go, my office friend who is also a big Britney fan wants to go too so maybe it would be less unsafe 🤐

Reading the thread makes me think Britney really came out of nowhere, it's not an easy job! 

[faded_fudge]

On 5/29/2022 at 6:10 PM, Applejack said:

yeah, even Steve Dennis (who wrote Inside the Dream) said the town is kinda hostile to strangers. There was even signs of segregation still, like bars for whites only. And that was 2009 iirc.

Omg they are so behind 

[BritneyLVR]

I’ve always wanted to visit her hometown. So cool! 

[DollyParton]

Y'all acting like Kentwood is one of the most dangerous places of America.

[Britney'sBish]

I just don't get why one would want to go there in the first place?

Britney made it a point to get out of there and built Serenity for her Mother.

Why would anyone feel the need to drive past these places? It's weird. Britney doesn't live there, so how would you feel with people lurking around. With how some of the fans are I would expect people to not feel safe with the tourists.

I can completely understand why the locals would be exhausted and tired of the fans. The ones that go out of their way to do stuff like this tend to be the most nuts anyways.

[Applejack]

1 hour ago, faded_fudge said:

Omg they are so behind 

to be fair, I think those bars have been closed for some time now 

[thegrove]

Idk just from my standpoint my little southern hometown could get colonized by Neptune and I wouldn’t give a **** so I’m sure Britney doesn’t really care all that much how Kentwood is fairing - their supposed attitude speaks volumes 💀

 

probably full of bitter Betty’s and high school dropouts around Britney’s age that are jealous and resentful of her fame & fortune 

[bas che]

I always imagined kentwood to be similar to Bon Temps, a fictional good-for-nothing town from the show True Blood. 
 

[queenofhearts]

15 hours ago, Avenger said:

I know a person from McComb and some office people reside there, earlier this year after all the FreeBrtitney I just asked all these people what are your thoughts on FreeBritney, the person from McComb knew Britney's family early on and she said it's no surprise Britney became famous she always was a very hardworking girl and had the star quality but she always said Britney's family was on the verge of living on the streets they were that poor. 

I wonder if BOMT didn't happen what would've happened to this family? Quite the contrary most people I talked to who are from this side of the town always had something positive to say about Britney! 

I have a business trip this year in U.S and this time I thought I'll go and see Britney's town thanks to OP for the description but I will still go, my office friend who is also a big Britney fan wants to go too so maybe it would be less unsafe 🤐

Reading the thread makes me think Britney really came out of nowhere, it's not an easy job! 

didn't the family's bankruptcy disappear when BOMT came out? that's very suspicious.

give us an update if you happen to make a trip there. I've only been there twice and it's literally so depressing. I know some friends who went about 12 years ago and ate at nyla's burger shack but I don't know if it's there any more.

I honestly don't think people realize when Britney says she was poor, that she was literally dirt poor. Like unless you live in that part of Louisiana/Mississippi you really don't know. I'm talking trailers and homeless people. I live about 2 hrs from kentwood and the difference from where I live to kentwood is night and day. Like it's kinda funny I can live in a nice suburb just 2 hrs away, but I guess for some people if you're born in poverty you're use to it and dont' wanna fight for a way out *shrugs*