West Coast hip hop, also known as West Coast rap or California hip hop, is a style of hip hop music that originated in California in the early 1980s. It has since grown into a sub-genre of hip hop and has developed several creative centers, most of which are in African American communities in California. It dominated the hip-hop air waves in the early and mid-1990s with the popularity of G-funk. The release of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic was the spark that led to the West Coast’s peak.
The center of West Coast hip hop is the Los Angeles area, but can also include the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Sacramento, and Seattle. As well as Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.
Origins and early success (1980s–1992)
1980s
The origins of West Coast hip hop can be traced back to the late 1970s. After its invention in New York City, hip hop music started to spread across the country. It quickly jumped coasts to California, where a strong presence of African Americans embraced hip-hop, prominently in block parties and some clubs. However, the West Coast scene became truly established during the 1980s as hip hop music first gained national appeal, and established itself in California in general (and in Los Angeles in particular). Early hardcore rap performers included Bay Area legend Too $hort, who started rapping as early as 1983 and put out three independent albums beginning in 1985 before his 1987 major-label debut, Born to Mack, went gold. Too $hort would release 2 more albums before 1991 that went platinum and double platinum respectively. In Los Angeles during the same period, artists like Ice T, Capitan Rapp, King Tee, Toddy Tee, and Mix Master Spade, C.I.A. gained prominence, while World Class Wreckin’ Cru, DJ Unknown, Egyptian Lover and the Arabian Prince innovated a style called electro hop (or simply electro), essentially a hybrid of dance music and rap - following the lead of Afrika Bambaataa, who had originally created hip hop by mixing together reggae, funk, and German techno. Electro hop was a less funky, more bass-heavy West Coast sound, similar to Florida rap group 2 Live Crew and the Miami bass scene. However, hip hop followers didn’t fully accept electro hop in the long run, and it had all but disappeared by the mid-1990s.
Gangsta rap
The so-called “gangsta rap” movement also originated in California in the 1980s, serving as a sharp contrast to electro hop and other lighter forms of hip hop. Ice-T’s “6 In The Mornin’” (1986) received some national exposure while his 1987 recording Rhyme Pays was a landmark for the genre and could be considered one of the first purely gangsta rap albums. It managed to go gold. N.W.A.’s N.W.A. and the Posse came out shortly thereafter. The CD was a compilation album of loosely connected rappers under the name “N.W.A.” (”Niggaz With Attitude”). While not proving to be popular nor having a major affect on hip hop, it set up N.W.A. for their follow up album, which is credited for popularizing gangsta rap to this day. It was about a year after their first album that the group was shortened to the members Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and the addition of MC Ren; along with continued contributions from unofficial members The D.O.C. and Arabian Prince.
In 1988, the now-legendary N.W.A. released their blockbuster, Straight Outta Compton, and put the West Coast on the hip hop map. Their sound was influenced by hardcore, metal-tinged rap performers like Ice-T, and 1970s soul music and p-funk. Straight Outta Compton united these sounds with minimalistic beats and blunt, hard-hitting lyrics filled with references to (and often promotions of) violence, hedonism, and the criminal lifestyle. Individual members also were able to write pages in hip-hop history. Shortly after Straight Outta Compton was released, Eazy-E released his wildly received debut album, Eazy-Duz-It, in 1988, with most of the production done by Dr. Dre. In 1989, unofficial member The D.O.C. (a Texas native) released his solo debut album No One Can Do It Better which managed to be released with critical acclaim, (including a 5 Mic rating from The Source) and sold over a million copies. When Ice Cube left the group in 1989 his lyrics and delivery earned him two platinum and widely acclaimed (both gaining the highest ratings from The Source) albums in AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted and Death Certificate released in 1990 and 1991 respectively. The remaining members of the group followed up by releasing Efil4zaggin which leaned more towards violent, criminal rap that became more growingly associated with hip-hop and became the first gangsta rap album to reach number 1 on the Billboard charts. After this the group would break up with Dr. Dre leaving the label to sign to Death Row Records.
Early 1990s
Two other West Coast groups that came out around this time were Digital Underground and Compton’s Most Wanted. While neither group proved to be as popular or controversial as N.W.A., they still helped to shape early West Coast rap. However, like N.W.A., some of its individual members would go on to form moderate (ie. MC Eiht of CMW) to successful (ie. 2Pac of DU) solo careers, and continue to build upon West Coast rap. During 2Pac’s early career, he would rap about many social and political issues with the albums 2Pacalypse Now and Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. before his style began to lean towards gangsta/thug rap in the mid-1990s.
Latin rap also got its first start during this time. While previously being restricted to New York, West Coast artists like Kid Frost and Mellow Man Ace were pioneers in the sub-genre. Although not popular at the time, these artists paved the way for the most successful Latin rap group/artist to ever come out, the South Gate, CA natives, Cypress Hill.
Other contributions
It has been suggested that the West Coast movement gained early recognition in Los Angeles
& Dallas which is in Texas but a portion of Dallas called West Dallas is home to rappers such as The D.O.C. & Tha Realest.These rappers reside in Dallas but have the west coast spirit,
partly due to the city’s affiliation with the entertainment industry where most of the major record companies and labels reside.
West Coast hip hop also received early contributions from groups based in the Bay Area, and Oakland in particular. Too $hort, for instance, was a giant in the genre, and MC Hammer was one of the first “pop-rap” national superstars. Both artists began their rap careers on the streets of Oakland, and the radically different paths their careers have taken are indicative of the fracturing of hip hop culture into multiple sub-genres over the last twenty years. Its varied levels of success have never failed to make The Bay’s music popular among its own people.
Seattle, Washington, although primarily being known as the center of grunge rock, has also had an active scene from early on, though their only commercial success thus far has been Sir Mix-a-Lot of “Baby Got Back” fame.
Golden era of West Coast hip hop (1992–1996)
With the nationwide success of N.W.A., the West Coast had finally established a style that matched the intensity and grit of the hip hop that was coming from the East Coast at the time. In gangsta rap, the West Coast scene had a voice that could compete with Public Enemy, KRS-One, and other East Coast powerhouses. Although N.W.A. would eventually split, its remaining members continued to build, popularize, and revolutionize on the foundation the group had laid.
Three of N.W.A.’s most prominent members, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Dr. Dre, launched successful solo careers after the group’s dissolution. Ice Cube’s style was more militant, angry, racially charged, and political, while Eazy-E’s style was more violent gangsta rap mixed with some g-funk.
G-funk
Dr. Dre’s style, innovated with Warren G, dubbed “g-funk” or “gangsta funk” (also known as “ghetto funk”), was slower and more melodic, with heavy basslines topped by flutes and p-funk samples, and finished with a slurring, often whimsical lyrical delivery. The genre was characterized by a generally hedonistic subject matter including violence, sex, and drug use, and a slurred “lazy drawl” that was said to sacrifice lyrical complexity for clarity and rhythmic cadence. Dr. Dre’s debut album, The Chronic released in 1992, is widely considered to be a seminal work in the genre and not only established the dominant sound of hip hop music for years to come, but also launched the careers of several key West Coast hip hop artists, including Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dat Nigga Daz, Kurupt, Nate Dogg and Warren G. Dr. Dre would continue to refine his work on Snoop Doggy Dogg’s debut album Doggystyle, which launched Snoop Dogg into one of the most well known rap careers ever. Furthermore, the album’s success established Death Row as a dominant force in gangsta rap. G-funk also became the dominant genre of West Coast rap for years to come for new and veteran artists alike.
After the release of The Chronic, many producers from the West Coast, and even some from the East Coast, began producing in the g-funk style or imitating it. Most notably, producers Warren G and DJ Quik produced their most well-known material in the g-funk era, Dr. Dre’s fellow Death Row “inmate” Dat Nigga Daz produced Tha Dogg Pound’s debut album, Dogg Food, in the same style.
Lasting influences in hip-hop that have carried on even to this day include heavy use of funk-style synthesizers, and hooks sung using a talk box in a style pioneered by funk singer Roger Troutman.
East Coast vs. West Coast
While the beginnings of the rivalry between coastlines can be traced back to N.W.A., it took a personal beef between two of gangsta rap’s greatest prodigies to fully capture the nation’s attention. While 2Pac was working on his third album Me Against the World in 1994, he was shot by muggers in the lobby of a New York City recording studio that friend The Notorious B.I.G. was recording at. While serving prison time for sexual assault, 2Pac accused The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy, amongst others, of having prior knowledge of the shooting. This series of events sparked an inter coastal war between Bad Boy Entertainment (owned by Puff Daddy) and Death Row Records (owned by Suge Knight).
The tension between Death Row and Bad Boy increased as both labels released a series of scathing tracks blatantly filled with insults, threats, and accusations targeted at the opposing labels. The rivalry ended when 2Pac was fatally shot in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1996, a slaying that The Notorious B.I.G. was suspected by the public to be involved in. However, it is now widely believed that it actually resulted from a fight involving members of 2Pac’s entourage and a Crip gang member earlier in the night. The Notorious B.I.G. was also fatally shot in Los Angeles, California, in a similar fashion to 2Pac, six months later. The majority of fans and artists saw this so-called beef as silly and wanted no part of it.
Popularity
The coastal rivalry raised Death Row Records to notorious status. Combined with the rise of g-funk, West Coast artists like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, 2Pac, and Tha Dogg Pound all released multi-platinum albums on Death Row Records. Although enjoying much success because of surrounding controversy, many critically acclaimed albums that are now considered classics in hip hop history were released during this time such as All Eyez on Me, The Chronic, Doggystyle, Dogg Food, and Tha Doggfather . At the height of its popularity, West Coast artists were selling three times more than their East Coast rivals. Meanwhile, other gangsta rap artists from California were also enjoying much success, if not as much as Death Row artists. Warren G, DJ Quik, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and Westside Connection all debuted or continued to release gangsta rap/g-funk albums in the early and mid-1990s, which enjoyed at least moderate success.
On the other side of the coin, non Death Row artists were rising to popularity. Coolio released his platinum selling album It Takes a Thief and his multi-platinum and world famous album Gangsta’s Paradise in 1994 and 1995 respectively. Mack 10 released his self titled album in 1995 and managed to go gold. Too $hort and newcomer E-40 pushed the Bay Area to a rare level of moderate success, with E-40 releasing his second album, In a Major Way in 1995, which went gold (and eventually went platinum 7 years after it was released). Too $hort continued to release music about pimp lifestyle and drugs that helped him receive 4 platinum albums between 1992 and 1996 . Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records held a string of artists on its roster matching the label’s hardcore, violent style in artists such as MC Ren, B.G. Knocc Out, Dresta and Kokane. The earliest success of Latin rap also came from this time, as Cypress Hill released a string of platinum selling albums in the early and mid-1990s while at the same time continuing to pioneer Latin rap set forth by fellow West Coast rapper Kid Frost. Their style mixed Latin rap with gangsta rap and g-funk to create a seminal work in the genre and made them the first Latin rappers to have gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums. Their first two albums (and to a lesser degree, their third) were met with great critical acclaim.
While not nearly as successful commercially, Bay Area rappers were also starting to emerge and contribute to West Coast hip hop. Spice 1, Keak Da Sneak, San Quinn, Luniz, B-Legit, E-A-Ski, Ant Banks, Mac Dre, and many others began releasing a wide range of albums at this time. Though most of them were most popular in California.
Following incidents with the two Coasts, Death Row Records’ success diminished as Dr. Dre departed to form Aftermath Entertainment, 2Pac got murdered, and Snoop Dogg left to join No Limit Records. Gangsta rap disappeared from the national spotlight and the resulting void was filled by East Coast pop-rap acts such as Puff Daddy, Ma$e, and actor/musician Will Smith. By 1997, West Coast hip hop had begun to diminish from the mainstream media, though still popular in it’s home region.
Underground development
In the late 1990s, the West Coast’s underground hip hop scene began to gain prominence as underground hip hop started to boom as artists tried to stray away from the negativity gangsta rap brought the Coast. Artists like Terry Choe a.k.a Teezy, Blackalicious, Zion I, The Pharcyde, Aceyalone, Hieroglyphics, Jurassic 5, The Coup, Ozomatli, Spearhead, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Souls of Mischief, Planet Asia, and others (most of whom self-identify as “conscious” artists, and all of whom include political, social, or insightful messages in their music) gained recognition without being signed to major labels. Other artists such as Dilated Peoples and The Black Eyed Peas while signed to major labels, failed to break out into the mainstream for lack of promotion or other reasons yet still had the same style and maintained an underground following. Eventually The Black Eyed Peas would later find success in the 2000’s after releasing the album “Elephunk” with a more mainstream sound.
Gangsta rap’s decline
Despite the emergence of the underground movement as a factor at the turn of the century, gangsta rap was still the dominant genre of West Coast hip hop, although the sound and feel of the music had began to change since the g-funk era. Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre continued to be major players in the national mainstream, but other artists from the 1990s and local gangsta rap artists continued to struggle for name recognition, having enjoyed less commercial success than their East Coast and Southern counterparts. While the West Coast still got some exposure such as Dr. Dre’s second album 2001, Xzibit’s introduction to the mainstream, and Snoop Dogg’s work with Tha Eastsidaz, most artists like Warren G, Kurupt, WC, Mack 10, DJ Quik, and Daz, and the remaining veteran artists of the 1990s continued to rapidly lose recognition among music fans. While newer rappers like Yukmouth, Jayo Felony, and Ras Kass were able to begin strong leads in California and trying to bring gangsta rap to a new level.
Birth of hyphy music
Hyphy music also began to develop around this time, originating in the San Francisco Bay Area. While The Bay was an early contributor to hip hop, like the rest of West Coast rap, it was on the decline in the late 1990s. Around the turn of the millennium, a new sub-genre of hip hop emerged and flourished almost exclusively in The Bay. While Bay Area music was still considered new hip hop to some, (despite success from Yukmouth, Too $hort and E-40) it was continually building up since the early 1990s. The earliest pioneers included Keak Da Sneak (who coined the word “hyphy”) and Mac Dre (the purveyor of thizz culture), with later push by E-40 (the “Ambassador Of The Bay”). While some automatically associate The Bay with hyphy music and vice versa, the music from Bay Area isn’t exclusively hyphy (although hyphy is almost exclusively in The Bay Area). The hyphy culture also grew with its music, creating a trend of dances, slang, and behaviour associated with it, some of which The Bay claims has been stolen by other artists. Hyphy’s style of exuberant energy, “going dumb” and excessive behaviour was a sharp contrast to the steryotypical Southern California’s style of music of gangs, violence, low riders and having a serious/cool persona, which dominated rap; hyphy’s style didn’t overwhelmingly associate itself with these topics. It should also be noted that “hyphy” and “hyphy movement” are not synonyms. While the former is the music and culture, the latter refers to its gainings into national spotlight.
West Coast hip hop today (2004–present)
West Coast rap seems to be fighting to be part of the mainstream again as there is on going a third generation of artists. The Game’s album The Documentary along with a well publicized beef with 50 Cent has received more attention to the West Coast, and he is said to be the driving force behind West Coast rap.
Since The Game released The Documentary, artists like Glasses Malone, Bishop Lamont, Omar Cruz, Crooked I, JT the Bigga Figga, Lil Eazy-E, Eastwood, Bailey, Clyde Carson (of The Team), Spider Loc, The Fixxers, Hood Surgeon, and Ya Boy have all received increased attention with regard to future releases. The Bay Area is also picking up steam with their sub-genre of music hyphy music, promoted by long time veteran E-40. While other artists like Mykestro, Guerilla Black, Roscoe, Scipio, Sly Boogy, Mistah F.A.B., and The Federation, Jay Rock, and Ca$his are also trying to help re-introduce West Coast rap to the world, the West Coast still has to compete with a market dominated by Southern artists that even East Coast rappers have trouble competing with. Combined with the continued growth of Pop-rap or commercialism, this has led to a mystery regarding which direction the current generation of rappers will go. As of right now, The Game, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, E-40, Too Short, The Black Eyed Peas, and Ice Cube seem to be the only artists in 2006 that have created strong leads in mainstream hip hop.
After the success of his album R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece, Snoop Dogg convoked West Coast artists (about 65 people) into a meeting called the Western Conference on July 4, 2005. They agreed to join forces again and to end long standing beefs between each other in hopes of helping West Coast music back to its once reigning place through unity. It served as occasion for several members to announce cease-fires in their beefs including the reconciliation of Tha Dogg Pound, Jayo Felony and Snoop Dogg, and The Game and JT the Bigga Figga. Snoop Dogg offered his label Doggystyle Records and his CEO position at Koch Records to be an “engine” of the movement, and that he will promote with his name. Dr. Dre announced he will release his third and final album, Detox, in September 2007.
However, for much of the 2000s, the West Coast continued losing its appeal to the (then growing) Dirty South. In particular, Southern rap experienced an unprecedented degree of mainstream popularity in 2003. Since 2000, The Game remains the only rapper to sell a multi-platinum album on the West Coast (aside from The Black Eyed Peas, who do not follow traditional West Coast hip hop music and are often overlooked).
One of the popular underground styles of dancing called krumping has started to become more mainstream due to the popularity of the David LaChapelle film Rize.
Notes
See also
- G-funk
- Gangsta rap
- Hyphy
- List of hyphy artists
- List of West Coast hip hop artists
- Mobb Music
- Music of California
- Music of Texas
External links
- West Coast Rap Album Reviews
- Donmega.com West Coast Rap News & Info
- dubcnn.com West Coast News Network
- Westcoastpioneers - Informations about the early years of West Coast Rap
- West Coast News Network
- westcoast2k.net West Coast News Network
- 1990s Gangsta Rap
- West Coast - Rap Center