FAVORITE west coast Rap Songs
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 3:15 pm    Post subject:

chef wrote:
Its not even close...i bumped this almost every day for a year when I was in high school.

Snoop Doggy Dog: 21 Jumpstreet



this (bleep) is classic


Also, this was heat when I 1st put this in my yellow sony walkman: X to the Z
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:58 am    Post subject:

Let Me Ride (Remix), Dr. Dre





Roll on Em, WC




Ghetto Vet, Cube




U Cant C Me, Tupac



Last edited by doughboy90650 on Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:18 pm; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:14 am    Post subject:

Vancouver Fan wrote:
chef wrote:
Its not even close...i bumped this almost every day for a year when I was in high school.

Snoop Doggy Dog: 21 Jumpstreet



this (bleep) is classic


Also, this was heat when I 1st put this in my yellow sony walkman: X to the Z



Also X's "What You See Is What You Get" .... cool ass video. Never seen a brotha had to work so hard and go through so much to get some milk.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:28 am    Post subject:

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Top 10 West Coast Emcees

I was always one to ignore the West Coast. Not by choice, stop the hate, but because I was always exposed to the East Coast first and foremost. As a young hip hop listener you get this stereotypical view of what West Coast music is, only to grow up and realize that there is so much more to it than gangs and guns. A coast that isn’t short of talent, the West gives rise to plenty of talented emcees, however, one can see from the list that the elite rhymers set their place in stone due to their diversity and imperialistic characteristics. Granted, bring all the hate and debate, and call up the homies, it’s about to go down.

*The criteria wasn’t necessarily set in stone, however, both myself and Fred ranked it based on sheer skill. Impact wasn’t necessarily a big issue, unless their skill, as opposed to their image of accolades, was so tremendous that it has a great impact.


Top 10 West Coast Emcees by Sean Deez

10. Snoop Dogg
Could anyone do the hazy-high-lazy flow better? Granted, I’m not a Snoop fan, at all really, but I can no doubt appreciate when he rips apart a verse. While in his earlier years he was hungry and more in your face, audiences still appreciate the cool pimp steez. Lyrically, you knew what you were getting. Sound was always G-funk. Style was always unique. Fact is, Snoop had swag before the word was even invented. Too bad he’s had such a rocky discography and quite possibly one of the worst album covers in hip hop history (along with the rest of No Limit).

9. Aceyalone
His work with Freestyle Fellowship probably wouldn’t have been enough to secure a spot here, but two arguable classics with All Balls Don’t Bounce and A Book of Human Language solidifies his position amongst the West’s elite. It’s not far fetched to say that he’s the most lyrically gifted emcee out of the west, nor is it crazy to say that he’s about as poetic as number 7, as controversial as number 1, and as playful as number 5. He may go overlooked on many other lists that speak on the Top 10 West Coast emcees; but, quite frankly, this low key emcee probably loves it that way.

8. Spice 1
From 1991 to 1995, there were few rappers who could come as hardcore as Spice 1. Dropping one of the more memorable songs on one of hip hop’s most memorable soundtracks, Spice’s self titled album had heads turning. Even though he was speaking of the generic and typical West Coast tales, he stripped them down to their rawest and grittiest form leaving almost nothing to the imagination. He was vivid and aggressively intense. It was pure lyricism.

7. 2pac
How many people were like “F this dude” when they saw this? Well, let me explain. Frankly, as a rapper, 2pac never was too convincing. Was he a poet? Yes. Did he have an intense presence? Yes. But, even though he was never a rapper’s rapper, we are all kidding ourselves if we didn’t think he changed the game. Take a look at the countless wanna-be attempts, the countless fans, the countless praise. He does deserve it. And despite his badass and gangster approach, his greatest displays came on songs like “Keep Ya Head Up” and “Brenda’s Got A Baby.”

6. Kurupt
I remember one of my friends saying, “Just Fast Forward to Kurupt’s verse,” referring to Pete Rock’s “Tru Master.” It isn’t hard to enjoy Kurupt, in fact, he’s so likable at being hard-as-hell that he’s probably the ideal LL Cool J from the West. He can spit a flow with the best of them, in fact, he could be a part of the best of them, and lyrically he always expanded. Even though he was born in Pennsylvania, the former VP of Death Row exemplifies the ideal West Coast sound. Look no further than his double disc debut where he flows on a variety of production or his LOADS of guest spots, and there is every reason in the world why he should be included on this list.

5. The Pharcyde
There was no way to choose just one. Bootie Brown, Imani, Slimkid, and Fatlip are all worthy of a spot on this top ten. They brought quirkiness, playfulness and, woman-loving (no, not hoe-loving) to the West Coast. Whether they were speaking about the post-breakup pep-talk on “Otha Fish” or the one that got away on “Passing Me By,” All 4 of the dudes played a vital role and had their time to shine (With Slimkid on the former and Fatlip on the latter especially). Essentially, they are probably the least west coast of all the artists on this list, but they had a hedonistic attitude that was still Cali-inspired and a lyrical frame that any artist on any coast would love to have.

4. Gift of Gab
Top 3 flows of all time? Quite possibly. Top 4 West Coast emcees? No doubt. Critics can’t really say a negative word about Blackalicious as a duo, but even more are stunned for short on anything but positive criticism when it come to Gab’s ridiculous rhymes. For any rapper, the subject matter of genuine love for hip hop, for women, and for life, is hard enough to rap about as it is; the problem is that most emcees don’t sound credible (and come off as cheesy). For Gift, however, it’s absolutely natural and heartfelt even when rapped at a rapid fire pace. One listen to Nia or Blazing Arrow will make any listener fall in love with the complexity and craftsmanship of hip hop, a feat on this emcee can deliver.

3. Del The Funkee Homosapian
When hip hoppers think of young debut releases, they’ll think Mobb Deep, Nas, or Jay-Z, but one of the greatest West Coast albums of all time came from an 18 year old when he dropped I Wish My Brother George Was Here. Looking back, it is hard how someone that young could give such a well written analysis of the corporate execs on “Mistadobolina” and such a vivid and comedic take on idle company with “Sleeping on My Couch.” His maturity continued to develop alongside the entire Hieroglyphic crew, but more impressively alongside Dan The Automator with Deltron 3030. Few have been able to master the blend of, well, everything that Del has, except maybe perhaps his cousin. In terms of sheer skill though, few can come near Del on any coast.

2. Murs
He didn’t call it the “Paid Dues Tour” for no reason. Murray has paid his dues throughout hip hop whether it was a part of the Living Legends Crew or 3MG, as an underground solo artist, as a partner of 9th Wonder, or even now as a major label artist. Murs is forever paying dues, and ultimately, his skills have no limits. A storyteller this could hasn’t come along since the time of Biggie, and one listen to “Walk Like A Man” will certainly make anyone a believer. His take on women is effortless and sincere on “Woman Tonight” or “Love you Like This.” His observations are endless as shown on “DSWG” and his creativity is at its peak on a joint like “The Science.” His discography is large enough that you should be able to find some doubtful tracks, but blame that mainly on production or lack thereof. The fact of it all is that Murs is always at the top of his game and rarely disappoints on the microphone even when something “unconventional” is dropped. Not to mention he puts on one hell of a live show as a one man act.

1. Ice Cube
Naturally, this was always the number one pick. He has, at one point or another, displayed something that each of these other 9 rappers has had, sometimes better, but he’s always been a force on the microphone. One of the dopest discographies in hip hop that includes 3 classics and one arguable classic (Lethal Injection) and an influence that has gone beyond hip hop. There’s a wonderful piece about Cube in Jeff Chang’s acclaimed book, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, and speaks about how Cube knew when “to grow up.” The problem with plenty of other West Coast rappers is that they never knew when to move on, which is heavily why particular artists aren’t on this list. Moreover, Cube knew what to do and when to do it, he knew what buttons to push, but how to stay civil and “Wicked” at the same time. Cube had blends that were logically impossible and pushed political boundaries that no rapper would be able to touch. Even though Common arguably ended his credible hip hop career, Cube had a tremendous run that hip hop will never forget and his legacy and skill will live on amongst West Coasters as one of the best to ever touch the mic, period.
Honourable Mentions

Blu: A new comer that is already making a push for that number 10 spot. With his skills and potential, it’s easy to see how he could be here in a few years

The Game: Name dropping aside, The Game is one fierce emcee that really revitalized a respectable side of the West that had plenty of insight. With his ear for production, he may never drop a horribly weak album and his insight can only get better as he gets older.

Chali 2na: A key member to the Jurassic 5 movement, he continues to rip microphones on guest appearances. His low tone voice and buttery flow are always enjoyable to listen to, especially when you combine them with his variety of subject matter.

Ras Kass: The issue with his albums was always production; no one ever doubted his lyrical talent. Look no further than “Nature of the Threat” and you may argue that he should be on this top 10 and not on the HM list.

Ice T: The original original-gangster. It doesn’t get much more hardcore than Ice T and his influence on the Parental Advisory era of hip hop. He was dominant on the mic, extremely dominant.

Others: D.O.C, Paris, Tash

Top 10 West Coast Emcees by Freddie C

I’m a California boy, born and raised. I’m like Sean Deez in reverse: I never really paid that much attention to the East Coast, as G-funk was my introduction to this lovely thing called hip-hop. So along my journey through the crates, the tape decks, the CD racks, and other people’s hard drives, I’ve come across a plethora of talented West Coast MC’s that have inspired millions of hip-hop fans around the world. My list is a delicate balance of skill and impact, but mostly skill. If impact had a bigger influence, then Eazy-E, for example, would have made the list. I’m a big Eazy fan, but I don’t think he’s a greatly skilled MC as much as he is a symbol and frontman of the N.W.A. movement that put the West Coast on the map. So without further ado, here’s my top 10. You know how we do it.

10. DJ Quik
DJ Quik might be more well-known for his warm production and G-funk grooves, but his delivery is as silky-smooth as his hair. Although he seemed to fizzle out after the death of G-funk and the West Coast’s subsequent fall from grace, Quik’s first three albums, Quik is the Name, Way 2 Fonky, and Safe + Sound are quintessential West Coast party albums, with classic jams like “Tonite”, “Born and Raised in Compton”, “Way 2 Fonky”, “Jus Lyke Compton” and “Diggin U Out”. While Quik’s music is usually reserved for riding around with the top down or at the party, he’s no slouch on the diss tracks. “Dollaz + Sense”, his brutal attack on MC Eiht, remains one of my favorite diss tracks of all time.

9. Spice 1
Nihilistic. Edgy. Fatalistic. The end of Western civilization. Whatever critics and fans alike try categorize Spice 1 as, there’s only one word that truly describes him and his music: DOPE. Spice 1 is an artist that truly embodies gritty, no-holds-barred gangsta rap. The East Bay gangsta’s ghetto tales are stuff of legend, but none more legendary than “(bleep) Gots No Heart” from the Menace II Society soundtrack. The haunting piano and slow flow give the song an aura of no hope, no escape, and is a perfect embodiment of Spice 1 and the world that his albums are set in.

8. Kurupt
The lyrical half of The Dogg Pound, Kurupt has been ripping verses since the early days of Death Row Records. His flow is one of the best ever to come out of West Coast, evident on his classic verses from the entire Dogg Food album, his solo album Kuruption!, and his guest appearances on albums from Snoop Doggy Dogg, 2pac, and, of course, Dr. Dre. While not having a strong discography, Kurupt has longevity on his side. He ripped “Stranded on Death Row” and “Puffin’ on Blunts and Drankin’ on Tanqueray” in the early 90s, and ripped “They Don’t Want It” in 2007, and left a trail of murdered guest appearances in between.

7. Murs
Murs has been hailed as a savior of underground hip-hop and the face of the new era of West Coast underground. And really, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy, both as a person and on the mic. Murs is truly an artist that does it for the love of the game. He doesn’t care if you download his music; he just wants you to have it and listen to it. That, besides his consistently great discography, will always motivate me to buy his albums. His work with 9th Wonder produced some of the best material to come out of California in a long while. While many rappers have a larger-than-life personality, Murs is a down-to-earth cat who a listener can always relate to. MC means move the crowd? Well, Murs embodies MC, because I saw him perform last year in Southern California, and he had the whole crowd in the palm of his hand. When I heard he broke down and cried while performing “Walk Like a Man”, he skyrocketed in my book. If only all MC’s cared as much as he did.

6. Snoop Doggy Dogg
I don’t care who you are, how old you are, what kind of music you like. Chances are, you like at least one song by Snoop Doggy Dogg. Mothers, grandmothers, aunties, uncles, all love Snoop. He’s probably the most well-known rapper on the planet, and deservedly so. Doggystyle was a classic. He was the featured MC on The Chronic, the greatest West Coast album of all-time. He’s done gangsta rap, party music, feel-good jams, and somehow stayed true to himself and the game. With 7 platinum albums, not counting his heavy contributions to Dr. Dre’s multi-platinum albums, Snoop has had unprecedented success in the rap game.

5. The Pharcyde
When I first saw Deez’s ranking of an entire crew instead of an MC, I thought, “Surely, I can identify a superior rapper instead of taking the easy way out.” Well, turns out I am just as gutless, because I can’t do it either. The Pharcyde has always been to the antithesis to the gangsta ways of Death Row, shown in their classic album Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, as well as another great album of theirs, Labcabincalifornia. I can’t pick a superior rapper out of that crew, because they play off each other so well. The chemistry between all these MC’s is unreal. Although, if you put a gun to my head and told me to choose, I’d go with Fatlip, who is immortalized in the last verse of a song that both Deez and I hold in extremely high regard: “Passing Me By”. I still get chills when I listen to his verse.

4. Del tha Funkee Homosapien
The patron saint of underground hip-hop, Del knows no bounds, as his projects have ran a wide spectrum, from his solo work on I Wish My Brother George Was Here, to his wildly popular and critically acclaimed work with Hieroglyphics, to the Gorillaz, and ventures into trip-hop with Deltron 3030. Everywhere he went, he had success. Social commentary? Check. Science fiction? Check. Diss tracks to MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice? Check. I’m convinced there’s nothing that one of hip-hop’s most creative MC’s can’t do.

3. Gift of Gab
An MC’s MC. Impeccable breath control, flawless flow, top-notch wordplay and a real love of lyricism. Papoose’s internet soldiers (if he has any) who hype up “Alphabetical Slaughter” need to listen Gift of Gab’s “Alphabet Aerobics” and sit down. Same goes for “Chemical Calisthenics”. His work with Chief Xcel as one half of Blackalicious has brought hip-hop some of the most innovative albums this decade: Nia and Blazing Arrow. If you’ve been sleeping on Blackalicious, do yourself a huge favor and pick those up immediately. Does he rap too fast? Nope, you’re just listening too slow.

2. Ice Cube
His later albums may pale in comparison to his earlier work, but those first 3 solo albums, in addition to his work on Straight Outta Compton, are almost impossible to live up to by any rapper’s standards. His words became a soundtrack to the angry youth in the ghettos of Los Angeles. He had the censors and the FBI on him because of N.W.A and civil rights groups on him because of his incendiary “Black Korea”. He feuded with Common, N.W.A, and Cypress Hill. In short, he was an MC to be feared. Amerikkka’s Most Wanted, Death Certificate, and The Predator are snapshots of the hell that had become South Central Los Angeles. You can’t watch footage of the LA riots without hearing Cube’ prophetic warnings concerning police corruption and brutality and the black community’s feud with Korean shop owners. Death Certificate is one-third of my Holy Trinity of West Coast albums, along with The Chronic and Doggystyle. Ice Cube is in top form on Death Certificate, teeing off on the government, STD’s, police, gang wars, hospitals, and U.S. military recruiters. A Bird in the Hand, my favorite Ice Cube song, places Ice Cube in the role of a young black man who turns to selling drugs because he got a girl pregnant, justifying his actions by blaming the government for ignoring the problems in the ghetto. It’s all capped off by the iconic album cover: “Uncle Sam” lying under a U.S. flag with a toe tag, with Cube looking on. And isn’t that a tenet of hip-hop? Fighting an oppressive establishment? That album cover absolutely embodied that idea.

1. 2pac
There’s no other choice, in my mind. Haters may point to his lack of wordplay, his hypocrisy/dual personality, being a studio gangster, all these perceived weaknesses and drawbacks, blah blah blah. Ice Cube may make better albums, but nobody made better songs than 2pac. 2pac, to me, is hip-hop. He’s run the gamut from “Dear Mama” to “Temptations” to “Ambitionz as a Ridah”. He’s got an AK in one track and fighting for women’s rights in another. He was a walking case study in hip-hop itself, a shining example of its hypocrisy. He channeled the violence of Spice 1 and the hope of Common, and made it work that he was always believable. Any fan of 2pac will tell you that he, more than any other rapper, had a way to speak to the listener and reach them in a way that no other rapper could. For anyone who’s ever played “Dear Mama” for their mom on mother’s day, “How Do You Want It” at a party, or “Pour Out a Little Liquor” after the death of a friend, 2pac was always the MC who could articulate what you were feeling. I remember listening to “California Love” for the first time on the radio, and thinking it was the greatest thing I’d ever heard. I remember turning to “Keep Ya Head Up” during hard times to get the strength to persevere. And I remember playing in a winter baseball league, and having a game the day 2pac died. My teammates and I didn’t play with an ounce of passion that day, and to this day, I will always remember it as the day music died.

Honorable Mentions:
Blu: Below the Heavens and Johnson&Jonson were both great pieces of work. Blu has a bright future ahead of him.

The Game: The biggest West Coast rapper since Snoop Doggy Dogg, The Game has 3 solid albums under his belt and a reputation for having a great ear for beats. He’s always entertaining, especially live.

The D.O.C.: It’s a shame that his car accident cut his career short. He had one classic with No One Can Do It Better and ghostwrote many West Coast classics, and there’s no telling what more he could have done if he hadn’t damaged his vocal cords in a car accident.

E-40 and Too Short: Two Bay Area legends with great albums including Hall of Game and Born to Mack. Too Short’s been pimpin on wax since the early 80s, selling over 11 million albums. 40 is responsible for a ton of slang used in hip-hop, and is always an entertaining listen., as evidenced by colorful terms and phrases like “scraper”, “you smell me?’, “yadidimean”, and the popularization of Carlos Rossi wine among economic drinkers.

Others: Ras Kass, Aceyalone, Chali 2na, Xzibit, MC Ren


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Free_Kobe
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:52 am    Post subject:

^^
No Cypress Hill?
No Jurassic 5?
they would be in my 5.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:26 am    Post subject:

^ totally disagree. But they have some of the emcess in my top 10 for sure.
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:40 pm    Post subject:

Free_Kobe wrote:
^^
No Cypress Hill?
No Jurassic 5?
they would be in my 5.


B-Real/Cypress Hill are always slept on, especially when it comes to a discussion on West Coast hiphop...
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:10 pm    Post subject:

The whole "I wish my brother george was here" by Del. Love it.
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