Rap Question

[DMN in the House]

This might seem strange, seeing as how I live in the middle of the West Coast rap scene, but when did it get decided that 'The West Coast is Back'? I mean, wow... The Game? C'mon.

I grew up on the West Coast rap scene. The first rap song I heard was Straight Outta Compton. That was the first album I ever listened too. I got into the rap scene on NWA, TuPac, Ice Tea, DJ Quik, shit like that. Back when gangsta rap was king, and Los Angeles was the kingdom.

What I see now, is nothing. Hell, even Snoop fell off. I have to admit, I've felt the whole 'mainstream' rap scene has been weak since '97, but c'mon, they consider The Game to be the 'revival' of West Coast rap?

Please, someone who isn't on the inside looking out explain this to me? Am I right, or is the media?

I'll admit, I'm just trying to get some intelligent discussion about rap. I know its a long shot.

[thatshortguy]

I'll side with you on this one. Game just seems pre-packaged (to which his affilition with G-Unit -- something decided by the record companies and pushed out in the spotlight by the media during the brief Game/50 thing -- didn't help), and really doesn't have the bite that I associated with the West Coast scene.

That said, it's hard for anyone to match the sheer teeth that West Coast stuff had about ten years ago. Even the more poetic westerners (like Tupac) still had some serious ability to rip people apart. Will it genuinely return? Maybe, depending on the climate of the area. Back then, it seemed to be about survival first, fame second. Now, the roles are reversed. Until there's a passion similar to that which comes to people simply trying to make it somewhere for the sake of living a better life as opposed to a wealthy one, I don't think we'll see a real revival.

[DMN in the House]

I agree totally with you on that. Pretty much what I've felt about the whole thing is a lack of passion. I mean, I can see someone like Snoop losing the fire and passion he had before, its only natural, as he has indeed, 'made it'. There's no need for survival for him, which takes away from his music. Where as, in my personal opinion, you could hear that fire and passion in Eminem's stuff, especially in his first two CDs. I'd go as far as to say that Eminem is the closest thing to a 'West Coast rapper' that we've had since the turn of the century, and perhaps sooner.

As far as Game, his whole image is pre-packaged. From his 'NWA' tattoo to his affiliation with 50 Cent, everything about him seems... fake. I don't doubt that he hasn't had the best of lives, but word is that most of what he says is false, and that he dosen't have the 'street cred' that he claims. I know that really shouldn't matter, but when you try to run with that, it really hurts when you can't back it up.

As for a revival, I don't know if we'll ever see it. The Los Angeles of today is far different from the Los Angeles that spawned the 'gangsta rap' scene of the early 90s. So much of the turmoil and rage that existed then seems to be gone, I don't think it could happen again.

[Lord Nibbler]

Like I said before, Game is a West Coast rapper marketed to the East Coast. I doubt many in the West ever thought he was their "saviour", it was just a label they gave him.

They said the same about Crooked I, until Death Row completely fucked him about. Now he could have helped the West out, if Death Row weren't so incompetent.

[SlickNick187]

Crooked I and Ras Kass could help bring the west back. Also the Bay is full of talented rappers, but for some reason nobody from their really blows up that much. If the west were to come back then they would need help from people in good positions to market them. But as of now the west is not back.

[A-Dub]

Dre and Cube are all thats really left for West Coast rap, that a lot of people know I mean. Westside Connection is good, as well as each member in solo action as well. WC has some really good stuff, and Xzibit is/was (I haven't heard his latest CD) good for the West Coast.

But when I want West Coast I pop in "Restless" from Xzibit, or "Straight Outta Compton."

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

I would barely say Cube is around in it anymore. He's just more into making movies now, actually I haven't heard anything from him in ages. Dre I suppose, cant wait for the new album actually.

Cant really explain anything here but I do think Rap will never be as good as it once was. To be honest, I think it's shit today, totally shit. There just seems to be no one around, when back in the old days you just had a tonne of guys like Tupac, Snoop, Dre, Biggie, Cube and so on. Now you just really have no one who does the stuff these guys used to do. I know that doesn't add much to the topic but I just wanted to say that I think Rap isn't really all that good anymore. I think Snoop is pretty much done. I love the guy but his music just isn't like it once was.

[DMN in the House]

I would barely say Cube is around in it anymore. He's just more into making movies now, actually I haven't heard anything from him in ages. Dre I suppose, cant wait for the new album actually.

Cant really explain anything here but I do think Rap will never be as good as it once was. To be honest, I think it's shit today, totally shit. There just seems to be no one around, when back in the old days you just had a tonne of guys like Tupac, Snoop, Dre, Biggie, Cube and so on. Now you just really have no one who does the stuff these guys used to do. I know that doesn't add much to the topic but I just wanted to say that I think Rap isn't really all that good anymore. I think Snoop is pretty much done. I love the guy but his music just isn't like it once was.

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I totally agree with you.

Rap is dead. There are still some good artists out there, but the majority of them would be considered more 'hip hop', and are, for the most part, underground.

[kaya]

The Los Angeles of today is far different from the Los Angeles that spawned the 'gangsta rap' scene of the early 90s. So much of the turmoil and rage that existed then seems to be gone, I don't think it could happen again.

[Ruckus]

I would barely say Cube is around in it anymore. He's just more into making movies now, actually I haven't heard anything from him in ages. Dre I suppose, cant wait for the new album actually.

Cant really explain anything here but I do think Rap will never be as good as it once was. To be honest, I think it's shit today, totally shit. There just seems to be no one around, when back in the old days you just had a tonne of guys like Tupac, Snoop, Dre, Biggie, Cube and so on. Now you just really have no one who does the stuff these guys used to do. I know that doesn't add much to the topic but I just wanted to say that I think Rap isn't really all that good anymore. I think Snoop is pretty much done. I love the guy but his music just isn't like it once was.

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I totally agree with you.

Rap is dead. There are still some good artists out there, but the majority of them would be considered more 'hip hop', and are, for the most part, underground.

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[Lord Nibbler]

Can someone explain to me the difference between Rap and Hip Hop? I myself have always considered them to be one and the same.

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[DMN in the House]

I've always used 'rap' as more of a term for the politically/socially driven, 'angrier', meaningful stuff. Hip-hop started in the 80s, then people like Public Enemy and NWA came in with 'rap'. Its just a personal thing I do, to respect the differences between what the true pioneers did, and what is being done now.