West coast rap is in last place

[Eschaton]

Out of all the big American scenes, I would probably say that I enjoy the West Coast least of all. I like Pac, E-40, Kendrick, The DOC and Cube, but that's really about it.

I'd rank it:

East Coast
South
Midwest
West Coast

The East Coast obviously should be out in front for three decades of amazing shit. The South is often considered the short bus of rap but well, fuck those people. Tons of my faves come from there; Scarface, UGK, Three 6 Mafia, Curren$y, Geto Boys, Master P, 8ball & MJG, Killer Mike, etc etc. And let's be honest: the southern sound is dominant. Commercially and otherwise. Everyone knows that NY is flabby and sick right now, and have for quite some time. Guys like Action Bronson, A$AP, and French who represent a diversity of NY sounds are all copypasting from the South. The Midwest has also been awesome and successful: Eminem, Kanye West, Common, Bone Thugs, Slum Village, Danny Brown, Keef, Cudi ( ) .... Not to mention the indie shit that has had genuine lasting power even if i dont like it much (tech n9ne, atmosphere etc etc).

Basically, I just don't really like the west coast overall. I'll say that they are influential and resurging. Clearly the south is more in line with the West Coast in terms of sound than the east. Kendrick and TDE are big, Lil B changed the culture, Odd future (flabby and sick), and lots of dope producers are coming from there.


basically



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west coast

[Joe Molotov]

I need someone to break down the Canadian rap scene for me before I pass judgement.

[king of the internet]

I need someone to break down the Canadian rap scene for me before I pass judgement.

Cadence Weapon is pretty good. That's all I got.

[Phoenix Dark]

I'm biased but it's hard to imagine an argument that could put any coast or region ahead of the east coast, historically.

West coast...meh. But I'd still take it over the south.

[Himu]

East coast > west coast > south > mid west

There are exceptions when it comes to the south but I find Escha's analysis wrong on the west coast. NY scene is sick sure, but so is west coast. In the 90s a lot NY and south cats ripped west coast sound and west coast sound was practically where the south is now.

In terms of influential rappers mid west is easily the worst. The Midwest doesn't even have a distinctive sound despite having some of the biggest rappers ever telling it from Com to Ye to Em. If there was one thing I'd give MW it is the ability to rap about more diverse subject matter. All three of those guys excel at that more than any other rapper.

A big problem I take with the south is that it is mostly garbage. I hate Houston screwed and chopped. I was there when cats were demoing that stuff way before it hit the main stream in their cars back in middle school and thought it was shit then, shit now.

[Eric P]

I'd also take the west coast over the south and i'm discounting the early 90s dominance of rap

[TakingBackSunday]

I need someone to break down the Canadian rap scene for me before I pass judgement.

You have Shad.  That's pretty cool.

[Himu]

I think Eschas age is showing here. He is way too young if he is saying this about west coast.

[Himu]

MW has great technical rappers but little identity.

South rap has also made the worst the rap songs. When on top of the game I think west coast and NY had the best party songs. What party songs are you talking about?

[Steve Youngblood]

Cadence Weapon is pretty good. That's all I got.

Heh. Has he made it big? I remember him from a ways back as RollieP -- a poster at the old Nintendorks forum.

[Himu]

MW rappers are technically among the best. Eminem, Tech N9ne, Bone, etc etc.

The South makes the best hip hop party and dance music. This is pretty much a fact, tbh... And that's an awesome aspect of hip hop. I think the conscious introspective stuff is covered quite well with dudes like KRIT, Cunninglynguists, J Cole, etc.

You're like three years older than me, shut up himu

Dude I was 7 years old when the chronic dropped and by the time pac died I was 10. South rap doesn't have nearly as much cultural penetration as west coast rap had in the 90s. From the colors, to the fashion (we couldn't wear entire brand of shoes at school, guess why).

[Himu]

MW has great technical rappers but little identity.

South rap has also made the worst the rap songs. When on top of the game I think west coast and NY had the best party songs. What party songs are you talking about?

Crunk music and trap are the best party music. You must never have experienced getting sandwiched between a couple bitches in 8th grade while Get Low plays if you're asking this question.

No you're right. In middle school and high school, outkast and cash money ruled the dance floor.

[Himu]

True and that's when I stopped listening to hip hop. The south music was so cookie cutter I put up my hip hop coat and become rock exclusive. Only Kanye brought me back.

[Himu]

Lotta good points.

Also you missed on the best west coast Mc, Gift of Gab.

[Human Snorenado]

While I would generally agree with your rankings, there's so much cross-pollination between scenes that it becomes difficult to really categorize people.  Like, is Eminem really midwest when his stuff is all pretty much produced by Dre? 

[Himu]

I was gonna bring that up too, Creepy.

[Phoenix Dark]

The midwest has a pretty distinct sound, based on city. Detroit hip hop sounds like...Detroit hip hop: loud drops, dirty organs, Dilla shit, etc; it's like the east coast forgot how to do drums and left it to the D. Chicago has a bunch of different shit brewing right now, like drill music.

I will say that in terms of modern times, LA's scene is pretty damn good.

[Polari]

This is always a distinguished mentally-challenged fellow argument anyway. What do Eminem and Kanye have in common? Kool Keith and Jay-Z? Plus no 213 in the OP.

[Phoenix Dark]

While I would generally agree with your rankings, there's so much cross-pollination between scenes that it becomes difficult to really categorize people.  Like, is Eminem really midwest when his stuff is all pretty much produced by Dre?

Actually much of Eminem's memorable stuff was done by the Bass Brothers, who are from Detroit. That bass, drums, synthed bass etc on SSLP, MMLP, and TES all sound like very clean Detroit shit to me.

[meni stronk]

fuck man, I had a huge post typed and YouTube crashed my browser. cliffnotes:

me of five years ago would say east>west>midwest>>south.

me today would say west=south>east>midwest.

but yeah, as some already alluded to, region means less and less these days.

the older I get, the less and less I like the "conscious" underground backpacker rap, (Y Society, CunninLynguists, Blue Scholars, Aesop Rock, DOOM, and so on). too many guys with no flow, bad beats, and garbage-tier poetry. just give me some raw shit that makes me want to crash my car pls.

also, man, I cannot WAIT for Kendrick to fall the fuck off so the internet will stop talking about him like he's the savior of west coast hip hop. he is a great pure rapper but he cannot write a cohesive song (or a good hook. especially a good hook) worth a shit. this dude is not even the best active arist in his own clique, let alone in all of California. the yay area remains criminally underrated outside of Cali as always smh

[Phoenix Dark]

Wait your criticism of Kendrick Lamar is that he cannot write a cohesive song? What?


I can understand not liking his style, but he's easily one of the best songwriters in mainstream hip hop, if not the best.

[Himu]

Gotta agree about shit tier poetry. Hip hop is more enjoyable when you just let it all go man. When relistening to songs I used to think were deep now I just roll my eyes. The only exceptions to that rule these days are Nas, Common, and Pac. Other rappers too. But those backpacker mcs are straight garbage now. When pd suggested Blu a few years back, I listened to it and it was terrible to me.

But the thing is, I love diversity in subject matter in rap. I really lije say, Macklemore for instance and have no idea why that nicca gets the hate he does.

[meni stronk]

Wait your criticism of Kendrick Lamar is that he cannot write a cohesive song? What?


I can understand not liking his style, but he's easily one of the best songwriters in mainstream hip hop, if not the best.

ok, ok, to be perfectly fair, I've only heard the last half of Section 80 and I mostly had GKMC in mind when I wrote that. standing by it, though. Art of Peer Pressure, Money Trees, Swimming Pools, and Sing About Me / I'm Dying of Thirst would be the best examples. I think what does it for me is the combination of excessive song length and the goofy, wack hooks and interjections throughout. just leaves the songs feeling disjointed and aimless

[Phoenix Dark]

 

Swimming Pools and Money Trees have nice hooks. I get why someone might not like the chorus on Sing About Me but...it's a great song with some very good storytelling.

different strokes for different folks I guess. Personally I think Kendrick is far ahead of his peers in this regard. I'm far from a fan of Drake but I also think he's a good songwriter.

[Shadow Mod]

Hustle in school
Hustle at work
Hustle for life