west coast gangsta shit.....
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san quinn - life without music '95
http://s21.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1TG2ETORY2CNZ1FZC3NRI7SZP9
across the Bay to San Francisco, Fillmore district. produced by JT the Bigga Figga, undisputed king of Fillmoe (as MC, producer, entrepreneur). San Quinn has been puttin it down since the late 80s, and is still one of the best doing it today.
Beautiful mellow track, San Quinn eloquently defends his right to make Gangsta Rap. Kinda like Scarface's Hand Of The Dead Body, except it's not ruined by a completely irrelevant Ice Cube verse.
http://s21.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1TG2ETORY2CNZ1FZC3NRI7SZP9
across the Bay to San Francisco, Fillmore district. produced by JT the Bigga Figga, undisputed king of Fillmoe (as MC, producer, entrepreneur). San Quinn has been puttin it down since the late 80s, and is still one of the best doing it today.
Beautiful mellow track, San Quinn eloquently defends his right to make Gangsta Rap. Kinda like Scarface's Hand Of The Dead Body, except it's not ruined by a completely irrelevant Ice Cube verse.
e-40 - it's all bad '95
http://s63.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1RSF45YZWGSIT3F2N2KK4VX429
e-40 feeling pessimistic about the state of the world. e-40 is, next to Too $hort, probably the most famous Bay Area rapper, from the Hillside of Vallejo. he's got a unique style, maybe an acquired taste for some.
production is NOT by Studio Tone (the Khayree equivalent at Sick Wit It, E-40's label), but it's pretty representative of the Sick Wit It sound. more electro than Khayree (who mostly produced for Young Black Brotha, the main Crestside label). Crestside vs. Hillside rivalry is very strong, which partially explains why such a relatively small town has 2 very distinct styles of production & so many great rappers.
http://s63.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1RSF45YZWGSIT3F2N2KK4VX429
e-40 feeling pessimistic about the state of the world. e-40 is, next to Too $hort, probably the most famous Bay Area rapper, from the Hillside of Vallejo. he's got a unique style, maybe an acquired taste for some.
production is NOT by Studio Tone (the Khayree equivalent at Sick Wit It, E-40's label), but it's pretty representative of the Sick Wit It sound. more electro than Khayree (who mostly produced for Young Black Brotha, the main Crestside label). Crestside vs. Hillside rivalry is very strong, which partially explains why such a relatively small town has 2 very distinct styles of production & so many great rappers.
ok, this one's for all those who think Snoop started the whole "fo shizzle my nizzle" shit.
seagram - straight mobbin '91
http://s60.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3PIP1N9GJ2CUV21EFU75HAWEGL
an entire rap in gangsta pig latin, an Oakland tradition to stop "white folks trying to get up on the convo". seagram was one of the best O-town MCs (RIP), real intense emotional raps. obviously this track is purely focussed on strizzaight mizzobbin', so you won't hear that side of him here.
typical Oakland funk beat is well, by Troy White, Seagram's favorite.
seagram - straight mobbin '91
http://s60.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3PIP1N9GJ2CUV21EFU75HAWEGL
an entire rap in gangsta pig latin, an Oakland tradition to stop "white folks trying to get up on the convo". seagram was one of the best O-town MCs (RIP), real intense emotional raps. obviously this track is purely focussed on strizzaight mizzobbin', so you won't hear that side of him here.
typical Oakland funk beat is well, by Troy White, Seagram's favorite.
last one for the night
pooh man - explicit lyrics '90
http://s6.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=04PT5GYGIC7JB037R3YME436C6
finally an Ant Banks production! Ant Banks is the OG of Bay Area producers, originator of the Oakland funk sound with the 80s Too $hort tapes. This is one of my favorite beats of his. Pooh Man is an Oakland veteran. Not really one of the best, but he excels at making swearing a lot sound good, as he does here.
pooh man - explicit lyrics '90
http://s6.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=04PT5GYGIC7JB037R3YME436C6
finally an Ant Banks production! Ant Banks is the OG of Bay Area producers, originator of the Oakland funk sound with the 80s Too $hort tapes. This is one of my favorite beats of his. Pooh Man is an Oakland veteran. Not really one of the best, but he excels at making swearing a lot sound good, as he does here.
Too $hort - Don't Fight The Feelin' 88
http://s45.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1Q35S057UGHZ22VK1KWZMO8VJF
the track that started it all. yeah Freaky Tales/Born To Mack came out in 87 and Short'd been droppin tapes on 75 Girls for years before that, but this was the template for the later Ant Banks/Khayree/Studio Tone/TC sound. compare this to what was coming out of LA at the same time.
Too Short everybody knows, Rappin 4-Tay is from Fillmore, released 3 excellent albums in the 90s. the girls rappin are Tammy & Juanita, I think this is their only outing on wax.
http://s45.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1Q35S057UGHZ22VK1KWZMO8VJF
the track that started it all. yeah Freaky Tales/Born To Mack came out in 87 and Short'd been droppin tapes on 75 Girls for years before that, but this was the template for the later Ant Banks/Khayree/Studio Tone/TC sound. compare this to what was coming out of LA at the same time.
Too Short everybody knows, Rappin 4-Tay is from Fillmore, released 3 excellent albums in the 90s. the girls rappin are Tammy & Juanita, I think this is their only outing on wax.
totally insane - what you know '92
http://s45.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1Z8DV1V1CQ42I3BG3AWMWKQE9S
one of my favorite Bay Area tracks. great baseline and horns, produced by TC, who worked w/ many Frisco legends (totally insane are from mid-town). also a great example of what gangsta lyricism should be about, evocative without superfluous fancy vocabulary or multi-syllable rhyme schemes.
http://s45.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1Z8DV1V1CQ42I3BG3AWMWKQE9S
one of my favorite Bay Area tracks. great baseline and horns, produced by TC, who worked w/ many Frisco legends (totally insane are from mid-town). also a great example of what gangsta lyricism should be about, evocative without superfluous fancy vocabulary or multi-syllable rhyme schemes.
dirtysanta
Original Casual
Just been checking some of this aht. Fucking quality. Fair play tejas. Good to have you here mate.
ok, last bay area track.
black dynasty - deep east oakland (og mix) '94
http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2Q5VD474IJW4S20ECPF87MW3T0
super funky shit, self-produced. nice "day in the life of my hood" type lyrics. unfortunately despite releasing 2 amazing albums these guys didn't blow up, & dion was killed committing an armed robbery just a year after the album this was one was released.
black dynasty - deep east oakland (og mix) '94
http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2Q5VD474IJW4S20ECPF87MW3T0
super funky shit, self-produced. nice "day in the life of my hood" type lyrics. unfortunately despite releasing 2 amazing albums these guys didn't blow up, & dion was killed committing an armed robbery just a year after the album this was one was released.
no problem! as I said, gangsta rap really gets my missionary spirit going. It's such a misunderstood or just plain ignored genre, I love to share what I know about it with people.
Especially here in the UK there seems to be heavy east coast bias. Lots of people well-informed about 80s to mid-90s New York stuff (which I like as well), but when it comes to the South, Mid-West, or West Coast many are clueless.
Anyway, I hope I dropped enough names to get people checkin for Bay Area shit on there own. Most of what I upped is available on Amazon.co.uk so these albums did get UK releases, unfortunately I have never ever ever seen a Ray Luv album in a physical record shop.
Next up I'll do some Southern Cali. Maybe I'll do Texas, the Mid-West, New Orleans, Memphis, Atlanta, as well. soooooooooo much great gangsta shit out there people!
Especially here in the UK there seems to be heavy east coast bias. Lots of people well-informed about 80s to mid-90s New York stuff (which I like as well), but when it comes to the South, Mid-West, or West Coast many are clueless.
Anyway, I hope I dropped enough names to get people checkin for Bay Area shit on there own. Most of what I upped is available on Amazon.co.uk so these albums did get UK releases, unfortunately I have never ever ever seen a Ray Luv album in a physical record shop.
Next up I'll do some Southern Cali. Maybe I'll do Texas, the Mid-West, New Orleans, Memphis, Atlanta, as well. soooooooooo much great gangsta shit out there people!
DJ Quik - Safe N Sound
http://s39.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2JW5D9CIQW3ZZ2STHPU1LEFN5U
if you're talking G-funk producers other than Dre, DJ Quik is top of the list. he's a much better rapper than Dre, though, as he shows here, explaining that money is the only thing in the world that'll keep you safe n sound.
http://s39.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2JW5D9CIQW3ZZ2STHPU1LEFN5U
if you're talking G-funk producers other than Dre, DJ Quik is top of the list. he's a much better rapper than Dre, though, as he shows here, explaining that money is the only thing in the world that'll keep you safe n sound.
penthouse players clique - nathen's changed '92
http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=27AG4HK21RWW30P8WAFFORFG6E
another DJ Quik production. ppc were a compton group on ruthless records (eazy e's label). their album is a classic, entirely produced by Quik. seriously up there w/ the best Dre ever did. out of print & rare as fuck though.
I forgot to add the year on the last one, safe n sound is from '95.
http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=27AG4HK21RWW30P8WAFFORFG6E
another DJ Quik production. ppc were a compton group on ruthless records (eazy e's label). their album is a classic, entirely produced by Quik. seriously up there w/ the best Dre ever did. out of print & rare as fuck though.
I forgot to add the year on the last one, safe n sound is from '95.
Compton's Most Wanted - N 2 Deep '92
http://s52.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2DHO3ZQJPA4H1170EOFQU4MDV3
can't believe I forgot to mention DJ Slip / 8 Hype in my first post. their work for CMW is some of my favorite So Cal hip hop. I challenge you not to knod your head to this. MC Eiht poppin typical gangsta shit, joined by the always magnificent Scarface (from Houston).
http://s52.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2DHO3ZQJPA4H1170EOFQU4MDV3
can't believe I forgot to mention DJ Slip / 8 Hype in my first post. their work for CMW is some of my favorite So Cal hip hop. I challenge you not to knod your head to this. MC Eiht poppin typical gangsta shit, joined by the always magnificent Scarface (from Houston).
top_biller
a big bowl of wrong
All good stuff Tejas and sounds even better now the sun's started shining in good old blighty! Have heard of a few of these guys but not all, closest I've got to listen to at home is my Menace II Society soundtrack and Comptons Most Wanted - Music To Driveby tape. Keep em comin!
hi-c - funky rap sanga '91
http://s52.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=08QPTBDD09B2712ROT4AKBF1AV
self-produced funky shit. after Niggaz 4 Life (which I maintain was the most revolutionary record in rap history), Hi-C's debut album was one of the first true g-funk records. he sounds a lot like eazy-e, has the same sense of humor as well. he's from south central "los skanless" though.
http://s52.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=08QPTBDD09B2712ROT4AKBF1AV
self-produced funky shit. after Niggaz 4 Life (which I maintain was the most revolutionary record in rap history), Hi-C's debut album was one of the first true g-funk records. he sounds a lot like eazy-e, has the same sense of humor as well. he's from south central "los skanless" though.
threat - 4 deep '94
http://s52.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2L7VWYKD5A9YG0EFZOX37MLLBW
another producer I forgot to mention, DJ Pooh, who did great work for Ice Cube and King Tee. love the funk guitar sample on this. Threat is a King Tee protoge, another south central native.
http://s52.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2L7VWYKD5A9YG0EFZOX37MLLBW
another producer I forgot to mention, DJ Pooh, who did great work for Ice Cube and King Tee. love the funk guitar sample on this. Threat is a King Tee protoge, another south central native.
last one for the day
above the law - livin' like hustlers '90
http://s52.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=06H5LQWK3BVG426PSKMFP2CJFZ
ATL are Dre associates from Pomona, their production style is obviously influenced by him (and they switched up their style whenever he did) but they hold their own. this is a great laid back track from their debut.
above the law - livin' like hustlers '90
http://s52.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=06H5LQWK3BVG426PSKMFP2CJFZ
ATL are Dre associates from Pomona, their production style is obviously influenced by him (and they switched up their style whenever he did) but they hold their own. this is a great laid back track from their debut.
fuck it, one more!
south central cartel - say goodby to the badd guyz '91
http://s57.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0NTKYJHMYD7583VGSN43JV5WCY
produced by prodeje & dj gripp, who produce all SCC-related material. conservatively that's 5 great albums. again a compulsive headknodder, and bonus points for using 2 scarface vocal samples.
south central cartel - say goodby to the badd guyz '91
http://s57.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0NTKYJHMYD7583VGSN43JV5WCY
produced by prodeje & dj gripp, who produce all SCC-related material. conservatively that's 5 great albums. again a compulsive headknodder, and bonus points for using 2 scarface vocal samples.
tejas said:
That tune & "fuck tha police" being played on the radio (french speaking area, so no-one cared about the swearing) kept me going through 2 months of working in a boring-ass newsagent just after I'd finished school. Used to groove to it behind the cigar case.Cheers for that... real blast from the past, & still sounding good.
kained&able
Here for the football.
Not west coast i8n the slightest but people should check out S.A.S. British crew signed to dipset in the US. They do some good work including a genius remix of pendulems tuarentula.
dave
dave
2nd II None - More Than A Player '92
http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1V8F6VWBQSU963HY75PJLUY3C0
more DJ Quik production. 2nd II None are some more Compton Dj Quik protoges. had one excellent album entirely produced by the man himself, then fell off the radar.
http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1V8F6VWBQSU963HY75PJLUY3C0
more DJ Quik production. 2nd II None are some more Compton Dj Quik protoges. had one excellent album entirely produced by the man himself, then fell off the radar.
dogg pound - ridin, slippin and slidin '95
http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0JQYM3Q0VVAQT0GVLB252EHAGC
ok, the most mainstream thing I've upped so far. Snoop Dogg's homies from Long Beach, Dat Nigga Daz & Kurupt (who's originally from Philly). Produced by Daz, who many claim actually put in most of the production work on the Chronic & Doggystyle. Dre has always worked w/ a young producer who later claim most of the credit; for the early NWA/Eazy-E albums it was the DOC, then Daz during the height of Death Row, for 2001 it was Melman.
http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0JQYM3Q0VVAQT0GVLB252EHAGC
ok, the most mainstream thing I've upped so far. Snoop Dogg's homies from Long Beach, Dat Nigga Daz & Kurupt (who's originally from Philly). Produced by Daz, who many claim actually put in most of the production work on the Chronic & Doggystyle. Dre has always worked w/ a young producer who later claim most of the credit; for the early NWA/Eazy-E albums it was the DOC, then Daz during the height of Death Row, for 2001 it was Melman.
domino - long beach thang '93
http://s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2AG469XA8HAP11LFHCSVCBH5HA
had to up a DJ Battlecat beat.He's kind of the hip hop beatmaker equivalent of a session musician, producing great tracks here and there for all kinds of west coast MCs, but the only album he was the sole or majority producer on was Domino's debut. Domino was a pop gangsta rapper from Long Beach, had a big hit with Ghetto Jam & then dissappeared. This track epitomises the early 90s southern cali gangsta style.
http://s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2AG469XA8HAP11LFHCSVCBH5HA
had to up a DJ Battlecat beat.He's kind of the hip hop beatmaker equivalent of a session musician, producing great tracks here and there for all kinds of west coast MCs, but the only album he was the sole or majority producer on was Domino's debut. Domino was a pop gangsta rapper from Long Beach, had a big hit with Ghetto Jam & then dissappeared. This track epitomises the early 90s southern cali gangsta style.
grosun said:
Cheers for that... real blast from the past, & still sounding good.
I'm 25 so I was too young for the first wave of gangsta. I have similar memories for the 92-96 period tho; the music of your teens always sticks with you. wonder if I'll still be listening to "one less bitch" when I'm 40 though....
I actually like gangsta from the South more than either Northern or Southern Cali, but since this thread is supposed to be about the West Coast & I'm runnin out of time, my introduction to wonders of the gangsta of the South will be much shorter, just the very biggest names. starting w:
ugk - one day '96
http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1E8YHQT6GYV710MW5NJGVWVMOB
If you haven't heard this song yet I envy you because you're about to hear the most beautiful gangsta song ever made. lush, mournful, yet funky interpolation of an Isley Brothers song, and 3 incredible verses from 3-2, Bun B, & Pimp C. 3-2 is from Houston, member of Convicts & Blac Monks, and had an excellent solo album as well. Bun B & Pimp C together are UGK, from Port Arthur TX. Together w/ Scarface the kings of not just Texas but the entire South.
ugk - one day '96
http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1E8YHQT6GYV710MW5NJGVWVMOB
If you haven't heard this song yet I envy you because you're about to hear the most beautiful gangsta song ever made. lush, mournful, yet funky interpolation of an Isley Brothers song, and 3 incredible verses from 3-2, Bun B, & Pimp C. 3-2 is from Houston, member of Convicts & Blac Monks, and had an excellent solo album as well. Bun B & Pimp C together are UGK, from Port Arthur TX. Together w/ Scarface the kings of not just Texas but the entire South.
eightball & mjg - break-a-bitch college '94
http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3LSTBBHAFI24H12HPZ9Z8AQ3JB
the kings of orange mound, memphis. this was produced by the Suave House in-house production team, so it's actually more of Houston than Memphis sound. this is some super smooth pimp shit, which they are most famous for. but both are very versatile lyricists capable of dealing w/ a wide variety of subject matter.
http://s46.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3LSTBBHAFI24H12HPZ9Z8AQ3JB
the kings of orange mound, memphis. this was produced by the Suave House in-house production team, so it's actually more of Houston than Memphis sound. this is some super smooth pimp shit, which they are most famous for. but both are very versatile lyricists capable of dealing w/ a wide variety of subject matter.
outkast - benz or beamer '95
http://s40.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=182DMPJSF4YHD221EYW9B3CAX6
ok, anyone who's heard southernplayalistikcadillacmuzik knows Outkast started out as some straight Southern playa pimp shit (and Big Boy still is one). here's a gem from that period not on the first album, where big boi & andre rap about jacking luxury cars. super thick Organized Noize funk production too.
http://s40.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=182DMPJSF4YHD221EYW9B3CAX6
ok, anyone who's heard southernplayalistikcadillacmuzik knows Outkast started out as some straight Southern playa pimp shit (and Big Boy still is one). here's a gem from that period not on the first album, where big boi & andre rap about jacking luxury cars. super thick Organized Noize funk production too.
geto boys - straight gangstaism '93
http://s40.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2ZYTXG6X67NGN1PP0SRJUGCEX6
Geto Boys, although this could more acurately be called a Convicts track as the only rappers appearing are Big Mike and 3-2, two of my all time favorite rappers. Big Mike is from New Orleans, but recorded w/ rap-a-lot in Houston.
beat by NO Joe, along w/ Mike Dean the legendary producer behind all the Rap-a-lot classics. this song does exactly what it says on the label, lyrics are the definition of gangstaism.
http://s40.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2ZYTXG6X67NGN1PP0SRJUGCEX6
Geto Boys, although this could more acurately be called a Convicts track as the only rappers appearing are Big Mike and 3-2, two of my all time favorite rappers. Big Mike is from New Orleans, but recorded w/ rap-a-lot in Houston.
beat by NO Joe, along w/ Mike Dean the legendary producer behind all the Rap-a-lot classics. this song does exactly what it says on the label, lyrics are the definition of gangstaism.
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