The New Breed of West Coast Rappers

This is 2011, and there is a new breed of West Coast rappers on the rise...and no, they are not gangsta rappers. Several weeks ago, Crooked I, also a west coast rapper, commented on the new breed, and said he was glad that they were moving away from the west coast stereo type of gangsta music...64 Chevy's, chuck taylors and all that. The west brought gangsta rap to the fore front in the 80s with NWA, and through the mid 80s to the early 90s, Ice Cube, Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg helped to build on the popularity of the style of rap music, but it saw its decline in the tail end on the mid 90s when the east took over rap reign.

After the fall, the west kept doing their thing, even though they were nolonger gaining radio airplay and nationwide attention like they did back in the 80s and 90s. The only other rapper from the west that rose to the limelight from the west in recent times doing their traditional gangsta music was Compton California rapper Game, but he also has seen a decline in commercial success since his 2005. Now, the west has a new breed of rappers coming to re-brand the coast; you have Kendrick Lamar, Kreayshawn, Lil B, and Tyler, The Creator.

You can not put a label on all the names i mentioned above and say this is the new unique style of west coast rap; they are all individually doing their thing, and it is definitely not Gangsta rap. Kendrick is from Compton, but his message is very conscious type, sort of like a nas lyrically, with an insane flow. Tyler is doing his eminem type of rap. Kreayshawn is doing her pop rap; and Lil B is just doing him. You still have new rappers like Jay Rock, and Nipsey Hustle sticking to the gansta rap signature that the west is known for, but it is clear from where their career's are that they would probably not taste mainstream success.

So, what would the new west do with it? First of all, like Crooked I, i have to say i am happy that a notable amount of rappers from the west have become popular in recent times, and that they have their own unique flavours. And it is also cool that Game, who is a link between the old and new featured two of the new rappers on his just released R.E.D Album- Kendrick Lamar on The City, and Tyler on Martians vs Goblins. I think this is the rise of a new West, and it is just good for Hip Hop in a whole. Hip Hop never died, it has just been evolving.