With Keyshia Cole's "Let it go" as one of the hottest songs of the summer....

[R-Tistic]

Does it make you wonder if the so-called West Coast sound is truly dead....or does it make you wonder if it's all about promotion??

I promise you...if this song was not a single, and you throw Quik, Daz, or anybody from the West who's not Game, Snoop or Dre on it....and you play it for a random person outside the West...they'd probably label it as another stereotypical, outdated, "West coast soundin track".....but with Keyshia Cole, Missy, and Kim on it, along with great promotion nationwide...this song is a major hit. We know that Keyshia is from the West...but she's not a rapper, and people seem to have a different preference for R&B songs versus rap songs. Listening to it...what really makes it different from any of the songs we have loved since the late 90's? It sounds modern, and doesn't sound like it is a G-Funk rip off...but so have many West Coast songs that have dropped since 2000 that have still been labeled as being "archaic" and all that.

This song goes onto the list of non-West Coast songs that had a strong West Coast vibe that became radio singles and even hits in the last 4-5 years....
Keith Murray - Nobody do it better (even has Tyrese on the hook)
Lil Jon - Play no games
Trillville - Some cut (listen to DPG Bomb Ass Pussy then play this...tell me they aren't the same)
Ja Rule feat. Lloyd - Caught up
Jay-Z - 30 something (Dre beat)
50 Cent - If I can't (of course, Produced by Dre once again)

And you can even argue that some songs have been inspired by hyphy, such as Swizz "Money in the bank"...but that style of hyphy was somewhat inspired by the South and a few other songs, so I'll leave it alone. But basically....I just find it funny that people knock the West for not changin our style, and for sounding the same....but tracks that feature non-West rappers, or R&B singers, end up being singles and hits....I don't get it?

[D1G1T4L]

i am guessing it's the subject matter.... I dont think a lot of people outside the west want to hear about gang banging, killing people etc......my opinion is that it's subject matter that holds the west back

[Turf Hitta]

i am guessing it's the subject matter.... I dont think a lot of people outside the west want to hear about gang banging, killing people etc......my opinion is that it's subject matter that holds the west back

Ever heard of 50 Cent?

[Teddy Roosevelt]

i am guessing it's the subject matter.... I dont think a lot of people outside the west want to hear about gang banging, killing people etc......my opinion is that it's subject matter that holds the west back

Ever heard of 50 Cent?

He was successful for a while, but now even he's becoming played out.

[.:Hercy Buggz:.]

I was thinking the same thing but damn that song is hot!!! but again u cant go wrong with the Mtune sample! its something u can bump forever!!

[GangstaBoogy]

R&B is a whole different ball game. Rap is the only genre of music where people will judge you based strictly on where your from. Keyshia Cole holds it down for the West but you'll never hear people say "I'm not listenin to a West Coast singer".

[R-Tistic]

R&B is a whole different ball game. Rap is the only genre of music where people will judge you based strictly on where your from. Keyshia Cole holds it down for the West but you'll never hear people say "I'm not listenin to a West Coast singer".

Yeah it definitely is, and it has no relevance at all. However...this song is being received as a rap song, as far as how it gets played in clubs and all else. If it was just a regular sounding R&B track like "Love" then you couldn't really label it as easy. But this song could easily be a rap song if there were just rap verses on it.

[CRAFTY]

Care for a hook-up? I haven't heard this song yet...

[Blu Lacez]

Care for a hook-up? I haven't heard this song yet...

hey Crazfty, I don't have the mp3 version, so i hope the Video link will be ok!

https://www.youtube.com/v/gyUMG7ScIbY

[d-nice]

This is just my 2 cents on it.

I think hip hop in general LOVES west coast music. I think to make it look like it is not biting styles, it is easier for a artist to collabo with a Scott Storch or other west coast sounding producers or get west coast artists to collabo with. I think the sound is what alot of record labels and artists want. The raps and the image has been copied so many times already but the sound is still in demand. I just think you have so many pioneers of the west coast sound still doing the music. But if something new is tried, it ain't west enough, if it is dope but the same as what they always do, then you are stuck in the 90's.

I think it is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for WEST COAST artists because other artists are allowed to rock different styles including ours and they get praised for it.

[R-Tistic]

This is just my 2 cents on it.

I think hip hop in general LOVES west coast music. I think to make it look like it is not biting styles, it is easier for a artist to collabo with a Scott Storch or other west coast sounding producers or get west coast artists to collabo with. I think the sound is what alot of record labels and artists want. The raps and the image has been copied so many times already but the sound is still in demand. I just think you have so many pioneers of the west coast sound still doing the music. But if something new is tried, it ain't west enough, if it is dope but the same as what they always do, then you are stuck in the 90's.

I think it is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for WEST COAST artists because other artists are allowed to rock different styles including ours and they get praised for it.

That's real...and it seems like older rap fans appreciate it a LOT more than younger ones. It's people in Florida and Detroit who are 25 that probably love West Coast rap more than the average 16-18 year old in L.A., and know a lot more about it than they do.

I also forgot to mention Mike Jones track with Snoop...which isn't the first video we've seen with a West Coast theme. It's almost the same way that a rap artist can have a Jamaican themed song and throw Sean Paul, Barrington Levy, or Junior Reid on the hook...but those artists usually don't get their main singles played on BET or regular rap radio unless there is a rap artist or R&B artist on there. It's like yeah, it's cool to borrow an artist, and make a video with that theme...but not if it's authentic.

[Blu Lacez]

This is just my 2 cents on it.

I think hip hop in general LOVES west coast music. I think to make it look like it is not biting styles, it is easier for a artist to collabo with a Scott Storch or other west coast sounding producers or get west coast artists to collabo with. I think the sound is what alot of record labels and artists want. The raps and the image has been copied so many times already but the sound is still in demand. I just think you have so many pioneers of the west coast sound still doing the music. But if something new is tried, it ain't west enough, if it is dope but the same as what they always do, then you are stuck in the 90's.

I think it is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for WEST COAST artists because other artists are allowed to rock different styles including ours and they get praised for it.

That's real...and it seems like older rap fans appreciate it a LOT more than younger ones. It's people in Florida and Detroit who are 25 that probably love West Coast rap more than the average 16-18 year old in L.A., and know a lot more about it than they do.

I also forgot to mention Mike Jones track with Snoop...which isn't the first video we've seen with a West Coast theme. It's almost the same way that a rap artist can have a Jamaican themed song and throw Sean Paul, Barrington Levy, or Junior Reid on the hook...but those artists usually don't get their main singles played on BET or regular rap radio unless there is a rap artist or R&B artist on there. It's like yeah, it's cool to borrow an artist, and make a video with that theme...but not if it's authentic.

Props to you & D-Nice!

It's a hard one to call it!!
But both of you guys have valid points!

@R-Tistic, i never knew that Hip Hop still loves Westcoast Music,
i was of the belief that they weren't feeling it anymore
So what part of the westcoast Music do they love??
Is it the beat/instrumental, or the Rap/Lyrics??

[d-nice]

This is just my 2 cents on it.

I think hip hop in general LOVES west coast music. I think to make it look like it is not biting styles, it is easier for a artist to collabo with a Scott Storch or other west coast sounding producers or get west coast artists to collabo with. I think the sound is what alot of record labels and artists want. The raps and the image has been copied so many times already but the sound is still in demand. I just think you have so many pioneers of the west coast sound still doing the music. But if something new is tried, it ain't west enough, if it is dope but the same as what they always do, then you are stuck in the 90's.

I think it is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for WEST COAST artists because other artists are allowed to rock different styles including ours and they get praised for it.

That's real...and it seems like older rap fans appreciate it a LOT more than younger ones. It's people in Florida and Detroit who are 25 that probably love West Coast rap more than the average 16-18 year old in L.A., and know a lot more about it than they do.

I also forgot to mention Mike Jones track with Snoop...which isn't the first video we've seen with a West Coast theme. It's almost the same way that a rap artist can have a Jamaican themed song and throw Sean Paul, Barrington Levy, or Junior Reid on the hook...but those artists usually don't get their main singles played on BET or regular rap radio unless there is a rap artist or R&B artist on there. It's like yeah, it's cool to borrow an artist, and make a video with that theme...but not if it's authentic.

So true and I HATE that shit. Make your mind up. If it is cool for another artist like a Mike Jones to make a song like that, why can't a authentic west coast artist do it and people not say it's the same formula? But for example a artist like Jadakiss can have Scott Storch or Jelly Roll produce a track, have Snoop and Quik on it and it is called a dope collabo. Makes no sense to me. So I came up with that the industry does not have a problem with the sound, they love it. The criticism to me makes some artists change they formula and I think to do that to compromise the sound of your record is fucked up. That is why I want to see a west coast producer and artist blow up doing what is considered not the norm out here. WillIAm is about as close as we have at this point. Even Crooked I and his production crew. Just to show some diversity. 

[d-nice]

This is just my 2 cents on it.

I think hip hop in general LOVES west coast music. I think to make it look like it is not biting styles, it is easier for a artist to collabo with a Scott Storch or other west coast sounding producers or get west coast artists to collabo with. I think the sound is what alot of record labels and artists want. The raps and the image has been copied so many times already but the sound is still in demand. I just think you have so many pioneers of the west coast sound still doing the music. But if something new is tried, it ain't west enough, if it is dope but the same as what they always do, then you are stuck in the 90's.

I think it is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for WEST COAST artists because other artists are allowed to rock different styles including ours and they get praised for it.

That's real...and it seems like older rap fans appreciate it a LOT more than younger ones. It's people in Florida and Detroit who are 25 that probably love West Coast rap more than the average 16-18 year old in L.A., and know a lot more about it than they do.

I also forgot to mention Mike Jones track with Snoop...which isn't the first video we've seen with a West Coast theme. It's almost the same way that a rap artist can have a Jamaican themed song and throw Sean Paul, Barrington Levy, or Junior Reid on the hook...but those artists usually don't get their main singles played on BET or regular rap radio unless there is a rap artist or R&B artist on there. It's like yeah, it's cool to borrow an artist, and make a video with that theme...but not if it's authentic.

Props to you & D-Nice!

It's a hard one to call it!!
But both of you guys have valid points!

@R-Tistic, i never knew that Hip Hop still loves Westcoast Music,
i was of the belief that they weren't feeling it anymore
So what part of the westcoast Music do they love??
Is it the beat/instrumental, or the Rap/Lyrics??

The beats and the image is still used IMO. The khakis, the gangsta image, the gangs, not to say it is exclusively west coast as far as gangs, but the west did put it out on the forefront. Alot of the hate the South gets reminds me of the west coast in the late 90's when Death Row and everything else west coast was doing it big. Back then it was all the west coast is about is gang bangin and lowriders. Once the buzz went down then we were still put in that mentality. I think the beats have never been a problem Once Nas got Dr. Dre to work on It's Was Written, that opened the door for alot of east coast artists to feel comfortable working with west coast producers. Now everyone wants that Dirty South sound. Look at Fat Joe, he wants to be Rick Ross so bad he might as well grow a Grizzley Adams beard.

But it's funny, sometimes your success is your downfall in music. If or when the south is not on top, how will the music be judged then? Would I be "ahh southern music is still stuck on that crunk shit"? I don't know but out here our artists are not accepted to change they sound or rock the old shit. Like Mkystero said in that interview here. I don't see how the west is going to win. And the radio stations do sound like a Atlanta radio station out here so that does not help either.

[Cheese]

Care for a hook-up? I haven't heard this song yet...

http://www.zshare.net/audio/2942657954efd1/