Realness in West Coast music

[G-Bee]

I've been searching for more 'real' topics in west coast rap lately. Now I was surprised to find some good examples on the last Kokane album! Tracks like "Made a difference" and "Killing fields" is what i'm talking about.

So, who got some realness for me?

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

talk to enyce

[Triple OG Rapsodie]

I will go out on a limb and say that no gangsta rapper is 100% real. Even those that have actually done some of what they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. Having sold drugs does not make you any more of a drug kingpin than that hippie little white kid who did it in my high school. Carrying a gun on you does not make you any harder than your average member of the NRA, except those dudes actually know how to use theirs and have actually gone out and shot animals. And having been to jail doesn't make you anything but a fuckup.

I enjoy the music. But when these rappers get on television still portraying that character it makes me laugh. Nigga, you ain't any more likely to murder anyone than me.

[Jimmy H.]

I will go out on a limb and say that no gangsta rapper is 100% real. Even those that have actually done some of what they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. Having sold drugs does not make you any more of a drug kingpin than that hippie little white kid who did it in my high school. Carrying a gun on you does not make you any harder than your average member of the NRA, except those dudes actually know how to use theirs and have actually gone out and shot animals. And having been to jail doesn't make you anything but a fuckup.

I enjoy the music. But when these rappers get on television still portraying that character it makes me laugh. Nigga, you ain't any more likely to murder anyone than me.

Truthfully, I like the reporter aspect of the artist more because there's more truth to that. When rappers talk about what happens in their community or hood from the perspetive of a bystander, it seems more believable to me. That's why I like something like "Brenda's Got A Baby". It's not about glorifying some exagarrated aspects of a lifestyle. It's talking about the least glorious aspects of a community. Now, this is what I think most artists don't get. "Brenda" is a fictional story in the same way as all the  drive-by bullshit other artists rap about but the emotion behind it is real. That's the problem with gangsta rap is most of it is all bravado. A rapper can exaggarate all he wants as long as I, the listener, believe the emotion behind the story is real. People almost ALWAYS exagarrate when they tell a story but details are rarely gonna be nailed perfectly. But it's when the only emotion an artist portrays is super hardcore mean-muggin' O.G. that the music just sounds like noise. Talking about laughing while you're busting slugs into a baby carriage is comic book shit. When Biggie says, "I know how it feel to wake up, fucked up", that's more relatiable because there's a far more universal understanding of feeling trapped in a hopeless situation than there is being some emotionless thugged-out killer.

[BOX5 the best poster on this site yell]

I will go out on a limb and say that no gangsta rapper is 100% real. Even those that have actually done some of what they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. Having sold drugs does not make you any more of a drug kingpin than that hippie little white kid who did it in my high school. Carrying a gun on you does not make you any harder than your average member of the NRA, except those dudes actually know how to use theirs and have actually gone out and shot animals. And having been to jail doesn't make you anything but a fuckup.

I enjoy the music. But when these rappers get on television still portraying that character it makes me laugh. Nigga, you ain't any more likely to murder anyone than me.

Truthfully, I like the reporter aspect of the artist more because there's more truth to that. When rappers talk about what happens in their community or hood from the perspetive of a bystander, it seems more believable to me. That's why I like something like "Brenda's Got A Baby". It's not about glorifying some exagarrated aspects of a lifestyle. It's talking about the least glorious aspects of a community. Now, this is what I think most artists don't get. "Brenda" is a fictional story in the same way as all the  drive-by bullshit other artists rap about but the emotion behind it is real. That's the problem with gangsta rap is most of it is all bravado. A rapper can exaggarate all he wants as long as I, the listener, believe the emotion behind the story is real. People almost ALWAYS exagarrate when they tell a story but details are rarely gonna be nailed perfectly. But it's when the only emotion an artist portrays is super hardcore mean-muggin' O.G. that the music just sounds like noise. Talking about laughing while you're busting slugs into a baby carriage is comic book shit. When Biggie says, "I know how it feel to wake up, fucked up", that's more relatiable because there's a far more universal understanding of feeling trapped in a hopeless situation than there is being some emotionless thugged-out killer.

you make a lot of good points my equal, as well as rapsodie, stories will not be 110% networth but most times  they should at the least make people think that what the rapper says can actually happen or think that if they get pushed to the limit they could see them doing that shit, before rappers told stories and made you braille what they was saying,ie mc eiht straight up menace, i heard the joint before i seen the movie,and then when i saw the movie i was like damn eiht was spot on, rappers stories don't have that feel any more,and i'm not just talking about gangsta rappers out here just alot of rappers period yell

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

I will go out on a limb and say that no gangsta rapper is 100% real. Even those that have actually done some of what they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. Having sold drugs does not make you any more of a drug kingpin than that hippie little white kid who did it in my high school. Carrying a gun on you does not make you any harder than your average member of the NRA, except those dudes actually know how to use theirs and have actually gone out and shot animals. And having been to jail doesn't make you anything but a fuckup.

I enjoy the music. But when these rappers get on television still portraying that character it makes me laugh. Nigga, you ain't any more likely to murder anyone than me.

Youre a little misinformed.

[Triple OG Rapsodie]

I will go out on a limb and say that no gangsta rapper is 100% real. Even those that have actually done some of what they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. Having sold drugs does not make you any more of a drug kingpin than that hippie little white kid who did it in my high school. Carrying a gun on you does not make you any harder than your average member of the NRA, except those dudes actually know how to use theirs and have actually gone out and shot animals. And having been to jail doesn't make you anything but a fuckup.

I enjoy the music. But when these rappers get on television still portraying that character it makes me laugh. Nigga, you ain't any more likely to murder anyone than me.

Truthfully, I like the reporter aspect of the artist more because there's more truth to that. When rappers talk about what happens in their community or hood from the perspetive of a bystander, it seems more believable to me. That's why I like something like "Brenda's Got A Baby". It's not about glorifying some exagarrated aspects of a lifestyle. It's talking about the least glorious aspects of a community. Now, this is what I think most artists don't get. "Brenda" is a fictional story in the same way as all the  drive-by bullshit other artists rap about but the emotion behind it is real. That's the problem with gangsta rap is most of it is all bravado. A rapper can exaggarate all he wants as long as I, the listener, believe the emotion behind the story is real. People almost ALWAYS exagarrate when they tell a story but details are rarely gonna be nailed perfectly. But it's when the only emotion an artist portrays is super hardcore mean-muggin' O.G. that the music just sounds like noise. Talking about laughing while you're busting slugs into a baby carriage is comic book shit. When Biggie says, "I know how it feel to wake up, fucked up", that's more relatiable because there's a far more universal understanding of feeling trapped in a hopeless situation than there is being some emotionless thugged-out killer.

I enjoy a good deal of the music for that very reason. I like music that "sounds real", regardless of who made it. Straight Outta Compton was a classic record because it sounded real, because you felt it. But it becomes silly when rappers start portraying that character outside of the music. and you see them in interviews talking about how hard they are or on youtube videos showing off guns like it means something. It's at that point I start to shake my head.

[papa-smurf]

i agree,gangsta rap isnt real,suga free is the realest u gonn aget,he dont rap about killing a million niggas and all that,he just rap about bitchies.alot of shit he say i see in every day life.

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

i agree,gangsta rap isnt real,suga free is the realest u gonn aget,he dont rap about killing a million niggas and all that,he just rap about bitchies.alot of shit he say i see in every day life.

If somebody get on a record talkin about killin a million niggas...yes, they are bullshittin. Suga Free doesnt just rap about bitches...he raps about pimpin. His pimpin is just as real as another nigga bangin. Does that mean every rapper out there that claims to be supergangsterin it up in the streets is really doin...or has really done the shit? Course not. But to question the ENTIRE group of rappers who rap under the label of gangsta rap as bein fake...is pretty ignorant homie. Me, ive known way more gangstas that are tryin to get into this rap shit...then Ive known rappers who wanna be gangstas...personally. Is Game just overhypin his gangsta image? Maybe. I dont know him personally tho. Is Kurupt? Maybe. I dont know him personally tho. But where Im from, SD is a big ass city....but ask anybody down here...and the shit is small. The biggest rappers from SD, share the same homeboys as a lotta muhafuckas. Myself included. So a lot of these cats can be vouched for on some gangbang shit.

[Triple OG Rapsodie]

I will go out on a limb and say that no gangsta rapper is 100% real. Even those that have actually done some of what they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. Having sold drugs does not make you any more of a drug kingpin than that hippie little white kid who did it in my high school. Carrying a gun on you does not make you any harder than your average member of the NRA, except those dudes actually know how to use theirs and have actually gone out and shot animals. And having been to jail doesn't make you anything but a fuckup.

I enjoy the music. But when these rappers get on television still portraying that character it makes me laugh. Nigga, you ain't any more likely to murder anyone than me.

Youre a little misinformed.

how so?

[Sofa_King_Awesome]

talk to enyce

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

I will go out on a limb and say that no gangsta rapper is 100% real. Even those that have actually done some of what they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. Having sold drugs does not make you any more of a drug kingpin than that hippie little white kid who did it in my high school. Carrying a gun on you does not make you any harder than your average member of the NRA, except those dudes actually know how to use theirs and have actually gone out and shot animals. And having been to jail doesn't make you anything but a fuckup.

I enjoy the music. But when these rappers get on television still portraying that character it makes me laugh. Nigga, you ain't any more likely to murder anyone than me.

Youre a little misinformed.

how so?

Youre grouping the entire gangsta rap community together is why.  I cant speak on rappers who i know nothin about personally (other then some shit ive read on the internet or somethin THEy said about themselves). But like I said, down here...if youre in that certain circle, you know whats really happenin. I could use Mitch as an example. Damn near all the shit he is talkin about, is real shit. He mostly raps about real San Diego shit, and triv that really goes down in the hood here. He's rappin about situations and sometimes events that I know first hand have happened. When Willie Jones got killed...happened. When Eddie got killed...happened. When the two ladies got killed over by Dr J's...happened. etc...etc. All Im sayin is, its different when you know for sure that what a certain rapper...or group of rappers is spittin is actually shit you know about. I can only assume that there are other rappers out there too that are spittin the truth. Are all of them? Hell naw. But they aint all fake either.

The ONE thing I would agree about the exaggeration (and this goes with all rap, not just gangsta rap) is how they pump up their bankroll far bigger than it is. Muhafuckas flossin rented cars and shit like its their own. Let damn near every rapper out there tell it....theyre ALL rich lol.

[Triple OG Rapsodie]

I will go out on a limb and say that no gangsta rapper is 100% real. Even those that have actually done some of what they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. Having sold drugs does not make you any more of a drug kingpin than that hippie little white kid who did it in my high school. Carrying a gun on you does not make you any harder than your average member of the NRA, except those dudes actually know how to use theirs and have actually gone out and shot animals. And having been to jail doesn't make you anything but a fuckup.

I enjoy the music. But when these rappers get on television still portraying that character it makes me laugh. Nigga, you ain't any more likely to murder anyone than me.

Youre a little misinformed.

how so?

Youre grouping the entire gangsta rap community together is why.  I cant speak on rappers who i know nothin about personally (other then some shit ive read on the internet or somethin THEy said about themselves). But like I said, down here...if youre in that certain circle, you know whats really happenin. I could use Mitch as an example. Damn near all the shit he is talkin about, is real shit. He mostly raps about real San Diego shit, and triv that really goes down in the hood here. He's rappin about situations and sometimes events that I know first hand have happened. When Willie Jones got killed...happened. When Eddie got killed...happened. When the two ladies got killed over by Dr J's...happened. etc...etc. All Im sayin is, its different when you know for sure that what a certain rapper...or group of rappers is spittin is actually shit you know about. I can only assume that there are other rappers out there too that are spittin the truth. Are all of them? Hell naw. But they aint all fake either.

The ONE thing I would agree about the exaggeration (and this goes with all rap, not just gangsta rap) is how they pump up their bankroll far bigger than it is. Muhafuckas flossin rented cars and shit like its their own. Let damn near every rapper out there tell it....theyre ALL rich lol.

Even the ones who have done something they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. I think every rapper is fake to some degree, and I have yet to be proven wrong. I understand some rappers may incorporate some actual bad situations that went down, but at the same time that shit isn't happening 24-7 yet when it comes to gangsta rappers how come its almost always in 100% of their rhymes?

[D-Nice]

Well at the end of the day, who am I to question a artist's authenticity? I really do not have the time to do research on all that lol.

Nah but seriously this is a GREAT thread btw. Like Jimmy said I like the street reporters take some rappers have. That is something I wish Cube would do more of on his albums. Ghetto Vet is a classic example of that. That song put you RIGHT THERE and it verbally paints a picture. Storytelling in hip hop is becoming a dying art and form of musical expression with alot of artists. Well I should not say all but alot of new artists could not do it to save they career.

[.:DaYg0sTyLz:.]

I will go out on a limb and say that no gangsta rapper is 100% real. Even those that have actually done some of what they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. Having sold drugs does not make you any more of a drug kingpin than that hippie little white kid who did it in my high school. Carrying a gun on you does not make you any harder than your average member of the NRA, except those dudes actually know how to use theirs and have actually gone out and shot animals. And having been to jail doesn't make you anything but a fuckup.

I enjoy the music. But when these rappers get on television still portraying that character it makes me laugh. Nigga, you ain't any more likely to murder anyone than me.

Youre a little misinformed.

how so?

Youre grouping the entire gangsta rap community together is why.  I cant speak on rappers who i know nothin about personally (other then some shit ive read on the internet or somethin THEy said about themselves). But like I said, down here...if youre in that certain circle, you know whats really happenin. I could use Mitch as an example. Damn near all the shit he is talkin about, is real shit. He mostly raps about real San Diego shit, and triv that really goes down in the hood here. He's rappin about situations and sometimes events that I know first hand have happened. When Willie Jones got killed...happened. When Eddie got killed...happened. When the two ladies got killed over by Dr J's...happened. etc...etc. All Im sayin is, its different when you know for sure that what a certain rapper...or group of rappers is spittin is actually shit you know about. I can only assume that there are other rappers out there too that are spittin the truth. Are all of them? Hell naw. But they aint all fake either.

The ONE thing I would agree about the exaggeration (and this goes with all rap, not just gangsta rap) is how they pump up their bankroll far bigger than it is. Muhafuckas flossin rented cars and shit like its their own. Let damn near every rapper out there tell it....theyre ALL rich lol.

Even the ones who have done something they rap about exaggerate the fuck out of it. I think every rapper is fake to some degree, and I have yet to be proven wrong. I understand some rappers may incorporate some actual bad situations that went down, but at the same time that shit isn't happening 24-7 yet when it comes to gangsta rappers how come its almost always in 100% of their rhymes?

You say you have yet to be proven wrong...but when have you been proven right? Unless you are with these fools on the regular, you really have no clue what they have done....been doing....or do now.