what do you think the west should do to blow up again?

[budsmokeronly]

really it ain't about how good of music you make nowadays, its about how you market it and all the business aspects to it.  It is just like any other type of business.  In-N-Out makes way better burgers than McDonalds, yet Micky D's is way bigger and sells way more.

the latest craze these days is mixtapes.  Eastcoast jumped on that scene about a year ahead of the west.  It really helped artists out.  Just look at 50 cent.  Sure being with eminem and dre helped a lot, but those mixtapes helped him a ton.

the west has to come up with a new innovative idea to catch the attention of the fans.  what do you think it should be?  Get rid of such the hard image?  Appeal for a younger audience?  Because one thing is for sure, they need to get on the radio and tv a lot more.  

It takes money to make money.  So no matter how hot an artist you are, and you are independent, you really ain't gonna be able to sell that many copies, because you don't have enough money in distribution and promotion.  I'm curious as to the numbers of how much money was invested into Roscoe's album vs how much invested in 50 Cent's album.

so most rappers on the west can't get that much money to invest because the big record labels won't sign them.  I am guessing they won't sign them cause they think gangsta rap isn't gonna sell anymore.  Maybe they are right.  Maybe the west has to totally switch up their image inorder to blow up again.

what do you guys think?

[Halu Sination]

sadly, dr. dre seems to be the only thing that comes in mind when it comes to west coast becoming popular again. the west has been relying on him too long.

[PLANT]

I think that 213, WSC, Ice Cube, Tha Eastsidaz and then Dre's Detox better bring back the spotlight to the west....


If the above^^ cant bring back the west, then NOTHING will.....But Im expecting big things from 213, WSC, Cube Eastsidaz and Dre....

Then we can also have another Xzibit solo, Liks, E White and RBX, Soopa, CrookedI(hopefully) and another Snoop solo.....

IMO it looks promising for the left coast...

[Code Blue]

I don't know what they need to do, but IMO I don't really wanna C the Westcoast's style change. I mean, if we changed our style to be more appealing to the worldwide public, then we really wouldn't be the Westcoast anymore now would we. And it's not like other Westcoast dudes like Aceyalone, Planet Asia, Dilated Peoples, who aren't with that whole "gangsta" thing sale more than any other Westcoast dudes, so what's the point really?

[The Watcher]

i think they need to come up with a new style. nowdays, everybody is a pimp or a thug or a gangsta, they need something new & fresh -- eastcoast cats dont buy westcoast music because its all along the same style -- COME UP WITH SOMETHING NEW & FRESH

[Siberian Wolf]

They need to be more versatile in their topics and quit all that low-budget producing. Look at C-Bo, he makes tons of albums talking about the same ol' thug shit with the same ol' played out beats. When I listen to Blocc Movement I always skip his verses to hear a Lynch verse. Look at spice 1 also, once was a West coast king, he's a true poet still, but his beats turned from supreme to worse than on Raekwon's Immobilarity. Low-budget, thats why.

Those people from the West need to quit spendin money on cars and drugs and start making smth new. Gangsta shit is played out, Thug image is trash, and wack beats need to be banished from hip hop.

[mauzip]

What the West Coast need is good promotion and artists with that don't have everyday voices. For the rest of my opinion, read Grundy's post.

[michael jackson]

THA WEESTCOAST NEEDS A NEW BREED OF MCS LIKE SLY BOOGIE, CROOKED I, EASTWOOD, TOO COOL AND YOUNG BUC BUT NOT ONLY THAT THEY NEED TO COME UP OFF SOME HIT RECORDS WITH THE OGS LIKE SNOOP AND EASTSIDAZ..... AND IT ALL TAKE TIME

[CRAFTY]

I don't think they should change the "gangsta-image", they need to stick to their style, because that fits them...period.
I remember Jayo Felony sayin' in the Dubcnn interview something like:

"The West Coast started this shit, well, we're gonna finish it too"
I think he meant with this particular sentence that the East Coast is now on top, okay, so be it, but that the West Coast will be soon on top again.

[smerlus]

this topic is tired.....the same things get said all the time...change style, better producing, dre, snoop, new rappers....

don't worry, if the west is going to be on top again, they will be...they don't need dre to be on thier albums.

the west fucked up last time, dre had all the eyes back on the west with 2001, xzibit kept the eyes on it....then they just dropped the ball. they need to keep up the momentum, when dre drops, just start dropping hits and everything should work out....

[AxleF]

THA WEESTCOAST NEEDS A NEW BREED OF MCS LIKE SLY BOOGIE, CROOKED I, EASTWOOD, TOO COOL AND YOUNG BUC BUT NOT ONLY THAT THEY NEED TO COME UP OFF SOME HIT RECORDS WITH THE OGS LIKE SNOOP AND EASTSIDAZ..... AND IT ALL TAKE TIME

Gangsta / Pimp rhyme styles is what made the West so we gotta stay true.. but only to a certain degree.  We gotta make room for creativity and work on a new Westcoast signature beyond just G-Shit.  Instead Id like to see the market change mainly in the area of promotion and marketing.  Artists like Sly Boogie, Ecay Uno, Knoc etc. is what the Westcoast needs to get back on top but fresh talent isnt enough.  The market has to be behind it and thats where we are failing.  We also gotta start clickin up and kill the stupid beefs.  If you ask me that has alot to do with the market being so "gun shy" about supporting Westcoast music.  

Ax

[Z the laidback Virus]

You need to have the media to tell the pop music lovers that the westcoast brings the dopest shit all the time......These are the people that like whatever is promoted as hot and popular, as soon as this happens westcoast cd's will fly out of the shops. A good old bit of provoking and controversy will help as well. NWA,Cube,Pac & on the eastcoast Eminem all used this and their records sold like shit.

[k-dogg]

I don't proclaim to be an expert or have the answers but here are my suggestions:

1. NO MORE WHINING AND CRYING from fans and other rappers about DRE & SNOOP won't help me/us.  In the East, Jigga made himself a star.  Witty wordplay mixed in with some gangsta/drug selling and only average production (especially in the beginning). Puffy made Biggie into a star. Gangsta mixed in with the usual Puffy commericial sound. The West could have completely taken over if not for Puffy and Biggie and say what you want, they made it happen.    Like most of you, I'm not a Puffy fan but he was hungry and started his label from the ground and hustled his way to the top.
2. Forget about the legends that are always discussed (C-BO, The Bay Area rappers, etc.) as far as bringing the West back.  Young hungry rappers are needed but their content cannot be just gangsta shit.  For the most part, people are just sick of it unless something else is mixed in.  In other words: Be versatile.  
3. Finally, DON'T MISS THE MOMENT.  If a young, hot rapper comes along with a buzz, promote him properly and put his material out.  I know you experts will say it's not that easy and your probably right.  I just think that Snoop, 50 Cents, Biggie and others came out at just the right time after some buzz.  Do you really think 50 Cent is a better rapper than Crooked I?? Even if Suge did not have the money or a major label to put his album out, (Suge's fault by the way) he at least should have made more appearances on other albums.  Crook has now lost his buzz.  His album might still sell but not like it would have a couple years ago.  By the way, before someone says it, I know that 50's legend and rep (getting shotup) and his mixtape hustle helped his sales.  But if Aftermath/Shady had waited to long, the buzz would have died down and he may have still sold platinum but not 6 times over. Some may like 50 and some may not, but you must respect  his hustle, even after getting shot-up.          

[LIFE]

Ask youre self this! What do you do when you and your girl have been together for a while and now yall are on down time... First you need to understand what ever you did in the begining that she liked about you shall work in the end and if you know how that goes its going to over flow like a comofve aka a (toilet). well if the east wont let us in then make the east come to us (THINK) how did the west blow up besides N.W.A. the movies boyz N the hood meanace II society ect who did the soundtracks we did what was marketed the west coast you see the west needs to become (ONE) and in order for that to happen the west needs to promote the west forget about what the east is doing or what the south is doing because they are one and we need to folow suit and create a fire so big where they will have no other choice but to come see about us because the NY helps the NY the ATL helps the ATL but in the wild wild west its every man for his self and that got muthafuckas stuck..

[KavorkianPorkian]

When Raz Kass Comes Out Of Jail, He's Gonna Hold It Down.  I Think Alot Of West Coast MC Will Shine Soon Like Krondon, Saffir, Hiero, Alot Of The Underground Scence.  As Far With Dre.  He Will Bring It Back With Detox No Doubt.......