Where do you want the west coast sound to go?

[R-Tistic]

Hoping that the west coast is soon to come back, what do you want our style of music to sound like? We all know that the golden days of west coast rap are over, and the sound that we had in the 90s is not going to come back unless it is completely revamped.

Do you hope that the west coast music of the next few years sounds like some of Dre's beats since Dre 2001? Do you hope that it is very musical like the music Quik does? Do you hope it has the universal appeal that Rick Rock beats have?

If you can, name some recent songs that have the sound that you definitely hope can set the trend for the sound of the west coast.

Here are some beats that I am feelin and can see bein the "leaders" of a new, or just different style...
-213 - Run up on us
-Game - Higher
-Game - This is how we do (it is a mix of old school 80s and new school west, and throwback tracks are always dope)
-Rick Rock - Almost anything...but tracks like Breath, Stretch Shake (Mase) and Hifey (Federation)
-213 - Appreciation
-Sly Boogy - Thats my name (Scott Storch is technically east coast but this beat sounds west and is just fire)

[CRAFTY]

Good topic...personally, I'm really feeling Higher (The Game). You can tell it's West Coast, but at the same time, it has some kind of new vibe/sound to it. If the "new" West Coast sound would have a similar production, I'd be more than happy.

-Spitfire - Xzibit
-MLK - 213
-Love LA - Knoc

[Danté Williams]

If the westcoast sound takes the "Higher" route, count me out.

[T-Dogg]

As long as it's dope, I don't care. Let the artists do what they do.

[Kill]

me personally i just want some creativity. i'd love to see west coast artists puttin their energy into being creative with their music or their lyrics instead of fuckin around like game and Yuk, because IMO that could be one first step in the right direction. I know that peace and unity is an idealistic illusion, but if the west wants to come back, artists gotta put some effort into the music that results from their work, struggle and lives, because the majority of fans don't buy shit for how 'real' an artist is supposed to be, but for what his shit sounds like - i'm not saying beef is the root of all problems, back in its golden era the west coast had mad beef too, but Eiht & Quik eg put out "We Come Strapped" and "Safe & Sound" during their beef and that's just one example. But if artists beef instead of making good music then the west coast will not appeal to the mainstream no more and even non-mainstream fans are gonna be disappointed. The reason why I'm sayin this is simply that i think what is much more important than a concrete direction for the sound to head in, is that artists focus on their sound and put the bullshit aside. wishful thinking, but that's my thoughts

As for tracks I like, i must admit that lately i've been listening to west coast hiphop less than ever, not meaning very rarely, but def not as much as i used to. This is also because most of what i heard in the last few months was ok, maybe quite good, but never exciting. "Higher" is a good single to hype up Game's album, but IMO it won't pave the way for a unique new w/c sound with commercial potential, like G-Funk was. It's more of an example of how to use a formula that's been around for a while cleverly and for mainstream purposes. It's not the 'new sound' I hope for, and unfortunately I don't see who is supposed to come up with that sound at the moment. The 213 album was good, but I don't see it setting trends either. The west coast seems to lack the impulses it needs to come up with a new sound, cause nobody brings them; the old repetitious discussion on who's gonna be the next king, who's next to blow up etc. shows that quite well IMO cause all names that are dropped in the countless threads on this board are artists that might be good, but none of them is anything really new, at least the way i see it. And now who IS actually blowing up? A IMO average rapper related to the west's old ass G-Funk giant, his white ex-protégé from Detroit and the ex-protégé's ex-protégé from New York. Game, maybe the current no. 1 hope ironically kind of epitomizes a great problem of the west coast at the moment.

What I'm tryin to say is that if the west should actually move in a certain direction 1. the bullshit should be uhm, reduced or put into good music somehow like it used to be and 2. Dre and/or east coast connections being the only way to nation- and worldwide success has to stop. Because otherwise I don't see the west regaining strength and coming up with a unique sound of its own again. To come back to the original question, like T-Dogg said, long as it's dope I don't even care, it's the status quo of the west coast hiphop scene (not talkin bout the 'other' west coast like People Under The Stairs, Hiero, Blackalicious etc. of course) that worries me

[Ozir]

Q: "Where do you want the west coast sound to go?"
A:  TO THE TOP!

peace 

[T-Dogg]

Q: "Where do you want the west coast sound to go?"
A:  TO THE TOP!

Well said.

Plus you got a cool avatar too.

[Bramsterdam (see ya)]

Q: "Where do you want the west coast sound to go?"
A:  TO THE TOP!

Well said.

Plus you got a cool avatar too.

[Ozir]

^^^ Thanks T-Dogg & Bram 

[yung-g]

i want the West Coast sound of today to be totally varied. givin everyone out here to have the freedom, of makin whatever they wanna make, and not feelin like "MAJOR" labels are expecting a specific "West Coast" sound from them.

[djkoast]

Breathe Stretch shake is a tight track!

[Active Ingredient]

battlecat is still making westcoast bangers and with a newer sound, hes taking west coast rap into a good direction.

i also think jellyroll is one of the titest upcomming westcoast producers, hes got a sound all to him self.

[Eddie G.]

I really don't want the West Coast sound to go anywhere, I hope it sounds the same as it did in 95.

[Roman]

I'm actually pretty happy with the West Coast sound these days. While the big 3 old school producers (in my opinion, G Dub, Quik & Dre) still bring heat all the time, newer producers like Battlecat, Jellyroll and Rick Rock have potential and all bring different styles into the game.