Def Jam's "The Show" soundtrack displays West Coast talent they never developed

[TraceOneInfinite]

In his autobiography Russel Simmons talks about how he regrets that Def Jam was never able to develop it's West Coast artists.  If you listen to "The Show" soundtrack from the mid 90's there's no doubt Def Jam West Coast had major potential.  That album is bangin (best soundtrack ever!) and it is carried on the strength of Def Jam's West Coast Roster.  Check out this roster displayed on the Show Soundtrack....

-I think the Dove Shack album would have blown up had they released, "Summertime in the LBC" as a single with a video, just in time for the summertime.

-The Twinz album should of blown up if they could have promoted "Round and Round" with more enthusiasm.

-Def Jam also had Tray Dee at that time, and "Droppin Bombz" off of the Show soundtrack was way clean, but I think Tray Dee got caught up and sent to jail or something, he also had an ill track on the Rush Hour soundtrack, the potential was their for a great solo record.

-Jayo Felony- "Zoom, Zoom, Wam, Wam"-   No doubt this is his best song.  It's a signature West Coast track with the high synth and hand claps, lyrics were way clean.  He was signed to Def Jam at the time, and a couple years after releasing this track he dropped the single, "What Ya Gonna Do" with Method Man and DMX and I was thinking his album was going to blow up and be a classic West Coast album... but it didn't end up that way, if he could have came half as tight as he did on the Show soundtrack then the album would have been a West Coast classic.

-South Central Cartel dropped one of the hardest West Coast gangsta tracks on the mid-90's on the Show Soundtrack, but I never heard of them after that, I think the track was produced by Ant Banks. 

-Warren G's first album blew up off the strength of his relationship with Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre, but there's no excuse for his second album only selling gold, "Annie Mae" although heavily anticipated was never released as a single, even suburban white girls were bumpin that track, and I know this because I'm white and from the suburbs, Def Jam could have capatalized.

...............On a side note, although 2pac wasn't signed to Def Jam, one of his most thoughtful tracks is found on The Show soundtrack, "My Block".

[Eddie G.]

I agree.  Its a damn shame that they couldn't have done more with the talent they had, because they had some dope rappers.  Richie Rich was on Def Jam too, he coulda done more on there.  Yeah, I was bumpin "Annie Mae" as a 10 year old white kid, hell that song was probably what turned me on to west coast music.

[GangstaBoogy]

i remember P.Diddy made Da Band read Russel Simmons book on one episode. and one part i remember was "how dare he sign a west coast artist who should be signed to death row"

russel doesnt like the west coast. neither does jay-z (not counting snoop). and after wc flopped...i doubt we'll see another west coast def jam artist?

[Acgrundy]

the show is def one of the best ost's ever.  straight bangin, I got that shit right when it dropped.  it introduced me to a lot of artists.

[Eddie G.]

and after wc flopped...i doubt we'll see another west coast def jam artist?

Yeah but did anyone really expect West Coast funk made by a gangsta in his 30s to be a platinum record?  Thats what Ghetto Heisman was.  The reason West Coast albums like that don't sell is because people like WC that have been around a long time probably don't get many new fans.  The same fans who were feeling him 10 years ago will buy the record, but very few people that are like 15 or something will go out and buy it, and thats where the majority of record sales come from.

[Darksider]

the show is def one of the best ost's ever.  straight bangin, I got that shit right when it dropped.  it introduced me to a lot of artists.

[TraceOneInfinite]

and after wc flopped...i doubt we'll see another west coast def jam artist?

Yeah but did anyone really expect West Coast funk made by a gangsta in his 30s to be a platinum record?  Thats what Ghetto Heisman was.  The reason West Coast albums like that don't sell is because people like WC that have been around a long time probably don't get many new fans.  The same fans who were feeling him 10 years ago will buy the record, but very few people that are like 15 or something will go out and buy it, and thats where the majority of record sales come from.

I forgot about Richie Rich and WC being on Def Jam, but like you said, I don't blame their lack of success on Def Jam.   I think both were hooked up with hot singles, video's and promotion.   I remember Richie Rich had a song dedicated to hip-hop's fallen soldiers (2pac) called "Do G's Get To Go To Heaven?"... it was a hot video back in the day....  and WC had a popular video with Snoop and Nate Dogg guest appearing, you can't beat a Nate Dogg hook and a Snoop 16(verse)... but bottom line WC just didn't have mass appeal, so he didn't sell, I don't blame that on Def Jam.