My opinion and commentary on the Bay Area Rap scene.....

[R-Tistic]

I know that everybody knows me for bein from L.A. and always supportin L.A. artists, and there are some people who might even think I am biased for LA and against the Bay. However, I got a few things to say about the Bay's rap scene overall. Most people from LA will agree with my commentary, and some will agree with my opinions about their culture and music. I might get knocked for some things I say, but oh well.

I'll start out by sayin that I definitely play a LOT of Bay music, mainly the Hyphy shit, and that I like what the Bay is doin more than what L.A. is doin right now. I have always played Bay music to an extent, even though I always favored L.A. music. I have always bumped E-40 albums, but I didn't really get into the "hyphy" style of music until Federation's single dropped, and that might have been when it first started but I donno the history to it. For whatever reasons, people from The Bay seem to be defensive as fuck about their music, and they seem to really feel that everybody in LA has somethin against them and that we hate on them but jock their style at the same time. I would like to say that people with this attitude are way off point and got it twisted as hell. The thing is that L.A. culture is SO MUCH different from The Bay, that there are some things that we just can't get into, but we definitely don't "hate" on the Bay or knock their music just because of where they come from. Music wise, most people in L.A. are playin all of the hot songs from the Bay...."Tell me where to go" "Super Hyphy" and many other songs get played in nearly EVERY L.A. club I go to other than The Boogie. Most people in L.A. don't like Mac Dre's music too much, including me, even though I see him as a Bay legend and icon. I just didn't grow up on his music, and just as Suga Free, E-40, and many other unorthodox rappers, you can't expect everybody to really feel his style of music.

As far as the overall sound of the bay music, I think the Bay definitely has their own style, even though a lot of the hyphy music does sound A LOT like crunk regardless of what y'all may want to admit. From how I see it, Rick Rock is the one who has his own sound that doesn't really sound too much like stereotypical west coast, down south, or east coast music. Droop-E's sound is not 100% original at all, but he has a recognizable sound that you can't really identify as bein down south. However, the rest of the hyphy music I hear has strong similarities to down south music, and there is nothin wrong with that but it just can't be denied. I can upload a few songs from the Tampa Bay area (ironic that it is also the bay), and I guarantee that MANY Bay area songs sound exactly like these songs, and if not exact, they sound a whole lot like the Tampa music. Bay songs that have a strong Tampa sound are Super Hyphy, Get on my hype, Burn Rubber (Too short), Go Dumb Remix (Da Muzicians and Federation), Grown Man Business, Go Ignat, and Bang It (Frontline). I just think it's interesting, and that The Bay should hook up with Tampa because they could EASILY appeal to their market.

From what I have seen bein in Florida at my college, The Bay is ready to blow commercially right now, and their songs could be MAJOR if they got promoted to the whole nation, especially in the south. At the last couple of clubs I've been to out here, the DJ who happens to be from Florida is close with somebody from Frisco who goes to school here too, and he played 4-5 Bay Songs at the last few parties we went to. He played Super Hyphy, Tell me where to go, Super Sic wit it, and a few other tracks. When people who had no idea what these songs were saw how The Bay and even LA people reacted to these songs, they got into em just as much and you can tell that these songs could be big. Sayin that....I think The Bay deserves to blow right now a lot more than L.A. does. L.A. had our time in the 90s, and yeah I want us to come back to the spotlight. But bein honest, we just don't have what we need to have overall to appeal to mainstream that is natural to us. We are still trying to find a sound that is ours, and most rappers and some producers are tryin too hard to be New York rather than bein natural and makin dope music. Along with that, LA does not support our own music enough at all for us to even deserve a chance at the spotlight. It is hard as hell to generalize an entire city of people with completely different opinions and mindsets, but lookin at the big picture, that's definitely the case. Therefore, I think L.A. should take a few years to just develop and re-invent ourselves, but the Bay needs to blow up commercial right now. Their music is buzzin throughout the entire country with barely any radio play or TV, and the people in The Bay actually love it which is extremely important. Also, another reason it needs to blow right now is because people are definitely tired of crunk...why do you think Atl stopped jumpin n pushin n now they just wanna lean side to side and snap? The Hyphy movement definitely serves as an alternative to crunk music, and it is a LOT more danceable and still has the same overall energy in the club. But instead of a "what u lookin at nigga" "fuck yo city" "my click runs this shit" type of attitude, it is a lot more fun and damn near unified.

Another thing I gotta say is that Bay Cats need to appreciate the south and the artists there who fuck with y'all. Many people up there seem to feel that the south is against them, and that they just wanna bite their style and not give em credit just as they see L.A. But righit now, that is definitely who y'all need to go through. Lil Jon is helpin out The Bay more than EVERYBODY in L.A., and damn near as much as many cats in the Bay. Think about it...he's easily a top 5 producer and character/face in the rap game, and he definitely doesn't need to help anyone else. But he puts Bay cats on major songs, and makes appearances with cats from the bay that would never get the same love from the likes of The Neptunes, Timbaland, Dre, or anybody in New York.

For now, that is all I really had to say. I'll respond to whatever questions or comments are posted.

[cobra]

if you own any e-40 albums you'll see lil johns beats on them long before lil john was even big....the bay helped them out.
niggas don't think the bay is against the south, just some niggaz steal shyt and act like they don't know where it came from.
even other westcoast niggaz...poppin they collar and fashizzle? the fuckboy know he got that shyt from da yay.
i can't beliive you sat down and actually wrote all this tho...i hope it was also for a class or somthing...
bottom line is nigga out here don't even give a fuck we mashing and the bay gonna blow...bay is gettin money. niggaz sell enough indie records to have the chains and whips niggaz is tryna go platnum for... peace.

[Bch]

yeah, im from L.A. and i dont really listen to alot of bay area muzik with a few exceptions like yukmeeze and a few others, but that new sound they got im respectin it, im feelin this shit right here .... .
from
The Team  - Hyphy Juice (wild in here)

http://s53.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3S03IONA3DAM80HMTYXSK4JBIH

[Killa-G]

Are you serious? That new bay sound is wack so is crunk music!!

[Realbiggsteele]

I feel ya R-Tistic, like it or not, nobody anywhere else is checking for that old school LA sound anymore that hit in the 90's people better just learn to embrace the new shit

[soopadoopaflykid]

the bay def got next looks like really the south is slowin down cuz their isnt no one we are really expectin to cme out of the south at the moment. This is a perfect time for E-40 to knock down that door which he could cuz he got that machine behind him. I also agree wit R about la not really havin a sound too many dudes tryin out to many sounds and its not constant. Personally i feel once bay knocks down those doors la will get its shine like how it did before cuz if im thinkin rite the first dude to blow on the west was too short and than other la cats like ice t and nwa came to play. LA def needs a sound i think really if they go wit that funky uptempo style i think they can appeal more kinda similar to what quik is doin now cuz no one else got that type of sound and it kinda def southern cali cuz it still got that funk but its different from 90s sound and is more uptempo

[D1G1T4L]

Are you serious? That new bay sound is wack so is crunk music!!

 

[AxleF]

I love the new Bay sound and Im supporting the movement.  I think LA is stuck in the past and needs to find a way to move on.  That old gangsta sound is just tired and old.  All that crippin and bloodin is so in the past.  Most of these cats screamin crip or blood wouldnt have had the heart to back in the day.  These guys wouldve been labeled busters or marks..

Lets take Game for instance.. he wouldnt have been able to get away with the crap hes doing now.  Back in 88, if you was a Blood... flammed up in the streets.. you had major balls.  Most were undercover, sporting brown or green unless they was in they own hood.  If you had a tear drop tattoo, you were respected, period.  If you had braids, people took notice.. and generally watched their back around you.  Basically, it was crazy back then.  Now its all about a fashion show. 

Anyway, not to get off topic.. just wanted to explain why LA needs to move on.  ITS OLD NEWS!

Support the bay.  They found a way to redefine themselves beyond the Mobb Music days.  I love it that legends like E-40, Mac Dre (RIP) Rick Rock, and EA Ski are at the heart of the new movement too.  You just gotta love it.

My two cents.

[R-Tistic]

if you own any e-40 albums you'll see lil johns beats on them long before lil john was even big....the bay helped them out.
niggas don't think the bay is against the south, just some niggaz steal shyt and act like they don't know where it came from.
even other westcoast niggaz...poppin they collar and fashizzle? the fuckboy know he got that shyt from da yay.
i can't beliive you sat down and actually wrote all this tho...i hope it was also for a class or somthing...
bottom line is nigga out here don't even give a fuck we mashing and the bay gonna blow...bay is gettin money. niggaz sell enough indie records to have the chains and whips niggaz is tryna go platnum for... peace.

When Lil Jon first started workin with 40, he was already big in the south, just not nationwide. I know that people definitely steal a lotta Bay shit and act like they created it, I definitely feel you on that. But many people from the Bay seem to have a "fuck the south" and "fuck LA" attitude because of that. I always write a lot, that's just my style since it comes out as fast as I talk. I gave y'all props basically thru the whole thing but it seem like u still got a "who gives a fuck, we doin ours" type of attitude.

[AxleF]

I think that The Bay has always had a "fu@k LA" attitude because LA stole alot of Bay slang and got shine for it.  LA has never given proper respect to The Bay.  In alot of ways, LA acts as though The Bay doesn't even exist.  I don’t fault The Bay for feeling animosity.

As far as all this comparison with the south, I really don’t see it.  Just because E-40 is on Lil Jons label doesn’t mean that the south is helping out The Bay.  It’s just a business deal.  The Bay has always been able to hold their own.

Its time for the Bay to get theirs even if it means aligning with the south.  If you are about The West then stop with the comparisons and just give up props.  We got a new thing going on over here and its exciting to see it happen.

[Big_Ron]

The one thing that would really put the west back where it should be is for the Bay and LA cats to support west coast artists ,or,start being on eachothers albums. You really dont see too many Bay cats on  LA cats albums or vice versa.

[Realbiggsteele]

YO, IN ALL HONESTY I KNOW DAMN NEAR EVERY RAPPER IN LA AND HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY HATE ON THE BAY! THATS THE MOST RIDICULOUS SHIT IVE EVER HEARD! I KNOW FROM A RADIO STAND POINT, THEY DONT PLAY MUCH OF EACH OTHERS SHIT, BECAUSE NORTH CALI & SOUTH CALI ARE LIKE 2 DIFF. WORLDS AND MOST PD'S IN THE BAY ARE DICKS   BUT I DO KNOW 4O WATER IS DAMN NEAR EVERY RAPPERS FAVORITE RAPPER, THE WESTCOAST IS THE WESTCOAST, IT DONT MATTER, NORTH,  SOUTH, WA, OREGON. THE COAST IS THE COAST, YOU DONT SEE FOOLS FROM THE SOUTH BEEFIN OVER  NO DUMB ASS SHIT LIKE THAT, NIGGAS KNOW YALL MADE THOSE FLY ASS WORDS UP, AND I REALLY DONTTHINK THE BAY GOT A "FUCK LA" ATTITUDE, I THINK THEY JUST DOIN THEM, AND THATS WHAT THEY R SUPPOSE TO BE DOING. I THINK YALL PUTTIN TO MUCH ON IT,

[westkoastanostra]

I think that The Bay has always had a "fu@k LA" attitude because LA stole alot of Bay slang and got shine for it.  LA has never given proper respect to The Bay.  In alot of ways, LA acts as though The Bay doesn't even exist.  I don’t fault The Bay for feeling animosity.

As far as all this comparison with the south, I really don’t see it.  Just because E-40 is on Lil Jons label doesn’t mean that the south is helping out The Bay.  It’s just a business deal.  The Bay has always been able to hold their own.

Its time for the Bay to get theirs even if it means aligning with the south.  If you are about The West then stop with the comparisons and just give up props.  We got a new thing going on over here and its exciting to see it happen.

[Realbiggsteele]

The one thing that would really put the west back where it should be is for the Bay and LA cats to support west coast artists ,or,start being on eachothers albums. You really dont see too many Bay cats on  LA cats albums or vice versa.

THATS THE MAIN REASON I REACHED OUT TO BALANCE TO BE ON MY NEW SHIT, IM RIDIN WIT NIGGAS REGARDLESS OF WHERE THERE FROM

[WestCoasta]

man..... stop talking like u know what's up down here and who hates on the bay and whatnot, stupid shit....