Although there is much controversy between East and West
Coast rappers, some would be surprised to learn that despite their differences,
they also have a lot in common. To understand how this much hyped controversy
came about, it’s important to understand the basic differences between
West and East Coast rap.
Initially, East Coast rap was the only form of rap –
it’s where hip hop was born. Some of the most well known East Coast
rappers are: Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Jay-Z, The Wutang Clan, Nas,
P. Diddy, DMX, A Tribe Called Quest, and many more.
When West Coast rap came on to the scene in the mid 1990’s
it was very derivative of its East Coast counterparts. But, as time went
on, the differences and tensions between West and East Coast rap became
increasingly strained. West Coast rappers managed to pioneer their own
sound which many are familiar with as Gangsta Funk or G-Funk, originally
championed by Dr. Dre. However, this is not to say that all West Coast
Rap is G-Funk. Other well known rappers from the West would be Snoop Dogg,
Cypress Hill, Ice Cube, MC Hammer, Coolio, and of course 2Pac.
When you compare West Coast to East Coast rap, at least
musically and thematically, they’re not all that different, which
is why many are confused with all the fighting and insults. In the beginning,
West Coast and East Coast differences were primarily gang related. This
wouldn’t have been a problem as they lived on opposing sides of
the country, but since the music scene is national, West Coast and East
Coast differences were able to clash.
Controversy between East and West Coast rappers peaked
when 2Pac was murdered in 1996. Much of 2Pac’s death is shrouded
in mystery, but many blamed Notorious B.I.G as he had allegedly placed
a one-million dollar bounty on 2Pac’s life. While the specifics
are cloudy, Notorious B.I.G was murdered six months after 2Pac.
With these two rap icons dead, the controversy between
East and West Coast rappers became too real for fans and artists in the
hip hop community. They then launched efforts to curb the violence and
work together, trying to put aside the differences between West and East
Coast rap. Today, when people compare West Coast to East Coast rap, the
controversy is confined to musical prowess and business savvy.
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