Fresh Coast Trippin' :HipHop Regionalism

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Jun 21, 2002
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Fresh Coast Trippin'
by - Shamako Noble of Hip Hop Congress
www.hiphopcongress.org
7/31/02 7:12:49 AM
Regionalism. To what degree does it affect the music of Hip Hop? I have friends on the East, one of whom you can learn a little bit about by going to www.artofrhyme.com, who are pretty sure that West Coast underground is below East Coast standards. It’s even worse for the South…the East coast underground gives little love to the West, no love to the South.

I have another friend in the South, his names Alfonso. He’s telling me, “Oh, the South ain’t hearing you unless your from the South or your out here with the people a lot. You gotta know the people”

Flabbergasting.

Most of the people I talk to here on the west coast tend to have what I think is a very balanced perspective on the whole regional thing. It’s an, “If it’s good I like it, if it’s not I don’t,” type deal. It’s foolish to pigeon hole any listeners, cause more than likely they have a pretty diverse set of music to listen to.

But is regionalism a problem in the Hip Hop Community. Are the sounds that are produced by being in certain areas so distinct that they can’t tolerate or enjoy on another on a common basis.

Let’s not confuse this. I’m not starting any East Coast/West Coast war here. As we all know that was a media exaggerated, Rapcointellpro aggravated smoke screen used to disarm and misdirect the Hip Hop community. What I’m discussing is matter of aesthetic and market research. What does it take to be good every area in the United States of America. Is it even possible? Does it even matter? Get at me.


courtesy of:

www.daveyd.com
 
May 15, 2002
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#2
Regionalism is a good thing because hip-hop is about reppin where you from and lettin people know where you're from, but the flip side is when a trend from one city or state is started by a group or solo artist, mainstream media tends to define that region by that trend. For example, when Cash Money became nationally known for the bling, most hip hop magazines defined the South as a region where that's all emcees from there know, and when that's spread to other regions like the East Coast, they look down on South emcees because that's all they're used to because of radio and video play. This is why the South and West never get love. Some East Coasters think they have a patent on hip-hop, when there are emcees there on that same bling shit as Cash Money Down South. It's just worded different. That's why I love West Coast hip-hop because emcees there don't mind choppin up somethin with Down South folks as long as the beats bang and the flows are raw. Just like when it comes to making friends with people, ya can't make every area love ya.