real talk: i think Locksmith getting robbed on the Mtv MC Battle kinda sparked the popularity in the Bay Area Rap scene. from Locksmith shouting "New Bay" all over the radio and on Mtv, he kinda gave listeners/viewers that there was something new going on in the bay area; some kind of movement. im not saying Locksmith started the Hyphy Movement, but i think it wouldnt have jumped off as big if it wasnt for Locksmith.
reason: when i use to DJ parties/clubs (before Locksmith was on Mtv) i couldnt even play ONE bay area rap song. people would stop dancing and ask me to play some Nelly or Ludacris type shit. even radio wasnt playing any bay shit; only the tite old school bay tracks from back in the day. people (who didnt know much about Bay Rap) didnt start listening to Bay Rap until Locksmith and Left came out with "What Is It" with E-A-Ski. that was the FIRST Bay track people started asking for whenever i DJed a party/club. With the success of "What Is It" people and radio started paying attention to the Bay Area Rap scene.
At the same time Frontline came out, San Quinn and the Done Deal camp helped push the scene even more when they made those radio drops for KMEL. "Welcome To The Bay", "Who U Wit" with Lil Jon and "Say Hey Remix" (over 50 Cent's "In Da Club" beat). E-40 also had the radio going with some tracks off his "Breakin News" album. Keak Da Sneak re-introduced himself to the radio listeners, and kept the hype going with "T-Shirt Blue Jeans and Nikes" and "Know What Im Talkin Bout".
things got more serious with Rick Rock and the Federation when they came out with the "Hyphy" track. I think the Bay Allstar Remix really popped it all off because it was the first of its sound to really make it on the radio with the Hyphy sound. by the time it hit radio, i started seeing more and more bay rap fans at the parties i DJed at.
after that, i think Mac Dre topped it all off when he released "Ronald Dregan" and "Genie of The Lamp". Radio BARELY started playing "Thizzle Dance", "Get Stupid" and "Feelin Myself". its sad to say, but i think this is when ALOT of people BARELY starting learning about Mac Dre but didnt really take him serious until after he died. after Mac Dre passed, i never seen so many Mac Dre/Thizz fans and i kinda blame that on radio. Mac Dre could have had all these fans if radio played his shit a looong time ago.
but anyways, im talkin too much and im gettin tired so im gonna sum it all up in stages on how the Hyphy Movement came about.....
01) Locksmith,Left & EA-Ski started alot of local attention
02) San Quinn & Done Deal Fam kept the hype goin
03) RickRock, Fed, E-40, Keak started the Hyphy scene
04) Mac Dre's death but more importantly his music gave the Hyphy scene a sound and ATTITUDE it needed
05) the sound combination of artists in #s 4 and 5 formed the Hyphy Movement
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