Did Los Angeles Make the Best Hip-Hop in 2014?

[chazraps]

I put this together for the LA Weekly today. Before all the year end look-backs begin, it's gone really understated how Los Angeles has truly had an incredible year. Whether you're a fan of mainstream, underground or classic hip-hop, LA produced outstanding records in every possible way one could measure quality hip-hop.

Check it out - www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2014/11/19/is-los-angeles-making-the-best-hip-hop-of-2014

Agree?

[Deleted]

Kendrick Lamar with "I"

That is all

[Digital Witness]

I have to preface this with the fact that this may have been meant to simply be a short piece simply giving recommendations for current hip hop artists and may not have been meant to be much more than that. This is just an observation and something that I think may have made that article strong if given more time or more words.

I know everyone likes to talk about how great certain cities are great for certain things and like to celebrate particular scenes, but I have to say no; the geographical area of Los Angeles did not make the best hip hop. No more than Austin, TX makes the best indie rock.

What I feel is missing here as someone who's never been to L.A. is that I don't know what is distinctive about that locale and the people that live there that makes it such a hot bed for this genre. All I see is "Hey, look at the correlation between all these awesome hip hop acts; they all come from Los Angeles. Los Angeles makes good hip hop." Is there a certain part of L.A. where these people are from that gives them all something in common? Do they all share the same or similar influences? Do these people collaborate regularly and help influence each other? Is anything new or innovative being introduced by the hip hop in this area? If you discussing music in the scope or a particular area, these are the things I'd be interested in as a reader. I know you said that there's a wide array of the types of hip hop that you can find there, but I feel that can be expanded on.

I'm not doubting you or your opinions that these are strong hip hop acts, but describe the culture and the place that bred this art to me and you'll be more convincing in your argument that Los Angeles has a great hip hop scene, if not the best hip hop scene going today. Otherwise I see a bunch of hip hop recommendations loosely put together.

That's my $0.02.

[chazraps]

Nov 19, 2014 15:52:07 GMT -5 Digital Witness said:

I have to preface this with the fact that this may have been meant to simply be a short piece simply giving recommendations for current hip hop artists and may not have been meant to be much more than that. This is just an observation and something that I think may have made that article strong if given more time or more words.

I know everyone likes to talk about how great certain cities are great for certain things and like to celebrate particular scenes, but I have to say no; the geographical area of Los Angeles did not make the best hip hop. No more than Austin, TX makes the best indie rock.

What I feel is missing here as someone who's never been to L.A. is that I don't know what is distinctive about that locale and the people that live there that makes it such a hot bed for this genre. All I see is "Hey, look at the correlation between all these awesome hip hop acts; they all come from Los Angeles. Los Angeles makes good hip hop." Is there a certain part of L.A. where these people are from that gives them all something in common? Do they all share the same or similar influences? Do these people collaborate regularly and help influence each other? Is anything new or innovative being introduced by the hip hop in this area? If you discussing music in the scope or a particular area, these are the things I'd be interested in as a reader. I know you said that there's a wide array of the types of hip hop that you can find there, but I feel that can be expanded on.

I'm not doubting you or your opinions that these are strong hip hop acts, but describe the culture and the place that bred this art to me and you'll be more convincing in your argument that Los Angeles has a great hip hop scene, if not the best hip hop scene going today. Otherwise I see a bunch of hip hop recommendations loosely put together.

That's my $0.02.

Well, hip-hop itself is a distinctly regional genre. Where some other genres have become somewhat homogenized due to the nationwide availability and promotion of the bigger names, rap's always thrived out of its local communities. East coast artists don't sound like west coast artists, port arthur, texas rappers don't sound like houston rappers, etc. The family tree of who-influences-who are pretty easy to track as even the biggest rappers in different scenes are the product of hyper-localized influences.

To miss why the L.A. connection is such a big deal is to overlook how crucially important geographic location is to hip-hop. San Francisco has a great scene too, but that's such a distance from L.A. that there's no real correlation between the scene and the niches-within-that-scene, which is why this isn't a "California made the best hip-hop" piece.

If anything, the fact that these artists all sound so different and are the product of such sub-sects of scene within Los Angeles is why L.A.'s dominance in 2014 is so impressive. Comparatively speaking, some great indie-rap came out of Minneapolis this year, Miami had some hot mainstream records, and New York's mixtape game was really strong. Los Angeles was able to dominate all of these arenas with an incredible diversity without sacrificing the homegrown nature of their sounds.

[Digital Witness]

Nov 19, 2014 16:21:41 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Nov 19, 2014 15:52:07 GMT -5 Digital Witness said:

I have to preface this with the fact that this may have been meant to simply be a short piece simply giving recommendations for current hip hop artists and may not have been meant to be much more than that. This is just an observation and something that I think may have made that article strong if given more time or more words.

I know everyone likes to talk about how great certain cities are great for certain things and like to celebrate particular scenes, but I have to say no; the geographical area of Los Angeles did not make the best hip hop. No more than Austin, TX makes the best indie rock.

What I feel is missing here as someone who's never been to L.A. is that I don't know what is distinctive about that locale and the people that live there that makes it such a hot bed for this genre. All I see is "Hey, look at the correlation between all these awesome hip hop acts; they all come from Los Angeles. Los Angeles makes good hip hop." Is there a certain part of L.A. where these people are from that gives them all something in common? Do they all share the same or similar influences? Do these people collaborate regularly and help influence each other? Is anything new or innovative being introduced by the hip hop in this area? If you discussing music in the scope or a particular area, these are the things I'd be interested in as a reader. I know you said that there's a wide array of the types of hip hop that you can find there, but I feel that can be expanded on.

I'm not doubting you or your opinions that these are strong hip hop acts, but describe the culture and the place that bred this art to me and you'll be more convincing in your argument that Los Angeles has a great hip hop scene, if not the best hip hop scene going today. Otherwise I see a bunch of hip hop recommendations loosely put together.

That's my $0.02.

Well, hip-hop itself is a distinctly regional genre. Where some other genres have become somewhat homogenized due to the nationwide availability and promotion of the bigger names, rap's always thrived out of its local communities. East coast artists don't sound like west coast artists, port arthur, texas rappers don't sound like houston rappers, etc. The family tree of who-influences-who are pretty easy to track as even the biggest rappers in different scenes are the product of hyper-localized influences.

To miss why the L.A. connection is such a big deal is to overlook how crucially important geographic location is to hip-hop. San Francisco has a great scene too, but that's such a distance from L.A. that there's no real correlation between the scene and the niches-within-that-scene, which is why this isn't a "California made the best hip-hop" piece.

If anything, the fact that these artists all sound so different and are the product of such sub-sects of scene within Los Angeles is why L.A.'s dominance in 2014 is so impressive. Comparatively speaking, some great indie-rap came out of Minneapolis this year, Miami had some hot mainstream records, and New York's mixtape game was really strong. Los Angeles was able to dominate all of these arenas with an incredible diversity without sacrificing the homegrown nature of their sounds.

Fair enough. I can see the point you're making here.

[Urethra Franklin]

I always enjoy reading your stuff, Chaz. Keep up the good work.

[RadcapRadsley]

Maybe in volume but imo the best album all year came out by this dude who came Straight Outta Barcelona

[triplethreatmark]

All this thread is proving is something that's been instilled in me since I was a kid: Everything LA does is awesome and everybody else sucks.

[Deleted]

Nov 21, 2014 21:59:58 GMT -5 triplethreatmark said:

All this thread is proving is something that's been instilled in me since I was a kid: Everything LA does is awesome and everybody else sucks.

Reppin East LA right here, 323 area

[triplethreatmark]

Nov 22, 2014 2:05:38 GMT -5 cageking666 said:

Nov 21, 2014 21:59:58 GMT -5 triplethreatmark said:

All this thread is proving is something that's been instilled in me since I was a kid: Everything LA does is awesome and everybody else sucks.

Reppin East LA right here, 323 area

I too am 323; although I'm from the Hollywood area.

[Professor Chaos]

A lot of the people in L.A. are from all over the country and just moved here to work in the entertainment industry. I'm not big on the music scene but you're gonna have the most opportunity here than anywhere else probably so this is where to go if you're an artist. L.A. probably has the least actual homegrown talent of anywhere.