Fresh Coast Trippin' :HipHop Regionalism

[SHEBAY]

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

 

[KnowNoGood]

Regionalism's good 'cuz hip-hop's always been about reppin where ya from and whatcha about but when a group or solo artist starts a trend, mainstream music magazines and music networks define that region based on what the group or solo emcee started. Like when Cash Money hit nationally, people defined the South in terms of what they heard from them; The East Coast feels as if they have a patent on hip-hop and feel if it's anywhere but from there, fuck it and fuck you. Because of constant radio and airplay, when they hear some bling shit they make generalizations about the South from that, they treat the West like that, when they heard Dre and Snoop, they all thought that was all the West had to offer. There hasn't been a topic that hasn't been discussed in hip-hop; there are East Coast emcees on the same bling shit as Cash Money Down South, it's just worded differently; Just as ya can't be friends with everyone, every region can't love ya.