west coast rap
what it is
West Coast rap is a style of music pertaining to the western United States that emerged in California in 1979. It has since grown into a sub-genre of hip-hop and has developed several creative centers, most of which are communities in California. Pioneers of the genre include Disco Daddy and Captain Rapp, however the west coast would receive more notoriety in the mid-eighties, when Ice T and especially N.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 1 · mainstream
the pop everyone knows
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make west coast rap a playlist
turn these 33 artists into something you can press play on.
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questions
What is west coast rap?
West Coast rap is a style of music pertaining to the western United States that emerged in California in 1979. It has since grown into a sub-genre of hip-hop and has developed several creative centers, most of which are communities in California. Pioneers of the genre include Disco Daddy and Captain Rapp, however the west coast would receive more notoriety in the mid-eighties, when Ice T and especially N.
What are good west coast rap albums to start with?
Try No One Can Do It Better by The D.O.C., Stoned Raiders by Cypress Hill, The Villain In Black by MC Ren, and My Ghetto Report Card by E-40.
Who are some women making west coast rap?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/west-coast-rap/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making west coast rap, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20