Who shot ya?

In recent years I’ve gotten into old-school hip-hop and “gangsta rap” from the 90s. The hard-hitting beats and creative lyrics that act as double-edged swords always resonate with me in different ways. The genre is a legendary one, but it’s also one plagued with controversy. My playlist today is inspired by the East Coast/West Coast hip-hop rivalry that bloomed in the United States during the mid-90s.

There had been tension between the two regions for a while; modern hip-hop culture is said to have originated in New York City, which meant many East Coast rappers had a superiority complex and put down hip-hop cultures from other areas, namely the West Coast. An exchange of diss tracks from both sides ensued, Death Row Records (LA-Based) and subsequently Bad Boy Records (NY-based) were formed respectively, and fans edged on the growing competition.

Two of the biggest artists involved in the rivalry were rappers Tupac Shakur (2Pac), representing the West Coast, and the Notorious B.I.G (Biggie), repping the East. 2Pac and Biggie, along with other notable names like Dr. Dre and Puff Daddy, routinely put out music that involved unique testimonies and well-crafted storytelling but also lots of hatred towards the “other side.” The continuous and intensive feud eventually resulted in the cumulative and unsolved murders of both 2Pac and Biggie in 1996 and 1997. These were pivotal moments in the industry, inciting a transition from gangsta rap into more commercial hip hop, the kind DJs could bump in clubs whilst reaching a wide audience, the kind that leaked into the mainstream. However, even now 2Pac and Biggie’s legacies live on, and I’ve curated this playlist as a tribute to them and to a major cultural movement in African-American history.

Playlist: For Da Culture