Hit Em Up Essay

“I f****d your b**** you fat motherf****r” “You claim to be a playa but I f****d your wife!” This lyric originates from arguably the greatest ‘diss’ track of all time. “Hit Em’ Up” by 2Pac was released in June of 1996 as a reaction to the dispute he had with iconic East Coast rapper B.I.G.G.I.E. (Biggie Smalls). Hip-Hop’s infamous West Coast vs. East Coast rivalry was centered around this duo through media attention, fan support, and its level of production. When people take a look back in history and compare the two, they can notice how the West Coast hip-hop culture of the 1990s had a far more significant impact than the East Coast in the music industry on account of its unique sound, radical strategies, and the combination of genres such

Snoop Dogg, pupil to Dr. Dre, is another West Coast artist who helped define the sound of hip-hop in the 90s. He focused on the ‘laid-back’ and melodic style of rapping that became iconic in West Coast hip-hop. Other West Coast artists who have made an impact are Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Tupac Shakur. Tupac in particular was different from most of his East Coast rivals which made him a unique artist who stood out. According to Complex (Jones), Tupac's style was more ‘political’ and ‘socially conscious’ than many other rappers at the time. He used his platform to speak on issues like police brutality and racism, which left a long-lasting impact on fans across the country. Furthermore, Tupac's music had a sharp sound that blended parts of funk and jazz with hard beats. This mix of music created a new sub-genre of west coast hip-hop that would later inspire his successors like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. Stated in a BET article (Staff), “Tupac's influence was not limited to just music but extended into fashion and overall lifestyle choices”. For example, His iconic bandana became a symbol of West Coast gang culture and is still popular today among fans. Moving forward, Tupac's impact on West Coast hip-hop can be seen through his collaborations ‘collabs’ with other West Coast artists. He worked with Dr. Dre on his album "All Eyez on Me" which ‘became one of the most influential hip-hop albums ever made’ (Jones). The album illustrated the raw talent of West Coast rap and cemented its popular place in music culture. In addition, Tupac collaborated with other famous West Coast rappers like Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound, creating a sense of unity within the West Coast culture. Overall, Tupac Shakur's contributions to West Coast hip-hop in the 1990s cannot be exaggerated. He brought a unique style sound to the genre that made hip-hop different from the East