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Forum nameThe Lesson
Topic subjectYeah and no
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=2606048&mesg_id=2606698
2606698, Yeah and no
Posted by BigReg, Mon Sep-26-11 08:03 AM
You make it seem that the second an artist was found out to be originally from outside of the East Coast it was the death knell. NYC had a very specific ethos that if you didn't follow they weren't really feeling you, but more then a few regional acts got played who had more 'universal' sounds, from DOC to Pharcyde.

>Shit New York used to give shit to Philly and
>even other areas of New York like Long Island so they
>certainly weren't fucking with people they perceived to be
>country and rocking jeri curls especially when they were
>coming with what was seen as negative records back then when
>most NY artists were promoting unity and some sense of Black
>pride. NWA, Geto Boys, Too Short, were perceived as taking Hip
>Hop back lyrically and socially. Tim Dog's only hit was Fuck
>Compton a song basically dissing the entire West Coast.

Depends on the time to. In the mid to late 80's I would agree with you, but with the early 90's there was a def. shift in that perception simply because hip-hop was becoming to big at a large rate. It's a bit hard for a Bronx MC to hate on a Long Island one if they are continually playing the same venues.

You have a point that it was hard for a 'pure' West Coast artist to break, like you said, it's a bit hard for someone who could barely stomach the D.A.I.S.Y. age to suddenly accept Too Short. But it wasn't a bias based on region however, just on sound. The acts that were able to stay West Coast but appeal to the East aesthetic did well(Deep Cover , Ice Cube's hardcore rapping w jeri curls and all). Tim Dog wasn't that big of a hit on NYC radio at all, I won't say it never got play, but compared to anything Cypress Hill dropped or even other classic NYC diss records? Not even close. You make it look like there was this active anti-west movement when there was anything but; dudes just felt what they felt and didn't want to get out of their lane -=SONICALLY=-. Its why a fraud mc like Boss could do well.