It seems to be a common narrative that the West Coast fell off in 96, and was basically dead until 99 when Dre made 2001. But the more I think about it...it felt more like a Golden Age for local Rap that may not have made it out of L.A., but got major play from everybody in the city. Along with the G-Funk sound that was a bit evolved past what it was in 94-95, the Underground "L.A. Boom Bap" sound was really starting to take place.

Doggystyle, Chronic, and Dogg Food were the most played albums from 93-96...and I'd say that Street Gospel, Tha Shadiest One, and Rhythmalism were the most played in this period. The thing about this time was that artists seemed to feel like "fuck it, we might not get play outside the city, but we're gonna make sure the city loves it!!!"

Here's some of my favorites from this time period:

Tha Comrads - Westside Connect OG's:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNP7PGpoIyU

Mack 10 ft. Snoop Dogg - LBC and the ING:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Db6kKCDdq8

Mack 10 ft. Big Pun and Fat Joe - Let the games begin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuT7s7Z93lI

Suga Free - Doe Doe and da skunk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDFnGX86kYY

DJ Pooh ft. Threat - Nowhere to hide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y-wFA3yY28

The Comrads - Homeboyz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrTo0DywB6Q

Suga Free - Why you bullshittin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLXoSLEm7OQ (It took me years to realize that this is basically an even more West Coast sounding "Heartz of men")

Suga Free - Inside out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4vQ8-RlptU (officially came out years later, but some of us had the bootleg tape)

WC - Hog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lneTuDx6LcQ

WC - Cheddar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mj7KGGcIfE

DJ Quik - We still party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2pX7ezEKIs

DJ Quik - Down, down, down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIupvCZJaoo

Xzibit ft. Ras Kass and Saafir - 3 card molly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYKbBkb8BSQ

Nate Dogg - Never leave me alone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzveEPBVQtA

Nate Dogg - These days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtxuKO0orXo

Warren G ft. Mr. Malik/Hershey Locc - What we go through: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2swZBkhdhQ

Daz ft. Too Short - It might sound crazy (remix): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRzwluU19Wk

Bad Azz ft. Snoop - We be putitn it down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MqRDGv7EYU

It's even more songs than this. But yeah...at the time, I was in Middle/High School, and wasn't even using the internet, so it didn't feel like the West was "dead" at all to us. The radio still played these songs just as much as the Bad Boy tracks, and surely more than the No Limit ones. Even BET still had a few songs in rotation.

And that's all just L.A....the Bay had some HEAT too. E-40 "Hope I don't go back" and all those songs were out and in rotation as well!

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