text=The problem wasn't that West Coast Rap was harder, grittier, and more angry than East Coast Rap. The problem was that it was immensely successful as a result, and etched into stone the blueprint for all rap music forever: confrontational and violent. It was popular because white kids--living their boring, suburban lives of watered down leisure patterns and drab social conformity--listened to it, and became enthralled with the adventurous, dangerous, decadent, high-strung quality of life in the ghettos that was invariably more exciting than theirs. Hollywood movies and the LA riots of '92 did well to hype up this image, but the reality was probably far more tame: less like Boyz n the Hood and more like Friday. Ruthless Records was the staple here, but realistically all of West Coast Rap is built around a single trump card......but it's a very good trump card: Dr. Dre.
--