Music is a form of art that has been used since the dawn of time. Music is so widely accepted as a medium that its impact is felt in every facet of culture, including the way people talk, dress, and live.
Summary Table
| East Coast Rap | West Coast Rap |
| Originated in the East Coast of the United States (New York, Connecticut, Florida, Virginia, North and South Carolina, etc) | Originated in West Coast of the United States (California, Oregon, and Washington) |
| Use jazz as sample | Use funk music as sample |
| Using hard-hitting notes and beats | Using more laid-back and calm style |
| Talks about poverty and social discrimination | Talks about anti-police and gangsta lifestyle |
There are many genres of music, including country and western, jazz, rock, pop, hip-hop, alternative, and much more. There are also subgenres within each genre that offer different types of music with a common theme.
In the rap category, East Coast rap and West Coast rap are two different sub-genres. In this article, we will discuss the difference between East Coast and West Coast rap.
Rap itself is a form of music that uses rhyming lyrics, beats, and sometimes instruments. The genre evolved from the South Bronx in New York City, where it began as a way to express street life. The genre was further developed in many major cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, and New York City during the 1980s and 1990s.
Rap music is a form of art that has evolved over the past few decades. It has been criticized for its use of foul language, but many critics fail to recognize that rap music is not always about negativity.
This type of music can be used as a way to raise awareness about social issues, especially in impoverished neighborhoods where people are facing serious issues such as poverty, drug addiction, and violence.
East Coast Rap and West Coast Rap especially during the early to mid-1980s was the birthplace of gangsta rap, which has had an enormous impact on the world of music.
This type of music is known for its extensive use of profanity, and its negative view of life. However, it should be noted that this kind of music has some positive messages in it as well.
While this type of music has received a lot of criticism for being used as a way to express anger, many people see rap music as a way to uplift their communities and society at large.
While hip-hop was born in the 1980s, it has gone through several transformations throughout its history and continues to evolve with each new generation.
What Is East Coast Rap?
East Coast rap refers to music that was developed in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens. This style of rap was developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is often referred to as New York hip-hop or simply NY hip-hop.
This form of rap music uses references to street life in New York City: stories about hustling to survive in the city; lyrics about growing up in inner-city neighborhoods; images depicting social ills; messages that promote community; themes such as wealth inequality; focus on God; politics in the form of social commentary, etc.
East Coasters are renowned for their breakdance, DJing, MCing, and graffiti art. East Coast Rap also includes witty lyrics and poetic phrasing. The form of rap is usually characterized by an emphasis on the DJ and rhyming abilities of the MC. The music sample used is usually jazz, blues, or R&B.
What Is West Coast Rap?
The West Coast is an area of the United States that lies along the Pacific coast, stretching from Oregon to Mexico. This region includes Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and San Jose. The term was originally coined by California rappers who used it as a way to describe their home area.
West Coast rappers often use a laid-back style of rap that is reminiscent of their California surroundings. The music of this genre is often characterized by funk, EDM, and trap music with cool beats.
Different from East Coast Rap, West Coast Rap pays more attention to anti-police lifestyles and gun violence. They also use the subgenre gangsta rap, which is a form of music that is based on street life in Los Angeles and focuses on violent and drug-related themes.
Modern Rap: Combination of All Rap Styles
Nowadays, many people do not differentiate between East Coast and West Coast rap. Instead, they use the term “rap” to describe any kind of rap music.
After all, we live in a society where everything is mashed together, including rap music. Nowadays, people listen to mainstream music and hip-hop which bring in elements of pop, rock, and electronic music.
Even rap music that does not have East Coast or West Coast style is considered “rap.” This is because all of the styles of rap music have come together to form the genre.
Modern and contemporary music, including rap music, is the result of the fusion of all styles. It’s rare to find rap music that is entirely from one region. It’s almost like a fusion of all the world’s cultures.
Reasons Why We Should Pay More Attention to Rap Music
Rap music brings a different perspective to the world. This is because it focuses on social issues and explores the world through the lens of everyday people.
This type of music is important because it reflects the way that people live their lives, especially in cities and neighborhoods where poverty, violence, and drug use are prevalent.
Many hip-hop artists use their music to bring awareness to certain issues such as drug addiction, political corruption, police brutality, inequality in wealth distribution, etc.
Rap music can be used as a way to inspire people and motivate them to think critically about the world around them. It can also help improve relationships between different races or cultures.
Rap music indeed has many negative aspects: sexism; homophobia; racism; homophobia; transphobia; Islamophobia; xenophobia; etc., but there are also positive aspects such as consciousness-raising and self-empowerment.
The positive aspects of rap music have been taken into consideration by artists such as Lauryn Hill and Tupac Shakur who advocated for unity through social activism in their songs.
