The East Coast/West Coast Battle in the 90's

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This is something I never really knew much about, just that a lot of my friends, when I mentioned being a Mobb Deep fan, said they were more 2Pac fans, that 2Pac had tore them a new one on his reprisal to "Drop A Gem on Em" but I'd never understood why you could be a fan of one or the other but not both.

So I read this Wikipedia article. Yeah, Wiki can be edited by anyone and its not the most plausible source all the time but the author really seemed to have a grip on the topic and explained it in a pretty well removed and unbiased way - so I'd take this as a pretty reliable account.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_coast_west_coast

So, being a Mobb Deep fan I wanted to see just what was going on and whether they'd really instigated anything between themselves and 2Pac. Per this article at least I found a lot of things out that I didn't know and I doubt my friends know either. To me it sounds like the guy went crazy and just started talking smack about everyone and anyone, just to do so. I can understand being raw about getting shot 5 times in a rival city but it seems like he dragged all kinds of people in who fundamentally had no beef with him and in the end its like he lost all sense of discretion. The story with the Mobb was that Outlaws showed up to one of their shows and got snubbed. After all that 2Pac had said and done already, it doesn't surprise me in the least and if I were them I think I would have too. I hate to talk that way about the deceased, 2Pac had his talent and was a good rapper, but I can't take his side on this one.

Anyway, these are the two songs in question between the Mobb and then 2Pac. My friends look at 'Hit Em Up' as a reprisal against them, in part it was but not only was he dissing everyone (the people he had beef with Biggy and Sean 'Puffy' Combs) and Mobb Deep but this article talks about the fact that with 2Pac, everything he starts saying about Prodigy's sickle-cell and seizure on stage, that's the same thing he was saying, after Outlaws got snubbed at their show, that actually got the song 'Drop a Gem On Em' written - ie. it was really their reprisal. They talked about shooting him through the mouth if he ever came through based on what he'd said.

Anyway, here are the two tracks in question off of Youtube, make your own call (and yeah, there's explicit lyrics here - if your not a fan of that I wouldn't recommend clicking these links).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4HjsZqOaQ0[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ACMDW42eOI[/youtube]

Anyway, its one of those semi-obscure bits of recent history that people talk about, make abstract references to, but people really don't know much about it. I at least like to stay on top of this stuff just because I like having an educated opinion on it.

Is that why people scream "EASSIIIDE!" and/or "WESSIIIIIDE!"?

Yes.

I've always thought it stupid, really. Unless you are actually an East or West Coast rapper, being a fan of each should not be mutually exclusive.

oh yeah i remember that. hey how come 2pac is still making records? isnt he dead?

Well, they were able to save his head and freeze it. Luckily they found a body that matched his blood type, marrow type, etc. and all the internal organs were still in good working order being that the donor had ended up in there from taking at 50 caliber to the head. The only complaint he has is that he can't feel anything when he gets the groupies back to the private VIP trailer.

Even then, it shouldnt matter. and most likely doesnt in most cases.

I know there were apparently some gang complications involved there, but as far as the music goes beef that gets taken seriously and hyped off-record should be reserved for shallow commercial cats trying to shift records IMHO.

That said, the Canibus vs LL exchange had some good lines. BDP vs Juice Crew was good (for its time), but i think you could tell they were both just having fun.

Check the jumpoff.tv site or youtube channel for some REAL face-to-face battling. Also Scribble jam.

He was extremely prolific, and left over 200 unfinished tunes when he died.

Being from California I was raised listening to 2pac over Biggie.

Heh, I still remember Eminem taring Cannibus a new one. Ever heard Cannibitch?

ahh. i like a couple of his songs, kindof like bob marley eh? my favorite rapper is dr. dre though

tribal mentality at it's purist

All I gotta say...Mobb Deep representin!! ! Ain't killin ain't lettin' nothin' die n---ah!! !

Had a listen last night - i probably missed a lot of the references but there is some funny s**t in there!

Its a pity bis didnt reply properly, because his 'rip the jacker' diss @ ll was pure fire IMO.

There was an interview on jumpoff wrc this year (a lot of which was hugely dissapointing btw) where one team were explaining how, when you have a trademark aggressive style, and your up against someone with a laid-back comedic style, then the entertainers will nearly always win the crowd over because if they dont play the 'tough guy' game, all the aggro you dish out just gets defused and flipped back, making you appear foolish, iyswim.

when i drink this stuff i turn into a rapper extrodinaire

Haha. To make it authentic you should brown bag that. Be sure the crumple the top to get a good bag-bottleneck grip ratio.

was the rise of southern hiphop a result of some kind of consumer or market fatigue towards a dragged out east/west rivalry that left the two most popular rappers murdered? Or merely coincidence?