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Tag: <span>2Pac</span>

Regulator

INTERVIEW: Warren G on His YouTube Original Documentary ‘G-Funk’ & His Influence on Rap: ‘I’m the G-Funk Era’

Originally posted on Billboard 7/31/2018

When you think of the pioneers of West Coast rap, there are a handful of names that come to mind: Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, 2Pac, Eazy-E, Snoop Dogg, E-40, Too $hort. Arguably the most deserving name, however, is consistently glossed over. Warren G, as both an artist and producer, is one of the most important names to the culture, and you might not even know why.

The pioneer of the G-funk era not only ushered in a new musical subgenre, but was personally responsible for introducing Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and Daz Dillinger to Dr. Dre, along with being instrumental in helping to shape the sound of Dre’s first solo album, The Chronic.

Billboard was able to sit down with the Regulator to discuss his YouTube Originals documentary G-Funk and his influence on rap.

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Jimmy Duval

INTERVIEW: Producer Jimmy Duval on Creating XXXTentaction’s ‘Look at Me!’ & Expanding Outside of Rap

Originally posted on Billboard 7/17/2018

It’s not everyday that you wake up to your song hitting one million streams online and without even realizing it. For Jimmy Duval, that hard-to-believe scenario about producing his first hit almost never happened. “Look at Me!,” the track that took Florida rapper XXXTentacion from SoundCloud to RIAA Certified Platinum was a beat that was never meant to land in XXX’s lap.

If left up to his late collaborator, the success of the record was also never meant for Jimmy to enjoy. Initially released on SoundCloud by Rojas, a former associate of Jimmy’s, the song not only left him off the credits, but he didn’t even know it existed until his manager happened to stumble upon the track.

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Bizzy

INTERVIEW: Bizzy Bone Talks Why He Refuses To Watch Both 2Pac & Biggie Biopics

Originally posted on HipHopDX 6/28/2017

While the 90s were being dominated by the boom-bap of the East Coast and the G-funk gangsta rap of the West Coast, there was a different sound independent of both coasts brewing in the Midwest. Chicago introduced the rapid-fire flow to the game in 1992 with Twista and Crucial Conflict opted for more style than speed in 1993; but in 1994, an unknown quintet from Cleveland would catch the ear of Eazy-E and marry the rapid-fire flow and style together in perfect harmony. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony has been a pillar of the genre for more than two decades. Just two days after the 23rd anniversary of one of the most important albums to come out of the Midwest, Creepin on ah Come Up, group members Bizzy Bone and Krayzie Bone released their collaborative album New Waves under the moniker Bone Thugs. Bizzy Bone recently stopped by DXHQ to talk with the #DXLive team about the album, his son carrying his torch, and his memories of 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G.

On a recent episode of #DXLive, the team debuted a new single and video “Bizzy’s In The House” from Bizzy Bone’s son Lil Bizzy. “He’s been musically inclined since he was a baby,” Bizzy Bone said. “I never had to rock him to sleep. We’d put him on the couch and he’d just rock himself to sleep mumbling words, mumbling rap music. Anything that would come on he would mumble it and emulate it, especially my stuff of course – and his uncles, Bone Thugs. He was born to do this. It’s just good to see him carry on a legacy that I’m still cherishing as we speak.”

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EDM

ALBUM REVIEW: Prodigy – Untitled EDM EP

Originally posted on HipHopDX 8/17/2016
Rating: 3.4/5

Prodigy has been delivering his special brand of trendsetting for the better part of 23 years. After a two-year hiatus, the Mobb Deep capo is back and pushing the boundaries on his music to places he has never previously been as his partner Havoc appeases longtime fans alongside The Alchemist. His latest extended player shows the Queensbridge MC painting his brash and braggadocios bars over a canvas of EDM and Dubstep.

The EP opens with “Black Panther,” a scratch-heavy and synth-driven Baauer soundbed. While Prodigy is known for his unorthodox approach to riding the beat, his flow comes off more jarring than usual as he delivers his street tested bars we’ve come to love him for. P holds his own, however, with his patented flavor in lines like, “Thought you getting over but I’m slicing faces open, thought they could get away with murder but the reaper coming/repeat the first two bars describe ‘em to a Tee, I keep my enemies far (get) the fuck away from me”.

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VH1 Hip Hop Honors

EDITORIAL: Rich Homie Quan & The Disconnect Between Hip Hop Generations

Originally posted on HipHopDX 6/15/2016

So if you haven’t heard by now, the VH1 Hip Hop Honors are back. And with that also came the trend of hiring today’s rappers to pay homage to a pioneer whose lyrics they don’t know. There’s fumbling through a word or two. There’s the Lupe Fiasco head scratching moment when he forgot ATCQ lyrics. Then there’s Rich Homie Quan. There are few things sacred in Hip Hop: the lyrics to Notorious BIG’s verse on “Get Money” being one of them.

Before you can really address the man who from here forth will now be affectionately known as #RichHomieKaraoke, one has to really wonder who made the call to choose him as the artist to honor Biggie’s verse. Were Lil Kim and Diddy consulted? How did that conversation go?

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