Editing West Coast hip-hop (section)

===Late 1980s and 1990s===
Ice-T is known as one of the pioneers of West Coast hip-hop and gangsta rap, with songs such as "[[6 in the Mornin'|6 in the Mornin]]", released in 1986, demonstrating the unique style of the west coast.<ref>{{Cite web|title=West Coast Rap Music Genre Overview|url=https://www.allmusic.com/style/west-coast-rap-ma0000002932|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=AllMusic|language=en}}</ref> In 1988, Ice-T released the R&B hit "[[I'm Your Pusher (Ice-T song)|I'm Your Pusher]]", and following this was Too Short's breakthrough album ''[[Life Is... Too Short|Life is... Too Short]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Too_Short/Biography/ |title=Too Short Biography |publisher=Starpulse.com |access-date=November 22, 2011 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042830/http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Too_Short/Biography/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Bush |first=John |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/too-short-p132295/biography |title=Too $hort: Biography |publisher=AllMusic | access-date=November 22, 2011}}</ref>
[[Tone Loc]]'s debut album ''[[Lōc-ed After Dark]]'' was released on January 23, 1989 and reached number one on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] charts, with the album's lead single "[[Wild Thing (Tone Lōc song)|Wild Thing]]" peaking at #2 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/tone-loc-loc-ed-after-dark-album-8495031/|title=Tone Loc Talks His Debut Turning 30 & His Run-In With Eddie Van Halen|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard.com]]|last=Hart|first=Ron|date=January 25, 2019|access-date=February 25, 2025}}</ref> Two days after the release of ''Lōc-ed After Dark'', [[N.W.A]] released its debut album ''[[Straight Outta Compton]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/subgenre/west-coast-rap-ma0000002932 |title=West Coast Rap Music Genre Overview |publisher=AllMusic |quote=set the stage for a more identifiable West Coast style}}</ref><ref>{{multiref|{{Cite web|title=Gold & Platinum |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=N.W.A&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section |access-date=2025-02-25|website=RIAA|language=en-US}}|{{Cite web|title=Interview: Ice Cube Talks About The Making of Eazy-E's "E... |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/rob-kenner/ice-cube-interview-easy-e|access-date=2025-02-25|website=Complex|language=en}}|{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox52unse_43/page/10/mode/2up?q=%22straight+outta+compton%22 |title=Cash Box |date=1989-05-27|publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.|others=William and Mary Libraries Special Collections Research Center}}|{{Cite web |title=Ice Cube -Interview|url=http://www.bombhiphop.com/newbomb/bombpages/articles/MC/Ice%20Cube.htm |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=www.bombhiphop.com}}}}</ref> Focusing on life and adversities in [[Compton, California]], a notoriously rough area which had gained a reputation for gang violence, ''Straight Outta Compton'' was released by group member [[Eazy-E]]'s record label [[Ruthless Records]]. As well as establishing a basis for the popularity of [[gangsta rap]], the album drew much attention to West Coast hip-hop, especially the Los Angeles scene. In particular, the controversial "[[Fuck tha Police]]" and the ensuing censorship attracted substantial media coverage and public attention. Following the dissolution of N.W.A due to in-fighting, the group's members Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and [[MC Ren]] would later become platinum-selling solo artists in the 1990s. Ice Cube released some of the West Coast's most critically acclaimed albums, such as 1990's ''[[AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted]]'' and 1991's ''[[Death Certificate (album)|Death Certificate]]'', as well as making film and television appearances such as in [[John Singleton]]'s ''[[Boyz n the Hood]]'' in 1991.
[[File:Snoop Dogg 2019 by Glenn Francis.jpg|thumb|240x240px|Long Beach-based rapper [[Snoop Dogg]]]]
The early 1990s was a period in which Hip-Hop went from strength to strength. [[Tupac Shakur]]'s debut album ''[[2Pacalypse Now]]'' was released in 1991, demonstrating a social awareness, with attacks on social injustice such as [[racism]], [[police brutality]], [[poverty]], crime, drug and [[teenage pregnancy]]. This album featured 3 singles: "[[Brenda's Got a Baby]]", "[[Trapped (Tupac Shakur song)|Trapped]]" and "[[If My Homie Calls]]". ''2Pacalypse Now'' was certified Gold by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) on April 19, 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gold & Platinum |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=2+pac&ti=&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH# |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=RIAA |language=en-US}}</ref> Shakur's music and philosophy was rooted in various philosophies and approaches, including the [[Black Panther Party]], [[Black nationalism]], egalitarianism and liberty. Tupac sold over 75 million records, being regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time and a pioneer of West Coast rap.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Greenburg|first=Zack O'Malley|title=Tupac Shakur Earning Like He's Still Alive|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2011/05/31/tupac-shakur-earning-like-hes-still-alive/|access-date=February 17, 2022|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Dr. Dre.jpg|thumb|[[Compton, California|Compton]] rapper and producer Dr. Dre|238x238px]]Also in 1991, [[Suge Knight]] founded [[Death Row Records]] which became a record label powerhouse throughout the 1990s. In 1992, Dr. Dre released his solo debut, ''[[The Chronic]]''; this marked the birth of the G-funk sound that became a hallmark of the West Coast sound in the 1990s, with the album's lead single "[[Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang]]" peaking at #2 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Anderson |first=Errol |url=http://www.clashmusic.com/features/classic-albums-dr-dre-the-chronic |title=Classic Albums: Dr Dre - The Chronic |journal=[[Clash (magazine)|Clash]] |date=January 11, 2013 | access-date=11 June 2024}}</ref>

The city of [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]] arrived to the hip-hop scene in the early 1990s with artists such as [[Snoop Doggy Dogg]] and [[Tha Dogg Pound]], both signed to Death Row, with releases such as ''[[Doggystyle]]'' (1993) and ''[[Dogg Food]]'' (1995). Both albums becoming huge sellers and being critically acclaimed and helped make a mark in establishing Long Beach in the hip-hop scene.<ref name="Hundreds">{{cite web|author=Senay Kenfe|url=https://thehundreds.com/blogs/content/the-true-home-of-g-funk-long-beach|title=LONG BEACH :: THE TRUE HOME OF G-FUNK|publisher=[[The Hundreds]]|date=August 24, 2014|accessdate=January 5, 2024}}</ref> Another artist who helped establish Long Beach was [[Warren G]] with his release ''[[Regulate... G Funk Era]]'' (1994). He founded his record label [[G-Funk Entertainment]] in 1995 and helped promote artists also from Long Beach such as the [[Twinz]] and [[The Dove Shack]].<ref name="Hundreds"/>
[[File:Tupac Shakur driver's license photo (1996).png|thumb|2Pac]]
As for Death Row, success kept coming throughout the 1990s with 2Pac's ''[[All Eyez on Me]]'' (1996) also becoming a huge seller and becoming critically acclaimed. 2Pac gained hits California Love" and "Live and Die in LA". Also in the early-to-mid 1990s, the group [[Cypress Hill]] made a big impact on the scene with their albums such as their [[Cypress Hill (album)|debut studio album of the same name]] and [[Black Sunday (Cypress Hill album)|Black Sunday]]. They are considered to be among the main progenitors of West Coast rap and hip-hop. Other popular artists and groups from this period include [[The Pharcyde]] (known for their albums ''[[Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde]]'' and ''[[Labcabincalifornia]]''), [[Souls of Mischief]] (known for their album ''[[93 'til Infinity]]''), [[Ahmad (rapper)|Ahmad]] (known for his song [[Back in the Day (Ahmad song)|Back in the Day]]), [[Xzibit]] (known for his album ''[[At the Speed of Life]]'') and [[Ras Kass]] (known for his album ''[[Soul on Ice (album)|Soul on Ice]]'').