Debating Who Carried the West Coast Before The Game

The discussion begins at 0:15 with a question about the prevailing narrative that The Game was carrying the West Coast rap scene entirely by himself during his commercial debut. Smac and TRell start by reviewing the timeline leading up to that era, asking who was holding down the region before The Game emerged in 2004.

TRell points out that Snoop Dogg was continuously active, noting at 1:05 that after his run with Master P and No Limit Records, Snoop returned to form with releases like No Limit Top Dogg and Tha Last Meal, followed by projects with the Eastsidaz. Keem brings up Xzibit at 0:34, arguing that Xzibit had significant commercial momentum around 2000 and 2001 with major radio singles and national visibility. Mackwop and Pun weigh in by noting that the Bay Area was simultaneously thriving, highlighting E-40 and Too $hort's regional influence.

At 2:45, the group debates whether E-40 or Xzibit had the larger impact during that transition period. While some argue that E-40's run created massive club anthems and cultural movements, others maintain that Xzibit's Dr. Dre-produced records reached wider national charts. The panel concludes that while The Game provided a major revitalization for Los Angeles street rap, the West Coast as a whole was never completely dormant, thanks to consistent contributions from veterans across California.