Punk legends XBXRX have a reputation for raucous shows, driven by their frenzied stage theatrics that have sometimes left members hospitalized. The group, which is now based in L.A. and performs at Silver Lake Jubilee tomorrow, are quite provocative, donning various uniforms for performances, and sometimes eschewing song titles. Their......
See also: *L.A. Rappers Speak On The Riots: Our Complete Coverage *Don't Call Him Country. Everlast is Hip-Hop, Dammit Despite being born in New York, Everlast was a pivotal part of early L.A. hip hop, joining Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate Cartel before House of Pain, and touring with Cypress Hill. His......
Jeff Chang is the author of Can't Stop Won't Stop, perhaps the most important book about hip-hop ever written. In the tome he explores West Coast rap through the lens of the riots (among other subjects). We spoke with him about how politics and hip-hop affected, and were affected by,......
Over the past week, West Coast Sound has brought you interviews with local rappers whose music and lives have been profoundly affected by the L.A. riots. Today we present all of them together, beginning with a rare video of Tupac Shakur (above) giving his thoughts on the riots, a week......
See also: Murs On Why He Moved To Arizona: "I wouldn't feel comfortable living here without owning a firearm" Murs is one of the most important and uniquely Los Angeles rappers working, even though he now lives in Arizona. Having made it a point to critique violence in hip-hop throughout......
South L.A.-raised rapper El Prez is all about the city. He named one of his albums Animal Style! after the In-N-Out add-on. On the cover of his 2008 album Prezanomics, he poses in front of the Forum. And on his Tumblr, he forms the initials "L.A." with his fingers. Believing......
See also: *Tupac on the L.A. Riots: "I Hate to Say I Told You So, But I Told You So" *Thurz on Reinventing Himself and U-N-I's Break-Up Few speak more passionately on the L.A. riots than rapper Thurz, the former member of U-N-I whose well-reviewed 2011 concept album L.A. Riot......
See also: Our coverage of the 15th anniversary of Tupac's death Tupac Shakur was a gangsta rapper of the old mold; he called himself a thug, sure, but he was also quite conscious when it came to social issues, particularly those impacting the black community. The rare video below --......
It was the '90s in Bakersfield, and West Coast gangster rap gripped much of the town. But Charles Dickerson felt bored. So he ignored what was popular, sticking with his beloved electronic music. He now performs under the name Mono/Poly, and released an EP under Brainfeeder last year. The 25-year-old......
Miami-bred songstress Rachel Goodrich decided to focus on her career around 2004. She had moved upstate to Gainesville for college, but felt no creative inspiration. So she returned home and spent whole days playing her guitar in her room. "I knew I wanted to do music, and I couldn't do......
