CALIFORNIA GROWN
Words: N. Ali Early

When the West Coast ran the table on virtually every region in the country and abroad in the early ‘90s, Kurupt Young Gotti was among its most formidable players. A founding member of the Dogg Pound, he was in fact a young pup and became about the most loquacious rhyme spitter in the Death Row family. He wove the everyday rigmarole of the hood into complex rhyme patterns, building masterpieces such as “New York, New York” pretty much, whenever he felt like it.

For his trouble, Kurupt quickly assumed legendary status among his peers and fans alike.

Somewhere along the line though, he admits to having given in to the demands of the streets, over his own desires.

“I’m finally back at the stage where I’m liking what I’m doing,” he says. “I was at a point where I was making underground albums for people that I thought people wanted to hear, but you can’t satisfy everybody. I’m doin’ what I’m doin’ now for myself, my family, as well as the fans; but mainly me and my family. We got something to say.”

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West Coast Veteran Kokane recently dropped a bomb, more or less reprimanding his West Coast rap peers for their lack of individualism, kreativity and cojones.

Some kind of epidemic seems to have spread throughout the Golden State and all of its neighbors.

In effect, it’s developed somewhat of a “Twilight Zone” and Koka’s testimony is an attempt to bring the West back to its senses.

ATL, Cube and others check in for the visual.

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West Coast legend? Pioneer? Hookmaster? Kokane is all that and a bowl of grits. Fortunately for the listening public, he’s decided to bless us with a full length album.

Appropriately entitled Gimme Mine in a day where independence reigns supreme, Kokane’s lead single “The Twilight Zone” is gaining momentum for the heavily anticipated project.

On the track, Kane takes it upon himself to clear up a few things. The first order of business, per his self induced hook, would be for the West to regain the swag it is known for:

“What the hell is really going on/ why the West is in the Twilight Zone?/ Let’s do what we do and don’t follow the Jones…

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It’s been awhile since Sacramento rap pioneer Brotha Lynch Hung dropped a full length solo album (Lynch By Inch in ‘03), but when he signed to Tech N9ne’s Strange Music last year, his re-emergence was eminent.

Since teaming up with the indie powerhouse, Lynch has made good use of his time, prepping a three album series, beginning with Dinner And A Movie.

An unsurprisingly eerie package, the album will be accompanied by nine videos that follow a mask wearing main character who turns to the dark side. The movie sequence, carried out by director Dan Gedman of Liquid 9 and 31, is said to pay homage to Amerian Psycho.

“This is the first time this has ever been done,” assures Gedman. “We are visually bringing this character to life, and then Lynch is going to write the next two albums. It’s an interactive process. Now he has to lyrically revisit the character and story, knowing what it all looks like.”

Lynch’s lead single/video entitled “Meat,” was released a couple weeks ago. Dinner And A Movie is slated to drop March 23rd.

The Jacka & Laroo hooked up with Gino Rocks to deliver a movie to go along with their collaborative music  effort – Neva Be The Same.

Included in the album packaging is a free DVD sneak peak of the movie that follows the two Bay Area rappers on a mission that’s somewhat summed up in the clip below.

Neva Be The Same is slated to drop next Tuesday, January 19.

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