Broadening hip-hop's sonic palette into rolling grooves and melodic instrumentation. Pushing hip-hop's lyrical focus into more explicit and idiosyncratic territory. The balmy days of SoCal and the bustle of The Bay. This is the West.

From Del the Funkee Homosapien to W.C. and the Maad Circle, the West has produced so many legendary acts that have shaped hip-hop in a myriad of ways. While some may stereotype West Coast hip-hop as solely defined by gangsta rap, there has always been variety coming from the Left Coast. Pop rappers, quirky alt-rappers, hardcore lyricists and political rappers have all been born and/or bred in the West.

All respect to legends like The L.A. Dream Team, Kid Frost, Sir Mix-A-Lot, The World Class Wreckin Cru, vets like Tone Loc, Smooth, Jayo Felony and gifted newer acts like Ab-Soul and Kamaiya. We know there are way too many greats to squeeze them all onto a list of 50.

But here's the 50 who did make the cut. The 50 Greatest West Coast Hip-Hop Artists of
All Time. [Gallery above.]

Watch E-40's Video for "Rapper's Ball":

Watch Ice-T's Video for "Original Gangster":

Watch Warren G's Video for "This D.J.": 

2Pac's Albums, Ranked Worst To Best
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