WORDS BY MAURICE G. GARLAND
F
rom Dr. Dre rocking a “chronic” hat to Ice Cube throwing up a “W,” West Coast Hip Hop has produced some of the longest lasting images in popular culture. To this day cameras get mesmerized by the unique lifestyles that include everything from hitting switches in lowriders to ghostriding the whip.
For some, West Coast imagery is what introduced many music listeners to not only Hip Hop at large, but fun times in life period. Remember when you thought your first cookout was going to look just like the scenes in the “Nuthin’ But A G Thing” video? Images like the Rodney King riots and random acts of gang violence also reminded you of some of the low points of society. Even though OZONE has only been actively covering West Coast Hip Hop for little over a year, we’ve been able to capture some of its history, as well as retell it. Thanks to our colleagues like J Lash and D-Ray, we’ve been able to bring you both some well-known and rarely-seen photos of some of the West’s icons and future stars. Let this collection serve as reminder of why you fell in love with music from the Left Coast and a reason to cherish it even more.
OZONE WEST // 21