Rapper Xzibit (by Rachel Scott)

West Coast rap music was celebrated this past weekend at KDAY’s annual Krush Groove Concert at the Gibson Theater in Universal City.

Featuring headline artists Too Short, Warren G, Xzibit, Dj Quik and Bone Thugs & Harmony, the concert paid homage to some of the biggest rap voices in the country.

Kday 93.5 is a radio station that is committed to broadcasting West Coast hip-hope classics across its airways and has become a save haven for classic rap artists across the country. Listeners and fans of the old school rap artists were thrilled at the opportunity to see all of their favorite artists in one show together.

A new genre may be forming within America’s new generation but the sold-out crowd still considered that these “oldies” were “goodies." Yet, rappers from the 90’s are still trying to stay relevant in today’s mainstream music industry. Neon Tommy was given the opportunity to interview a majority of the talent that performed at Sunday’s Kush Groove concert.

Staying Relevant

The Krush Groove artist who has perhaps mastered relevancy the best is rapper Too Short. “I am really in tuned to the new music that comes out and the music that I make...There is always a new sound and I just embrace what’s next and all the trends”, said Too Short. The rapper stressed however that its not just about simply embracing trends but rather surrounding yourself with people you can trust. “You have to ask the younger people in your life, like your nieces and nephews and see if they like the song. Be able to take criticism, the youngsters keep you fresh”, Too Short expressed. Collaborating with the finest in the rap industry, Too Short has worked with rap legends like Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G and Scarface but has transitioned into working with current artists like 50 cent and Wiz Khalifa. The rapper is most notably known for his songs, “The Ghetto” and “Blow the Whistle”.

Juggling Producing, Filming and Rapping

Long Beach native, Warren G has one hand in producing music and the other in rapping. When asked if he preferred one over the other, Warren G stated “I love producing more than rap but I love rapping too. I’ve done it all but it’s hard to say what you love more because you can express yourself in both rapping and producing.”  All of the artists insisted that it is easy to balance different aspects of the music industry if you have a passion for each. Rapper Kurupt from the Tha Dogg Pound manages to juggle both film and music. The key he says is consistency and becoming someone that people like to work with. In the both the film and the music industry,  “its all about your attitudes, so I just make sure that I am cordial to everybody because people don’t do things for you because they have to, they do it because they like you as an individual".

Time Traveling: Reliving Any Moment From the Past

One attendee equated her attendance at the concert with the ability to travel back in time and listen to her favorite classic artists. In return, we wanted to see which moment from the past the artists would want to relive. For Too Short it was easy as he told us that he would love relive his first major tour. As for Warren G, it was bit harder to answer as he stated that it would be hard to choose because he has had so many great experiences that have helped shaped his career along the way. Yet he embodied a feeling of hope that the best was yet to come expressing, “I know that there will more great moments to come and better ones than the ones before”. While the rappers may be labeled as classic artists, each performer hoped to continue to purse their passions and search for the next moment they will one day want to relive.

Email Staff Reporter Rachel Scott here. Follow her on Twitter here. here.

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