West Coast in 2024 – Not Like the Rest
In 2024, no other musical scene came close to matching the level of influence and innovation of Los Angeles and the broader West Coast. The city’s hip-hop scene strongly flourished, with its brightest stars delivering projects that shaped the global music landscape.
LA remains the heart of this ongoing expansion, from rap feuds and innovative album rollouts to stars making waves and legends reviving a classic partnership. Its artists have dominated the cultural and musical conversation, proving why the city remains an epicentre of artistic innovation.
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The Giants: Kendrick Lamar & Tyler, the Creator
On May 4th, all hell broke loose in the music world as hip-hop fans and many others witnessed the release of the most explosive shot in the heated feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake: “Not Like Us.” The minute the song was released, it became more than simply the final diss track in one of the highest-profile rap beefs in years — in which Lamar was the undisputed winner. It marked one of the most extraordinary moments not just for hip-hop or the West Coast but for global music history, solidifying Lamar’s unparalleled dominance in the music world. Not Like Us has received five Grammy nominations, including Song and Record of the Year, and has already surpassed 900 million streams in just seven months, with the billion mark well within reach.
On June 19th, that dominance peaked during Lamar’s electrifying Juneteenth concert, The Pop Out – Ken & Friends, at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Joined by an impressive roster of West Coast collaborators, including Dr. Dre and Black Hippy members (Jay Rock, ScHoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul), among others, Kendrick created a powerful atmosphere of unity and regional pride. The climax came with him performing “Not Like Us” a staggering five times at the end of the concert, doubling as a victory lap over Drake and a declaration of his status as the global face of the West Coast in 2024.
In short, the Compton rapper has been in the spotlight all year. From winning the feud with Drake to releasing a hit that dominated the pop charts for months and being confirmed as the headliner of the halftime show at the upcoming Super Bowl, Lamar has collected laurels without even releasing an album: at least, until November 22. Without any prior fanfare, he dropped his sixth album, GNX, his first full-length release since the 2022 Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers, capping off an unrepeatable year.
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Tyler the Creator
On that memorable June 19th, Kendrick was joined by Tyler, the Creator, who infused his unique energy into the sonically charged atmosphere with performances of “WusYaName” and “Earfquake.” Tyler continues to be an unparalleled force of nature, leveraging his immense talent as his greatest weapon. From the early years of Odd Future, he has evolved into a multifaceted artist, a rapper, a producer, a composer, an arranger, and even an entrepreneur. With each album, he reinvents himself, adopting a new persona or mask that serves as a vessel for his thoughts and a limitless playground for his musical experiments.
With Chromakopia, his latest effort out on October 28, he once again turned the tables, not only concerning musical styling but also the rules of the industry. Announcing the album just 11 days before its release, he broke from the usual Friday launch tradition. Instead, he chose a Monday release to inspire deeper engagement during weekday routines
The opening track “St. Chroma” is just the latest act in the catalogue of an artist whose identity is continually being reshaped, as if the destruction of each character constitutes a necessary moment in the creation of the next one. The numerous alter egos he has proposed over the years — from Wolf Haley to IGOR, up to St. Chroma —have aided in backtracking the various artistic phases he has undergone. Overall, Chromakopia is unequivocally a vibrant explosion of sounds, collaborations, and record-breaking achievements: another dazzling chapter in Tyler’s ever-evolving creative story.
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Cult Icons: ScHoolboy Q and Vince Staples
ScHoolboy Q set himself apart from other label mates at Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) with his penchant for grimy raps and production. Hood tales and drug stories, as in “Hoover Street” and “Break tHe Bank”, backed his 2014 iconic debut album, Oxymoron, while his 2019 releases Blank Face LP and CrasH spotlighted his skills as a wordsmith.
Five years later, on March 1st, 2024, Q returned with Blue Lips, his sixth album, which he wrote between 2019 and 2023. Featuring refined flows, wide-ranging productions, and even more complicated, raw emotions, his latest album is an impeccably meticulous and layered work. Over the hard-hitting bangers, soulful rhythms, and understated jazz influences that permeate Blue Lips, Q accurately blends his trademark braggadocio with introspection, revealing moments of deep vulnerability. Easily one of 2024’s best rap albums — and possibly of the whole decade; in other words, a project that was truly well worth the wait. With Kendrick Lamar gone from TDE, ScHoolboy Q now stands undoubtedly as the label’s biggest rapper, with his artistry and charisma making him a singular force in contemporary hip-hop.
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Vince Staples
Following a similar trajectory to ScHoolboy Q in terms of fame, Vince Staples has navigated the intersection between underground acclaim and especially, mainstream visibility.
On May 24th, only nine months after his previous release, Staples returned with his sixth studio album, Dark Times, continuing his streak of concise yet impactful projects: his self-titled album (2021) and Ramona Park Broke My Heart (2022). A restless stylist and storyteller, Staples captivates listeners by pairing introspective verses with sonic landscapes.
Notably, 2024 marked not just the release of his sixth album; it also celebrated Staples’ leap into television with his debut Netflix series, The Vince Staples Show, an impressionistic alt-comedy revolving around his sharp humour and distinctive sensibility, with Staples portraying a fictionalized version of himself.
By merging music and television with Dark Times and The Vince Staples Show, in which he incorporates his hometown of Long Beach, California, as one of the central themes, he masterfully navigates the intersection of art and entertainment, expanding the region’s cultural reach on a global scale.
Though Q and Staples’ commercial success may not have reached that of Kendrick and Tyler, they are still undeniable cult figures who have earned powerful reputations as hidden gems within rap circles.
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Legends Comeback: Dr.Dre, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube
After a few years of dropping subtle hints, the two global hip-hop legends have reunited for their new album Missionary, marking their first full-length collaboration in over 30 years. Entirely produced by Dr. Dre, Missionary is set for release on December 13 and serves as a sequel to Snoop’s 1993 groundbreaking debut, Doggystyle, the project that solidified their partnership and shaped the sound of 90s hip-hop.
West Coast Rookies
The lead single, Gorgeous, featuring R&B singer-songwriter Jhené Aiko, is already making waves. It beautifully captures the essence of West Coast G-funk, blending Dre’s production with Aiko’s ethereal vocals in a celebration of love and beauty. The guest list is not over yet, as Missionary boasts a star-studded tracklist featuring collaborations with Eminem, 50 Cent, Method Man, Jelly Roll, Sting, and the late Tom Petty.
This project is more than just a nostalgia trip to the good old days; it’s a soaring celebration of the two artists’ careers and a return to their classics with a sound that has smoothly matured over the years, bridging the gap between the golden era and present period of hip-hop. “This one is gonna show a different level of maturity with his lyrics and my music,” Dre said when discussing Missionary earlier this year. “I feel like this is some of the best music I’ve done in my career.”
Snoop Dogg has not just reunited with Dr. Dre this year—another former N.W.A. legend has crossed his path. While their collaboration is limited to a single track, the “Doggfather” features in one of 2024’s major milestones: Man Down, Ice Cube’s first solo album in six years and his eleventh studio release.
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Ice Cube
For Compton-born O’Shea Jackson, who is active in many other fields—including film (both as an actor and producer) and entrepreneurship (notably with his BIG3 basketball league)—hip-hop is still his core driving force. Fans of his work had reason to celebrate, as on November 22, he returned with Man Down, an album that brings together an impressive lineup of West Coast homies, including E-40, Too Short, Xzibit, and B-Real, while also featuring other hip-hop veterans like Busta Rhymes, Killer Mike, and Kurupt.
Like others in his lengthy catalogue, Man Down is the quintessence of Cube’s style: a 19-track powerhouse packed with raw authenticity, hard-hitting beats, and an unfiltered narrative that have always set him apart. “If I ain’t making somebody mad, I’m not doing something right, and it’s not like that’s my purpose, but the truth shows all blemishes, you know, the mirror… Some people don’t like the truth. But if you [are] ugly, you can’t blame it on the mirror,” he told interviewer Noah Callahan-Bever, explaining his straightforward approach. In Man Down, he evokes the spirit of 90s rap while speaking to the present; a reminder of hip-hop’s DNA and further evidence of why Ice Cube is still an indispensable voice in the genre.
With 2024 Drawing to a Close…
One thing is for sure: Los Angeles and its stars have once again rewritten the musical map. From Kendrick Lamar’s triumphs to the constant reinvention of Tyler, the Creator, and the ongoing evolution of ScHoolboy Q and Vince Staples, to the comebacks of Dre, Snoop and Ice Cube, this year has been nothing short of revolutionary. Los Angeles has ensured that 2024 won’t just be remembered as another ordinary year in music history but as one where the bar was raised to new heights.
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