West Coast Hip-Hop Bangers From 2024

Credit: Jamie Bernstein

Hip-hop rules the United States and the world, for that matter. Hip-hop is seen in all parts of life, whether it's the car that just zoomed past you blasting the newest trap mix or the grocery store that jams hip-hop songs. Specifically, West Coast Hip-Hop has seen a trend of pushing out impressive and head-banging albums, such as Tyler the Creator’s Chromakopia and Kendrick Lamar’s GNX. 

In November 2024, Kendrick Lamar dropped GNX. The album, albeit a surprise—given that no one anticipated it—to the masses, is considered amazing. Lamar has been regarded as one of the greatest faces in the realm of Hip-Hop. Many have been following him because of his impressive discography, but also his beef with Canadian rapper, Drake. The music itself is raw and real and full of ups and downs. Personally, tv off (ft. Lefty Gunplay) is my favorite. The beat feels like an alter-ego of his world-shattering Not Like Us, a diss track to Drake. The beat is catchy and feels uneasy, but that is what makes it all the better. The anticipation and screeching feeling from the song feels like a villain anthem. A common musical tactic used to switch the entire composition, time signature, and quite literally, song, is present in the middle and latter half of the piece. The piece forms a completely new song. He accomplishes this by uttering the iconic lyric “MUSTARD,” paying homage to the producer of the song, Mustard, also known as Dijon Isiah McFarlane. The confidence, drive, and determination in the song radiates through my ears, and is palpable, all of which are evidence of Lamar’s talent and his musical genius. Also notable is squabble up which serves as a single in this album, but is the intro to Not Like Us, opening with Lamar breathing in and out quickly. A beat follows with him reading lines as if it is a poem; the tune follows a groovy kind of feeling. The musical creativity is shown through this, as Lamar dissects his pieces and redistributes them for maximum musical effect.

On October 28th, Tyler the Creator released Chromakopia. Among the many unique musical elements of the songs in this album, which is a result of his quite inconsistent but satisfying musical style, the song Sticky (feat. GloRilla, Sexxy Red & Lil Wayne) stood out and proved to be the star of the show. Drawing from all main demographics, Tyler attempts to unite his listeners: GloRilla for the young female populations, Lil Wayne for the older listeners, and Tyler to pull it all together. The Song is simply a masterpiece. The lyrics are hard-hitting and rife with confidence that teeters on the line of arrogance. And I haven’t even mentioned the beat. The beat is reminiscent of lunchtime table freestyles at school, which makes it feel close to home. The bass is decisive and declaratory, with the claps playing a key role in accompanying the piece's heavy tone. The mid vocals are also essential to the piece, where three women utter “sticky” along with other adlibs to make the song more hype. Along with the horns and symphony of orchestral strings, this piece will never be forgotten.