Suga Free praises Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre for reinvigorating West Coast rap’s competitive edge.
The Oakland-raised veteran recently laid flowers to his California rap peers while sharing his thoughts on the current state of West Coast hip-hop in a brief interview. In short, Suga Free points to the latest moves by heavyweights like Lamar, Snoop, and Dre to effectively take away the ball that the mainstream music industry is known to represent and give it back to the region.
“Look at the transformation it’s taking,” says Suga Free, reflecting on their impact. “Look at Kendrick Lamar. You know what I mean? Look at Xzibit. Look at Snoop [Snoop Dogg]. look at dere [Dr. Dre]. I mean, West Coast has the ball.
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The transition from an era of waning Western dominance to Suga Free underscores the cyclical nature of the hip-hop region’s influence.
“As they say, everyone has a chance,” he noted.
This follows the success of Lamar’s recent surprise GNX album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spawned Kendrick’s third consecutive Hot 100 hit of the year Number one on the leaderboard. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, on the other hand, continue their legacy through continued influence and innovation, and are evolving it again on their upcoming album Missionary, due out on December 13th.
In addition to his admiration for West Coast hip-hop’s resurgence, Suga Free also reflects on his unique place in the genre.
“I’m the only one in my lane,” he explained. “You know what I’m saying, I’m cool with ab##ch. Every song you hear about me, I’m going to be the same. I’m not going to change for no reason.
When asked to recommend one of his songs to aspiring gamers, Suga Free was quick to respond with the same unapologetic personality he has maintained for decades.
“‘I’d rather give you my B####,'” he explained. “It’s simple. I’m not going to do it to your face as a low-ball pimp.
See the post above to hear Suga Free’s full interview.
