Like his former Slaughterhouse groupmate KXNG Crooked, Royce Da 5'9" has begun using his social media platforms to spark and encourage hip-hop discourse. Over the weekend, the Detroit legend took a moment to make an interesting observation, and while it is certainly opinion-based, he made sure to provide no shortage of compelling evidence.
"West Coast artists make the best albums," he tweets, laying out his thesis statement. "I just realized this. KDot Game YG NIP Roddy Quik Dre Snoop Cube Anderson School Boy Q .. Damn." An impressive roster of talent, the likes of which have delivered good kid m.A.A.d city, To Pimp A Butterfly, The Documentary, My Krazy Life, Victory Lap, Under Tha Influence, 2001, Doggystyle, Malibu, Oxymoron, and many more.
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He continued to shout out candidates in a few follow-up messages, adding Warren G and the Dogg Pound Gangsta Clique for good measure. When one fan noted that Suge Knight, Top Dawg, and Wack 100 had an influence on the west coast album, Royce acknowledged their impact. "Important men in our culture who are underappreciated due to their reputations preceding them," he adds.
In an age where the album as an art form is starting to feel endangered, it's refreshing to see Royce appreciating what the west has brought to the table. Of course, his definitive statement of "best" sparked many east coast fans to rise up with counterpoints, proof that regional ties still hold strong to this day. Check out Nickel's celebration of west coast album-making below, and share your own thoughts on the topic in the comment section.