West Coast hip hop

History and character

Origins

West Coast hip hop develops in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. In Los Angeles the early-'80s scene is led by DJ crews such as Uncle Jamm's Army and World Class Wreckin' Cru (with Dr. Dre and DJ Yella): the sound is electro, faster and more influenced by electronic music than New York's (Egyptian Lover, “On the Nile,” 1984). KDAY is among the first radio stations to play rap all day. In the Bay Area the roots are in funk and political culture (the Black Panther Party); Too Short spreads “pimp rap” with self-produced records.

Gangsta rap and G-funk

Ice-T's “6 in the Mornin'” (1986) and N.W.A's “Straight Outta Compton” (1988) bring gangsta rap to the center of American culture. In 1991 Death Row Records is founded (Suge Knight, Dr. Dre); “The Chronic” (1992) launches G-funk, which dominates the decade with Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Warren G, and 2Pac (“All Eyez on Me,” 1996). Alongside them: Cypress Hill (with DJ Muggs), The Pharcyde, Souls of Mischief, and the alternative scene.

2000–present

In the 2000s the West Coast loses ground to the South and the East Coast, apart from peaks such as The Game's “The Documentary” (2005). In the Bay Area hyphy is born (E-40, Mac Dre, Keak da Sneak): party-oriented, hyperactive, with shrill synths and huge basses. In the 2010s DJ Mustard's ratchet (YG, Tyga) brings the region back to the charts with minimal beats and choral “hey”s; Kendrick Lamar (“good kid, m.A.A.d city,” 2012), ScHoolboy Q, Nipsey Hussle, Vince Staples, Tyler, the Creator, and Odd Future give the West Coast world-class auteur rap.

Aesthetics

Funk groove, synth basses, synth leads, a “machine” rhythm (lowriders, cruising), social and street themes, and the sun and sky of Los Angeles as a contrast to the realism of the lyrics.

Scales and keys

Dorian

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 (2-1-2-2-2-1-2).
• Example in G: G A Bb C D E F.
• Characteristic note: major 6 (E) → dominant IV (C7, C9).
• Use: G-funk and West Coast funk, i–IV vamps, synth leads.

Minor pentatonic and blues

• Pentatonic in E: E G A B D; blues: E G A Bb B D.
• Use: “whine” leads, synth bass lines, hyphy riffs.

Mixolydian

• Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7. In C: C D E F G A Bb.
• Use: party P-Funk grooves, electro, party rap.

Natural minor (Aeolian)

• In A: A B C D E F G.
• Use: DJ Mustard's ratchet (often a 2–3 note minor riff), modern West Coast, darker gangsta rap.

Major with sevenths (soul)

• In F: F G A Bb C D E; chords Fmaj7 Gm7 Am7 Bbmaj7 C7 Dm7.
• Use: samples and interpolations of '70s soul (Isley Brothers, Leon Haywood), sung hooks.

How to choose

Harmony

Funk vamps and loops

Static harmony: vamps of 1–2 chords with sevenths and ninths (G-funk), minimal 2–3 note riffs (ratchet), synth stabs (electro). Interpolations of funk/soul tracks are common.

Ratchet

Very little harmony: a synth riff (often a pluck or a piano) over a minor triad and an 808, plus choral “hey”s. The harmonic emptiness is part of the style.

Hyphy

Shrill synths and simple chords, often a single chord with a lead circling over it.

Harmonic rhythm

One chord every 1–2 bars; faster in soul interpolations.

Voicings

Rhodes and pads with 9ths and 13ths; monophonic synth leads on top; triad stabs.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Feel by strand

• Electro: straight, 115–130, TR-808 with kick and clap on quarter notes/syncopations, made for dancing (popping, locking).
• G-funk / gangsta: mid-tempo 90–98, light swing, laid back.
• Hyphy: 95–110, heavy kick, fast hats, “stunnin'” energy.
• Ratchet: 95–105, straight, clap on 2 and 4 with a snap, “hopping” syncopated kick (2-step style), sparse hats, “hey” chants.

Flow

Relaxed and melodic (Snoop), aggressive (Ice Cube), very fast and technical (Kendrick, Busdriver), party-oriented (E-40).

Drums

Kick

• Electro: long, syncopated TR-808 (steps 1, 7, 11).
• G-funk: 1 and funk syncopations.
• Ratchet: 1, 3-and, 4-a (“bouncy” pattern that jumps), short and dry.

Snare / clap

• On 2 and 4 (ratchet and G-funk), layered 808 clap with a snap.
• Ratchet: very dry clap + snap on 2 and 4, sometimes an extra clap on the “a” of 4.

Hi-hat

G-funk: sixteenth notes with accents; ratchet: few hats or eighth notes; hyphy: fast sixteenth notes.

Percussion

808 cowbell, shaker, tambourine, whistles, “hey” chants (ratchet) used as percussion.

Interaction

The funk bass or the long 808 locks in with the kick; in ratchet the 808 lands on the downbeat with the kick and leaves room for the chants.

Typical mistakes

Ratchet with too many elements (minimalism is the identity); rigidly quantized G-funk.

Bass

• Electro: a long 808 kick that doubles as bass, sequenced synth bass.
• G-funk: round, melodic synth bass (Minimoog).
• Hyphy: huge, distorted 808.
• Ratchet: short, punchy 808, notes on the root and fifth, very rhythmic.
• Modern: electric bass or synth (Thundercat on “To Pimp a Butterfly”).

Harmonic instruments

• Synths: monophonic leads, pads, stabs, plucks (ratchet).
• Rhodes, piano, wah guitars, talkbox.
• Synthetic strings, female backing vocals.
• Mid register, high synth leads.

Melody and vocals

• Rap: from relaxed and melodic (Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg on the hooks) to technical and polyphonic (Kendrick Lamar), to party-oriented (E-40, Mac Dre).
• Hooks: sung soul (G-funk), chants and “hey” choruses (ratchet), talkbox.
• Backing vocals: female voices in thirds in G-funk; gang vocals in ratchet and hyphy.
• Effects: short reverb, talkbox, light Auto-Tune in the modern style.

Instruments

TR-808, drum machine, synth leads (Minimoog), synth bass, Rhodes, wah guitar, talkbox, electric bass, 808, backing vocals, rap and soul vocals.

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• Mini V — G-funk lead and bass: High lead with 100 ms glide and vibrato; bass made of two filtered saws.
• Jup-8 V — Electro stabs and pads: Short two-saw stabs for '80s electro, warm pads for G-funk.
• DX7 V — Ratchet plucks and bells: Short, dry FM plucks for DJ Mustard's minimal riffs.
• Vocoder V — Talkbox and robotic voices: Simulates the talkbox and the robot voices of electro (Egyptian Lover).
• Stage-73 V — Rhodes: Ninth chords for soul tracks and modern West Coast.
• ARP 2600 V — Shrill hyphy leads and FX: Resonant filters and sample & hold for the high, 'crazy' sounds typical of hyphy.

Song structure

Ratchet and modern: shorter structures (2:30–3:30), with the hook opening the track.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

Abundant, warm bass (“lowrider” sound), synths up front, a clear vocal. References: “The Chronic” (1992), “2001” (Dr. Dre, 1999, cleaner and with huge bass), YG “My Krazy Life” (2014), Kendrick Lamar “DAMN.” (2017). Balance: vocal 0, bass/808 −2/−4, kick −4, clap −4, lead −6.

Kick

HP 30 Hz, body 60–80 Hz; in ratchet click at 3–4 kHz and short decay; 4:1 compression 3 dB; mono.

Clap / snap

HP 150 Hz, crack 2–3 kHz, air 10 kHz; 4:1 compression 3–4 dB; short room (dry ratchet) or 1 s plate (G-funk).

Hi-hat and percussion

HP 400 Hz; pan ±15–30; “hey” chants pan ±40 with room.

Bass / 808

HP 25–30 Hz; fundamental 40–80 Hz; harmonics at 150–600 Hz via saturation; opto compression or clipper; mono; sidechain from the kick 2 dB.

Synth lead and stabs

HP 250 Hz; presence 1.5–3 kHz; dotted 1/8 delay; pan center or ±15; volume automation.

Vocal

EQ: HP 80 Hz, −2 dB at 250 Hz, +2 dB at 3–4 kHz, +1.5 dB at 10 kHz; 1176 compression 4–6 dB + LA-2A 3 dB; de-esser; plate 1 s at −20 dB; 1/4 delay.

Backing vocals and talkbox

Wide backing vocals (±60) with 1.5 s plate; talkbox HP 200 Hz, 4:1 compression.

Buses and groups

SSL drum bus 2–3 dB; tape music bus; vocal bus 1–2 dB.

Sidechain

Kick → bass; vocal → lead (dynamic EQ 2 kHz).

Master

'90s G-funk −11/−9 LUFS; modern West Coast and ratchet −8/−7 LUFS; true peak −1 dBTP.

Common mistakes

Bass without harmonics; leads that are too loud; overcrowded ratchet.

Reference tracks for the mix

• Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg — Still D.R.E. (1999)
• 2Pac ft. Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman — California Love (1995)
• YG ft. Jeezy & Rich Homie Quan — My Hitta (2013)
• Kendrick Lamar — King Kunta (2015)

Reference listening

• Egyptian Lover — Egypt, Egypt (1984)
• Ice-T — 6 'N the Mornin' (1986)
• N.W.A — Straight Outta Compton (1988)
• Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Doggy Dogg — Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang (1992)
• 2Pac ft. Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman — California Love (1995)
• E-40 — Tell Me When to Go (2006)
• Tyga — Rack City (2011)
• Kendrick Lamar — Swimming Pools (Drank) (2012)