Video After The Jump
The days of when the west coast dominated radio airwaves and the Billboard charts disappeared a long time ago. The days of unity, where established artists helped the newcomers break onto the scene, seem like a distant past.
Today, aside from a handful of already established artists, the sea of untapped talent are on a constant grind, waiting for their shot to become the next artist to break into the mainstream.
Those OG co-signs have become less and less over the years, and new artists are left with a large task and steep hill to climb.
While Ice Cube recenlty said it wasn't his responsibility to help local Los Angeles rappers, one veteran feels it's one of the keys needed to bringing a vibrant music scene back to the city.
His name is Xzibit.
"I feel like if more of us held down more of our own, it would generate and circulate throughout the whole coast. We'd have a vibrant f***in' scene here," X told BallerStatus in a recent interview, adding that he, himself, got the co-sign of an OG to get on. "How did I get on? What happens if King Tee wouldn't have come through and been like 'Hey man, not only can you drink 40s, you can rap' (laughs). King Tee came through and gave me a shot, and Tha Alkaholiks a shot. It's gotta start somewhere."
During Xzibit's show and prove days, there were showcase events around the Los Angeles area, namely Unity and the Good Life. These shows not only bred guys like X, but also helped launch the careers of other acts such as the Black Eyed Peas, the Hieroglyphics crew, and even Slaughterhouse's Crooked I.
The "Pimp My Ride" host says that if artists could somehow interact and help each other more, the west could have a shot again. X isn't just talking about what could be done either, he's practicing what he preaches.
If you've paid attention to some of the new music he's released as of late, you'll notice collaborations with newcomers like Young De, who X recently formed a group with alongside B-Real. Most recently, he enlisted the skills of young producer Scoop Deville for his brand new single "Hurt Locker", which he couldn't be happier about.
"It gotta start somewhere," Xzibit says. "I think f***in' with these dudes, they gonna be representatives of where we at. Some them the ropes before somebody else takes some more sh** from us."
While the west may have a long way to go to regain the stature it once had, X is taking a step in the right direction.
Make sure to follow Xzibit on Twitter @MrXtothaZ, and watch out for his upcoming solo album MMX, due later this year.
Source: BallerStatus
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