For the 20th anniversary of his debut album, AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, West Coast veteran Ice Cube is putting out a strong reminder to those who might have forgotten about his legacy with his defiantly-titled ninth studio LP, I Am the West, which drops today (September 28). On the independently distributed project, Cube linked up with producer, and frequent collaborator during the early '90's, Sir Jinx for the first time in nearly two decades to give the LP a little of that old-school West feel. Its lead single, “I Am the West,” is most representative of that. XXLMag.com decided to get up with the Cali gatekeeper to compile Cube's definitive list of the top 10 greatest West Coast raps songs of all time.

2Pac feat. Dr. Dre “California Love” (1995)

An out on bail, fresh out of jail Pac announced his arrival with this bombastic comeback single, which ultimately became one of the California’s most popular anthems.

N.W.A “Fuck tha Police” (1988)

With lines like, “I’m a sniper with a hell of a scope/Taking out a cop or two, they can’t cope/With me,” it’s no wonder that N.W.A came under scrutiny by the United States government. But it was this angst, or “attitude,” that changed the face of rap music and created one it’s most famous sub-genres—gangsta rap.


Digital Underground, “Humpty Dance” (1989):

Posing as his alter ego “Humpty Hump,” Shock G, alongside his music collective Digital Underground (including a young 2Pac), introduced the world outside of Oakland, California to the Humpty Dance. And the song has been rocking parties from the Bay Area and down the coastline ever since.

Too $hort “Life is… Too $hort” (1988)

The most provocative single off Too $hort’s 1988 certified double platinum album of the same title.


Da Luniz “I Got Five on it” (1995)

It’s only right that the home of the best green, produced one of the best smoker’s anthems.

Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg “Nuthin’ But a G Thang” (1993)

One of the quintessential hits off Dre’s classic debut, The Chronic, introduced the world to another West Coast legend in the making—a 22 year-old Snoop Dogg.


Snoop Dogg “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)” (1993)

In case you didn’t get the memo on The Chronic, Snoop followed up with this debut single off his Dogggystyle album to announce his arrival. If you weren’t saying his name before hearing this hit, you were definitely singing it after.

Ice Cube “It Was a Good Day” (1993)

Cube’s description of what goes for a good day in the streets of L.A. is a classic song that relates to people in 'hoods the world over.


Ice-T “6 in the Mornin’” (1986)

Ice-T was gangsta rap before gangsta rap even had a name. Just listen to this track off his debut album, Rhyme Pays.

Montell Jordan “This is How We Do It” (1995)

Although Cube acknowledges that this isn’t a straight hip-hop song, he still believes the hit single deserves a spot on his top 10 West Coast songs list. So there you have it.

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