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Philadelphia is probably the only city besides New York to be involved in hip-hop from the very beginning. Modern graffiti is said to have started in Philly. The first "gangstar rapper", Schooly D was from Philly as well as the first female rapper, Lady B. DJ Jazzy Jeff also invented the style of turntable scratching called "transforming". The biggest artist right now is probably Meek Mill-the city's been in love with this kid for a few years now. The Roots are probably my favortie act out of Philly.
I didn't say that those cities didn't have rappers though, I said that they didn't have well-known artists (though you're right that Tech N9ne is). KCMO obviously has a lot of rappers... Rich The Factor, Fat Tone (RIP), Rappin Twan, etc. The other cities also have rappers but by your OP I thought you meant people that the average Hip Hop listener could name... I doubt too many hip hop listeners could name DBL Rhyme Family or Bossman outside of locals or people like myself who listen to the underground rappers from other cities.
To answer your main question, the main cities with a mainstream presence in Hip Hop culture are:
NYC
Los Angeles
Bay Area Memphis(You have to add Memphis, Crunk style was created in Memphis, and many Memphis artists have influenced Atlanta and many cities around that region)
Atlanta
Philadelphia
Detroit
Chicago
New Orleans
Houston
Pittsburg (recent)
Miami (recent)
That's about it. Cities that don't have much of a mainstream presence but have an underground presence are:
Sacramento
Kansas City San Diego(San Diego has had a few mainstream Rappers like, Lil Rob, Jayo Felony, and Mitchy Slick, many other Chicano Rappers like, Mr. Shadow, Lil One, Nightowl, Aztec Tribe, Mr, Sancho, Dyablo, Silencer, and others Damu, Don Diego, Dannu of the Visionaries and many others around the Metro Area)
Boston
Minneapolis
Cleveland/Akron (Although they did have BT-n-H)
Other than that, there's a couple odd cities here and there that have produced a couple well-known rappers (Virginia Beach and DC for example) but don't really have a scene.
Also most big Cities in the U.S. have skilled Emcees, just not very known. But pretty much all Big cities have a Hip-Hop scene.
Last edited by VX-Nefarious; 10-23-2011 at 06:44 PM..
I could do Houston. Disregard moat in swishahouse and suc. They are good for beats, not mich else after that. I'll name when I get to a computer later. Rangers have my attention right now.
I think some cities are exotic to Hiphop culture because we get into this rotation of NY, LA, ATL, Hou, NOLA, Memphis, Philly, Miami, Oakland, Chi, Cleveland. All those cities had a few mainstream artists before the mid 90s. So with saying that.
Nelly with ST Louis
more recently
Drake from Toronto
even tho kardinal been out.
Wiz from Pittsburgh
Wale from DC
And guess you can say Willy Northpole from Pheonix, even though he isn't as mainstream as the others.
I wish more international rap artists breakout into mainstream American Hiphop as well. I don't think most American hiphop heads and listeners even know how big and international the culture is.
I could do Houston. Disregard moat in swishahouse and suc. They are good for beats, not mich else after that. I'll name when I get to a computer later. Rangers have my attention right now.
You forgot Rap-A-Lot. And how are Swishahouse and SUC not good for rappers?
Because most of the artists under those groups suck.
LOL!!!!
That's actually pretty funny, but I can't agree...
I feel like I grew up with Lil Keke
and Mike Jones, Chamillionaire and Slim Thug were cool.
But Paul Wall was my dude. I like his flow. I think he's VERY underrated.
(Nobody get offended by his opinion please. No starting beef here, everyone is entitled to their own opinions)
Because most of the artists under those groups suck.
If you think Z-Ro, J-Dawg, Big Moe (RIP), Slim Thug, Lil Keke, etc. suck that's your loss. But like Psykomonkee said, you're entitled to believe that...
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