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The development of hip-hop during the 1990s is partially
indebted to the styles that were cultivated on the West Coast,
more specifically in the state of California. When one thinks
of the California hip-hop scene invariably the G-funk of
Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Los Angeles comes to
mind, but to ignore the equally impressive San Francisco bay
area scene is a travesty. It was in this environment where
Earl Stevens, better known by his stage name E-40, came up
in and developed his following.
Alongside regional staples such as Too Short, Spice 1, and
Ant Banks, E-40 was among the first West Coast rappers to
sign with a major label, and scored a Billboard-charting hit
record with 1995's In A Major Way. His flamboyant attitude,
mixed with a driven, DIY spirit, would lead to further
Billboard-charters, as well as collaborations with top-tier
names of hip-hop, from California peers like Tupac Shakur,
Too Short, and Keak Da Sneak, to underground legends like
Tech N9ne, Bun B, and Danny Brown, to modern MCs like 2
Chainz, YG, and Juicy J, to even the company of comedy trio
The Lonely Island.
While E-40's break into the mainstream came with 1995's In
A Major Way, he had recorded on numerous EPs and
features, as well as a studio album through his own self-run
label Sick Wid It Records. That studio album, 1993's Federal,
would also serve as his solo debut, and paint a picture of
things to come for the bay area rapper. With it's stark and
aggressive sound, over top of beats that sampled classic
funk and soul staples like Isaac Hayes, Sly & The Family
Stone, and The Ohio Players, Federal put E-40s skills as an
MC on full display, as well as promising things in the
following years. Not to mention solid guest spots
from his fellow Californians B-Legit, Kaveo, Little Bruce,
and various others. |
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