West Coast Rising: The Best of Skeme’s “Alive and Living” Posted by Nathan S. on 10/17/12 | Filed under Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolBoy Q, Skeme

It's crazy to think about, but even five years ago L.A. hip-hop was essentially dead as far as the rest of the country was concerned. The city always had a strong underground scene (Murs, Aceyalone, etc.), but on a national level there was Game, Nipsey Hussle (kind of) and that was really about it.

But in 2012 the west coast is the midst of a full-fledged renaissance, pumping out some of the dopest and most innovative music around. With Kendrick and company leading the way, artists like Odd Future, Thurz, Dom Kennedy, Shane Eli and too many more to mention are keeping L.A. in everyone's ears; and Skeme belongs in that list.

Skeme's new "Alive and Living" album may not have be the most hyped project of the year, but if you're a fan of that new west coast sound, it's definitely worth a listen. I've included two standouts, "I Remember" featuring Kendrick Lamar and "Kidz With Gunz" featuring ScHoolboy Q, below; if you're feeling those, you can stream the album in its entirety over at the mothership.

Enjoy...

See Also: Kendrick Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle” Will Make Wack Rappers Retire (Listen & Download)