The 10 Best Los Angeles Anthems
Kendrick and Dre's "Compton" is just the latest L.A. ode.
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The Top 10 Los Angeles Anthems - Dr. Dre, Game and Snoop Dogg may have crowned Kendrick Lamar the new king of L.A., but they all had one thing that he doesn't — a true hometown anthem. Until now. Earlier this week, K-Dot leaked "Compton," a triumphant duet with Dre produced by Just Blaze. "Ain't no city quite like mine," the hook declares, before morphing into a Roger Troutman–inspired vocoder outro. Here, inspired by Kendrick and his upcoming major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, we're counting down the top 10 L.A. anthems to standd the test of time. Get your W's ready. —Alex Gale (Photos from left: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup, John Sciulli/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
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"Westside Story," The Game feat. 50 Cent - Over a hard-as-nails, piano-driven beat from Dr. Dre and Scott Storch, Game is at his best, shouting out '63 Impalas and red-laced Chuck Taylors on this standout from his 2005 debut, The Documentary. Don't let 50 Cent's Queens roots distract you — his chorus reps the Left Coast.
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"Some L.A. N---az," Dr. Dre feat. featuring Hittman, Defari, Xzibit, Knoc-turn'al, Time Bomb, King T, MC Ren & Kokane - Dr. Dre assembled a multigenerational all-star squad of Angeleno newcomers and legends — including his old N.W.A. homie MC Ren — on this stark hometown anthem from his sophomore album, 2001. (Photo: David Tonge/Getty Images)
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"City of the Angels," Bill Withers - This 1976 song beautifully recounts Withers' real-life move to L.A., where he relocated at age 29 after nine years in the Navy. "L.A., L.A., find a place for me," Wither pleads. "Gimme all your spaces please, it's where I wanna be." (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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"Jus Lyke Compton," DJ Quik - In this hit single from DJ Quik's 1992 sophomore album, Way 2 Fonky, the legendary rapper-producer tours the country, only to find that every city is taking after his hometown's gang culture. "How could a bunch of suckers in a town like this have so much influence on brothers so far away?" Quik asks.
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"Hollywood Swinging," Kool & the Gang - The funky guitar-and-bass interplay and amazing horn charts on this 1973 ode to "the city of the stars, movies, women and cars" gave these Jersey City boys their first No. 1 R&B single. (Photo: GAB Archive/Redferns)
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"To Live and Die in L.A.," 2Pac - Tupac only lived in L.A. for a couple years before his murder — he spent most of his life in New York, Baltimore and the Bay Area — but he put down roots quickly, pledging allegiance to the City of Angels on this highlight from The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory.
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"Let Me Ride," Dr. Dre - Much like the Chevy '64 Dr. Dre's rolling in, the third single from his game-changing 1993 solo debut, The Chronic, is perfect for swerving through L.A. traffic.
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"Straight Outta Compton," N.W.A. - There's no doubt about it: This ground-breaking classic, the title track from N.W.A.'s 1988 studio debut, put Compton on the map and made gangsta rap — and L.A.'s gang culture — a worldwide phenomenon.
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"It Was a Good Day," Ice Cube - After years of warnings, boasts and laments about L.A.'s dark, violent side, Ice Cube landed the biggest hit of his long career with a rare glimpse of the good life, South Central style — hitting switches in a drop-top, smoking chronic with a high-school crush and watching the Lakers in top form.