There's a generational misconception in hip-hop that lyricism is only synonymous with the east coast. The West coast may be the home of gangsta rap, but it's also home to G-funk, lowrider music, freestyles and yes, lyrical hip-hop.
East coast hip-hop originated in the streets of New York. The umbrella of this particular sub-genre covers a dizzying mess of styles--from the street hop that gave us to AZ and Nas to the conscious approach popularized by Public Enemy and Black Star.
Hip-hop is a celebration of diversity. If you find that no two MCs sound alike, it's because their musical stylings are informed by different environments and attitudes. Here's a brief rundown of hip-hop sub-genres and the key artists in each niche.
Hip hop is a broad conglomerate of artistic forms that originated within a marginalized subculture in the South Bronx and quickly spread through other parts of New York City such as Harlem among African American and latin american youth during the mid to late 70's.
