
Few regions have left as indelible a mark on Hip Hop as the West Coast, a cultural powerhouse that redefined the genre with its signature G-funk beats, street poetry and unmistakable swagger. From trailblazing pioneers like N.W.A., Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg to the new vanguards carrying the torch, West Coast rap has always been a voice for its community. Among the modern torchbearers are The Game and D Smoke, two artists who embody Los Angeles' grit, soul and unwavering pride. Whether through The Game’s vivid storytelling about Compton’s streets or D Smoke’s poignant lyricism that bridges Inglewood’s struggles and triumphs, their contributions underscore the enduring legacy of West Coast music while forging its path forward.
The two creatives joined forces with Tres Generaciones Tequila for the LA stop in its “Get Up Anthem” series, a multi-city celebration of music’s power to define a city’s spirit. In LA, the collaboration took shape with “The Debate,” a roundtable conversation where the emcees explored the songs that define their home. Emmy Award-winning host Rocsi Diaz and a Billboard editor moderated the discussion, offering a rare chance to dissect the sounds that make LA a global cultural beacon. In the exclusive chat below, D Smoke and The Game discuss the joint effort, LA, their personal struggles and hopes, fatherhood and more. Read up!
Tres Generaciones Tequila hit up six cities, diving into each location’s Hip Hop culture. Where do you think they should visit next, and who needs to be mentioned?
The Game: I think they need to visit The Bay Area, and in terms of who I think should be highlighted, I would say LaRussell for sure. I would also say San Francisco and Oakland, too. I would want to see the whole movement from Mac Dre to JT The Bigga Figga to where even Ghazi [Shami] has taken his own foundation to becoming the CEO of Empire. The Bay definitely has something to say. I want to shoutout Larry June, too. They should definitely go to the Bay Area next.
The Documentary was built with contributions from Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and other industry legends. How do you reflect on these collaborations today, especially given the ups and downs over the years?
The Game: I would say the ups and downs are certainly just what they are... ups and downs. Dr. Dre is iconic enough in the culture and music as a whole as far as the West Coast. 50 Cent had a presence on the West Coast almost reminiscent of what Tupac had — coming from the East Coast and doing his thing to even what he’s doing now in television and film. Those entities helped catapult my career -- from how Dre helped Eminem, and Eminem helped 50 Cent, and what Dre and 50 Cent did when it came to me. It’s just all good. 50 Cent and I don’t have to split a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to understand each other’s influence (laughs).
If you could design a curriculum for young artists, what would be the three key lessons you’d want them to remember?
D Smoke: I think the main one would be to master your craft, whatever the core of your craft is. If it's rapping, be great at rapping. If it's piano, be great at piano. If it's singing, be excellent at singing. The second part is the business around your craft — be excellent at that, too. The third part is asking yourself why. [To] what ends do you want to be an artist, and what’s your goal within that? How do you use this thing that you're really good at to improve society, the world, your community? If you master the craft [and] business around [it], and then you know why you do it, then we have artists who are impactful, business savvy, responsible and producing really good art. It's just improving the world one artist at a time — if that's the way they approach it.
As someone who’s represented Compton since the beginning, how has your view of the city’s musical legacy evolved with each passing album?
The Game: I feel like my city, as a whole — as far as music and culture is concerned — we never lost it; we only progressed. When you say Compton, it means so much; [there are] so many different elements within the word. You can be in Germany and say the word and you would still feel the essence of what Compton brings in terms of culture.
When you revisit The Documentary, what lyrics or moments hit you differently now, considering all you’ve been through since its release?
The Game: I would say this lyric: “They say every time somebody dies, a child is born.” It’s the evolution of human existence — everyday, somebody is passing away and someone is being born. I want to thank the mother of my child for the birth of my son, which in total defines me as a human. I’m a father before anything else. Whether you’re creating life or art, it’s just being able to be right along the lines of what all of our purposes are as human beings.
Growing up in a musical family, what’s one lesson from your upbringing that still resonates with you today, D Smoke?
D Smoke: One lesson from my upbringing that still resonates with me today is being true to yourself. I think when you grow up in a musical family, everybody has talents. More important than impressing anybody is representing yourself, finding your path, and understanding your strengths in music and playing to them, because doing so is only going to make you more unique. My mother has different talents than her brother. I have different talents than SiR. As long as we play to our strengths, do what we're best at, and focus on our best contribution to music and to the world, then all of us are making good use of our gifts.
Inglewood High and other works center on your community. How does your approach to telling your hometown’s story change with each project?
D Smoke: My approach to telling my story… They both have to do with specific time frames. I think Inglewood High has a lot to do with my initial reentry into the city. I left the city to go to school and then came back; so, [the song is] me telling both my story and stories of the students that I was working with when I first [began teaching]. Black Habits is more of a family story in Inglewood. War & Wonders is a grown man story in Inglewood. It's the same setting, but different eras.
What was one moment after “Rhythm + Flow” that made you realize your career shifted to a new level?
D Smoke: I think just being outside of the country and being recognized for your talents and contribution to music. I think that's something that lets you know, like, “Okay, we're in a different era. We're in a different time period.” When I went to Amsterdam and the people were just screaming and rushing to the front, or I went to Luxembourg or Paris and I was at Accor Arena — even if I'm opening for an Alicia Keys or something — just to be able to do that lets you know we're in a different stage of this journey as an artist. [Despite] the reach being global, people still recognize the artistry. Even being in Japan and just going out to the mall, and somebody just breaking down in tears because of the way they received your art, and moving them in such a way that they view you at such a high level… That reminds me that 1). I'm privileged [and] I'm blessed to do it at this level, and 2). The music that we make is powerful.
On set, you were very vocal about misconceptions people have had about you throughout your career, Game. What’s one that you laugh about now?
The Game: I would say people claim I’m overly aggressive, to which I would say: I think I'm one of the kindest human beings. I go hard for my family, my children, and [the] people who I love and believe in. But who won’t get aggressive if they need to?
You have also been candid about personal struggles. How do you decide what to share publicly, and has it ever conflicted with the "tough" persona often expected in rap?
The Game: There’s a thin line between public and private. I was told by Busta Rhymes when I was 26 years old that I’m borderline disrespectful, which has stuck with me… I think the balance is to be myself no matter what.
How has being a father influenced the messages you want to leave in your music?
The Game: The main thing about humans is our creation. Someone created us to keep creating so, for me, being a father... [There] is no greater joy in the world. From mothers to fathers, the parental aspect of all things in life means the most to me.
You’ve hinted at retirement before but continue to release new projects. What keeps pulling you back into the studio?
The Game: Sometimes I get so angry at Hip Hop and the state of it, but then sometimes I could be happy about it. I’m just so conflicted at times that the best thing to do is to create when I feel the energy pushing me towards what I feel I need to do at the time. I just want to continue to respect it, appreciate it and coincide with it.