Book Your Stay
By Nate Duchene, on January 6th, 2025
History of Hip Hop on the Coast
For much of the 20th Century, Ventura County was an agricultural outpost and military town as nearby Los Angeles became ground zero for the global entertainment industry. As LA-based artists and families grew weary of the city grind in the ‘60s and ‘70s, they sought affordable housing, and Ventura County’s coastal climate was the perfect solution for many interested in settling down. Ventura’s mix of seaside culture, agricultural and industrial economies, and wide-open spaces was a unique blank canvas for the offspring of these families.
Meanwhile, hip-hop was born in New York City’s Bronx borough in 1973 and carved a gradual path from independent New York labels to Los Angeles-based major labels looking for new sounds. As hip-hop took hold of the airwaves and popular culture in the mid-80s, it created a golden age of music and labels raced to sign new artists. One wellspring of interest was in Los Angeles, which naturally spilled into Ventura County and has produced several rap artists since the mid ‘90s.
Madlib
That unique mix of styles is what emerged out of Ventura County in the late ‘90s in Oxnard-born rapper and producer Madlib. The son of a jazz musician father, Madlib made a major splash in 2003 with Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note. This album featured select jazz tracks from BlueNote’s legendary catalog
reimagined as jazz hip-hop with a wide variety of guest MCs. The acclaimed album brought wide respect to Madlib, who went on to form a legendary collaboration with the late rapper MF Doom, Madvillain, and later partnered with the late producer J Dilla.
Andersen Paak
The next crop of rappers out of Ventura County was highlighted by the mainstream rise of Anderson .Paak. Born and raised in Oxnard, .Paak started making beats while he was a student at Foothill Technical High School in Ventura. Of growing up in Oxnard, .Paak said, “You surf, you skate, it’s all good,” while he spent his youth,“cruising down Saviers Rd or Oxnard Boulevard, going to the movies.” .Paak’s ambition and epic creativity took him from Ventura County to build a sizable world following and eventually into a GRAMMY-winning superduo, Silk Sonic, with pop sensation Bruno Mars. Of late, Anderson has reflected on his Ventura County upbringing with gratitude and even named 2018 and 2019 albums Oxnard and Ventura, respectively. Said .Paak before a 2020 homecoming show, “I just wanted to throw a party for the town. I knew I had to come back, play the album.”
SuperDuperKyle
The latest rap artist hailing from Ventura County is less reflective about his childhood experience—he has openly loved it from the start. SuperDuperKyle (or just KYLE) credits Ventura for helping shape him into the creative character he is. A graduate of Ventura High School in midtown Ventura, Kyle took high school drama classes to build his confidence. He released mixtapes in high school and developed an eclectic style of raps, dance, and R&B. Since graduating in 2011, Kyle has collaborated with heavyweights like Chance the Rapper, Lil Yachty, G-Eazy, and Ty Dolla $ign, and recently made the leap into acting. These days, KYLE mainly spends his time between LA and touring, but his hometown is always with him.
When people think of Ventura County, they likely picture a varied landscape with beachside vibes of old school California riding all the way up to craggy mountains. And sure, much of what makes it special is in the diverse landscape, but the unique perspectives and expressions of Ventura County hip hop artists have been having an impact beyond this beautiful canvas for three decades, and it’s worth visiting to get a glimpse of their original inspiration. There are rumors of a godfather of ‘80s hip-hop living in Ventura, but that’s a story for another time.
SOURCES
Complex Anderson .Paak: https://www.complex.com/music/a/eric-
skelton/anderson-paak-interview-oxnard
Visit Ventura KYLE interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c3AulWpRlg
