TQ - Westside

What this video is

Released in the summer of 1998, 'Westside' emerged as a breakthrough West Coast anthem during a pivotal moment of post-Death Row recalibration in California hip-hop. The song is an anthemic ode to TQ's native California, referencing influential West Coast artists and closing with a dedication to Eazy-E and Tupac Shakur. It debuted from TQ's album 'They Never Saw Me Coming' on ClockWork/Epic Records and reached No.…

Why it matters

A landmark crossover moment for hip-hop soul, 'Westside' demonstrated that West Coast street-rooted R&B could achieve mainstream pop chart success internationally without sacrificing regional authenticity. Its production — blending Bay Area production (Femi Ojetunde, Mike Mosley) with TQ's Los…

The director

Darren Grant is an American television, film, and music video director born in Seattle, Washington. He graduated from California State University, Northridge and directed over 130 music videos for R&B and hip-hop artists. He won the MTV VMA for Best R&B…