Defining the Role of a Westside Gatekeeper
If you've spent any time looking into the history of West Coast hip-hop or the inner workings of California's cultural scene, you've probably heard someone mention a westside gatekeeper. It's one of those terms that carries a lot of weight but doesn't exactly come with a job description or a LinkedIn profile. In the music industry and the street culture that feeds it, these figures are the ones who decide what's authentic, who's allowed to represent the coast, and who's just a visitor trying to cash in on a vibe they didn't help build. ...