The rap gods have smiled on San Jose. This weekend’s Kings of the West extravaganza brings a completely stacked lineup—including Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, The Game, E-40 and Warren G—to the Shark Tank. These hip-hop heroes come to town as part of a broader series of concerts celebrating the SAP Center’s 25-year history. There isn’t much that hasn’t been said already about these OGs of West Coast rap. Whether you loved Are We There Yet?, prefer to partake in any number of Snoop’s cannabis-related online ventures, or want to go dumb alongside one of the Bay Area’s most infamous lyricists, it’s all here.

Kings of the West
Sat, 7:30 pm, $36+
SAP Center, San Jose

Get ready to roast a fatty. One of the biggest burners in the rap game closes out the 4/20 weekend at the SJSU. Tha Doggfather comes to town riding high on his 420 Wellness Retreat tour. Snoop, who needs no introduction, is sure to play the hits along with new material from the four albums he’s released over the past four years—including the 2015 Pharrell Williams-produced record BUSH and his brand new collection of gospel tunes, Bible of Love. Wiz Khalifa, Migos, Lil Pump and Rae Sremmurd are also rolling up. (SM)

Snoop Dogg
Sun, 7pm, $65+
SJSU Event, San Jose

Tha Doggfather, himself, Snoop Dogg, is coming to San Jose next Friday, Oct. 10, to preside over what is sure to be a hazier-than-usual party at downtown night club, Studio 8.

Snoop will host the event, which will feature local DJs Big Von and Maniakal as well as a performance from SF-based rapper Yung Spitta. According to a representative from the club, Snoop will even perform a few songs himself.

The event opens at 9pm and tickets will be sold at the door. For more information about Studio 8 or arranging bottle service, click here, or call 408-279-4444

Check out Yung Spitta’s collaboration with Iamsu! and Kool John, “Twerk Team,” here:

And of course…

As part of the BVMO Crew, Shea Butter, along with Smoovgroovs and Dstrukt, are some of the hottest DJs in the South Bay right now. They specialize in spinning obscure soul, funk, hip-hop and electronic tracks, as well as doing some pretty innovative remixes. The trio also released the excellent mixtape Cupid’s Hangover this year.

Shea Butter broke down for us his favorite albums released this year, specifically ones he feels people will still be talking about in 20 years.

Mayer Hawthorne – Where Does This Door Go
Funk, rock, boogie, soul and hip hop are all blended together in Mr. Hawthorne’s musical crock pot, giving his growing fan base exactly what they need. Thank you Peanut Butter Wolf (the San Jose native, now in LA, releasing Hawthorne’s music on Stones Throw Records.

With thousands of acts filling every possible venue in Austin for SXSW, there was no shortage of photos opportunities at the music festival this year. Metro photographer Jennifer Anderson hit the streets for five days to capture some of the best shows at the fest, including Iggy Pop, Snoop Dogg, the Flaming Lips and more.

All photos by Jennifer Anderson.

It’s been 25 years since Too Short’s first LP was released and the Oakland rapper is still showing no signs of slowing. He released his 19th studio album this year, and just last week, he released two albums with E-40—the only other living Bay Area rapper to reach his level of national fame.

Too Short plays at La Fiesta Nightclub tomorrow. Here are a few video highlights from his catalog over the years:

Too $hort plays Fiesta Nightclub on Friday November 9th, along with Mr. Kee, Chraze-C, Reign, Why Hate, YB Ent, YDMC, Big Mister, Big E, Elite, Jeff Turner, Malicious Da Misfit and Natty K. Dirtbag Dan hosts the event. The show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio has become the most influential music festival in the country, but it wasn’t always like that.

After a slow start in 1999, organizers didn’t even bother to try again in 2000, and only a miracle second shot in 2001 (courtesy, of all people, Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell—more on that later) turned the festival’s fortunes around.

What a difference a decade makes. Despite the fact that Coachella infamously recycled its headliners (and a lot of its other acts last year), the festival matched its attendance record set the year before. It sold out in six days. This year, organizers added a second weekend (featuring the same line-up led by Radiohead, Black Keys and Dr. Dre with Snoop Dogg, along with Bon Iver, Florence and the Machine, the Shins and more)—both sold out in three hours. Even if they’re still capping paid attendance at around 75,000 per day, that’s still almost half a million people kicking up dust in the desert. (Those looking to skip the desert scene can find many Coachella acts performing in the Bay Area in the weeks surrounding the event).

As its drawing power has grown, its cultural influence has grown even more. In fact, it’s practically become synonymous with reuniting big-name bands, partially because it owes its continued existence to the reunion of Jane’s Addiction in 2001; it was the surprise booking that made that year’s festival a hit. Other reunions that built Coachella’s rep include the Stooges in 2003, the Pixies in 2004 and Rage Against the Machine in 2007.

This year features a record number of reunited bands: Mazzy Star, Pulp, At the Drive In and Refused among them. When I spoke to Ed Crawford, vocalist and guitarist for the post-Minutemen cult favorites Firehose, he admitted their new reunion is pretty much entirely because of Coachella. Organizers had actually approached the band last year, but they were unable to do the festival because of Mike Watt’s prior commitments. But they didn’t let up, coming back with another offer this year.