517 W Queen Tape

Interview by: Martin Bauman The West Coast scene has seen a massive revival in the past five-plus years, as the latest generation of emcees has staked its claim on the hip-hop landscape. Since the mid-2000s, a slew of West Coast artists, from Pac Div, to Blu & Exile, to U-N-I, to Fashawn, to Miguel, to Aloe Blacc, to Kendrick Lamar and the rest of Top Dawg Ent., have gone on to critical acclaim. Among that esteemed group is Inglewood's Thurz (formerly of the aforementioned U-N-I). Since going solo in 2011, Thurz has been working hard to prove to listeners that he has more to offer than his previous light-hearted, party rap fare. He's proven that right off the bat. After the enormous success of his solo debut, L.A. Riot, and the buzz following his 517 W Queen Tape, he's ready to release his follow-up full-length release, Blood on The Canvas. The Come Up Show caught up with Thurz to discuss his upcoming album, memories from U-N-I, Outkast's influence, and much more. Read the full interview after the jump.