Fun-loving Los Angeles rappers with a gangsta-lite lean, Chico & Coolwadda bring to the table all the best elements of West Coast rap. The duo remains true to the local tradition first laid down in the late '80s and early '90s by such West Coast legends as Too Short, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and 2Pac. They're not short on attitude, for sure, yet they're not out to stir up controversy. Rather, these guys are just rapping from the heart, rhyming about what matters most to them: Cali sunshine, pimped-out cars, hot women, good-time parties, and an overall laid-back sensibility. Yet it's not all sunshine in the world of Chico & Coolwadda. The rappers may emphasize the fun nature of life, but they never turn a blind eye toward the struggles faced by themselves and so many others. It's this balance of good times and tough times that makes them more than just another rap duo. Chico & Coolwadda may be from L.A., but they're not actors -- they're rappers who speak what's on their minds and in their hearts. And they do what they do so well over some trademark West Coast rap productions. They work with some of California's best producers to lay down knee-deep funky beats and Pacific-fresh catchy hooks. On their first album, Wild 'n tha West, they worked with the likes of veteran producer Chris "The Glove" Taylor and the one and only Nate Dogg, among many others. The result: their breakthrough single, "High Come Down." On their second album, Parallel, they worked with an even more noteworthy roster of talent, ranging from producers like Dogg Pound legend Daz Dillinger and G-Unit beat-maker No I.D. to the contagiously sexy voice of Truth Hurts and the widely esteemed raps of Defari. The result: another hit single, "Land of Sunshine," and an even better album than their debut. ~ Jason Birchmeier