By Oliver Wang

EARLIER THIS YEAR a colleague "suggested" that I held a narrow conception of the Bay Area's hip-hop sound and that this caused me to highlight certain artists at the exclusion of others.

Mulling over the critique, I could see his point. Ever since I moved to the Bay from Los Angeles in 1990, there have been certain movements in the local hip-hop scene that I've followed (the underground stylistics of Solesides, for example) and others that I haven't (think Brother Lynch Hung's tales from the dark side).

Apart from personal preferences, the challenge in staying on top of the Bay is the region's diverse mix of aesthetics and attitudes. Try reconciling Suisun City gangsta chatter with Vallejo mob music, or East Oakland rhyme ciphers with Daly City scratch tunes. Then again, that's part of the beauty of the Bay Area – you can't reduce its sound to a single aesthetic or lump artists into easy-to-fit categories. Consider that Tupac began his career here, busting MC Hammer moves as a dancer for Digital Underground. Or that the Mystik Journeymen helped teach backpackers how to dirt hustle. Or that Equipto went from making records with indie darlings Bored Stiff to trading rhymes with thug-lifer Andre Nickatina.

After 14 years, I'm no closer to formulating a "definitive" Bay Area sound than when I first arrived, and I like that I'll probably never hammer one out. I'm just happy with an ever evolving aesthetic I hope will never resolve into a single signature. Meanwhile, I'm content with a rotation of songs that scream the Yay to me every time I hear them:

6. Lyrics Born, 'Callin' Out Remix' (Quannum, 2004) Though this is only a few weeks old, the song is a striking collaboration between E-40, Casual, and Lyrics Born, representing three of the Bay's oldest rap families: the Click, Hieroglyphics, and Quannum. Given that ensemble, there should be no question which "area" L.B. is hollerin' at when he chimes, "Calling out to all area crew."

5. Digital Underground, 'Doowutchyalike' (Tommy Boy, 1988) D.U. have so many hits to choose from ("Humpty Dance," "Same Song," "Freaks of the Industry"), but "Doowutchyalike" was my introduction to the group, and it made a lasting impression. From Humpty Hump's biscuit-squeezing antics to Shock G's cool-cat flow to the handy radio station fade-out, its creativity and irreverence were irresistible. It's a Bay Area bacchanalia, captured on wax.

4. Souls of Mischief, 'That's When Ya Lost' (Jive, 1993) I was sitting in a college dorm room when I first heard Beni B play this on his old KALX-FM show. That impossibly low bass line hit like thunder, and the Souls' tag-team lyricism seemed as playful as it was impressive. I immediately called in to ask who the hell it was, and I still get that urge every time I hear it.

3. Too $hort, 'In the Trunk' (Jive, 1992) This was never one of Too $hort's biggest hits, but it's nice to hear the icon puff out his chest with an anthem that celebrates a legacy built on nonstop hustling.

2. Bored Stiff, 'Peaceful Rotation '92' (LLCrew, 1995) I always thought this S.F. collective beautifully captured a pristine moment in the Bay's underground evolution. More than just feel-good, the song is filled with a sense of possibility, as if Bored Stiff and their independent peers had the whole world in their grasp.

1. Luniz, 'I Got Five on It Remix' (Virgin, 1995) You had to know this would be number one. The definitive Bay anthem for 10 years running, this showcased a who's who of the East Bay's finest, including Dru Down, E-40, and Spice 1. Despite its slow tempo, it never fails to kill at the club.