Synopsis

TQ performs "Westside" on city streets while the video cuts between neighborhood scenes and snapshots of everyday life in a Los Angeles community. Residents move through their routines as the singer delivers a proud salute to the West Coast, its people, and its culture. The imagery emphasizes local identity and community spirit rather than following a conventional storyline. The closing moments reinforce the song's memorial tone by dedicating it to two major figures in West Coast rap.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Westside" was TQ's first solo single and was released in 1998, later appearing on his debut album, "They Never Saw Me Coming."

• TQ has said that he originally wrote the song for a planned Tupac Shakur tribute project. The project was shelved amid a legal dispute involving Afeni Shakur and Suge Knight, so the song was released independently of that project.

• The song's West Coast roll call references Los Angeles and the Bay Area, reflecting TQ's affiliation with the regional hip-hop tradition.

• The video closes with dedications to Tupac Shakur and Eazy-E, connecting the song's celebration of the West Coast with a tribute to two influential artists who had died before its release.

• The track was produced by Mike Mosley and Femi Ojetunde, with TQ also credited among its writers.

• "Westside" became TQ's breakthrough hit and helped establish his blend of melodic R&B singing and West Coast street-oriented lyrics.