Biography
Ronnie Hudson first built his reputation as a bassist through performances in Washington, D.C. and Memphis, Tennessee before reaching his widest recognition in Los Angeles. The D.C. native played alongside Chuck Brown and Al Johnson, then settled in Memphis during the 1970s, contributing to sessions with Isaac Hayes on portions of the Shaft soundtrack and the full album Black Moses, with Luther Ingram on the number-three pop single “[If Loving You Is Wrong] I Don’t Want to Be Right,” and with Rufus Thomas on the number-two R&B hit “The Breakdown.”
At the outset of the next decade Hudson relocated first to San Francisco and then to Los Angeles, where he launched his solo career with the 1982 single “West Coast Pop Lock,” co-credited to the Street People. Drawing its foundation from Zapp’s “So Ruff, So Tuff” and colored by Hudson’s own distinctive touch, the track gained early momentum through airplay on Los Angeles station KDAY. He issued further singles in 1983 and 1985 that achieved less commercial traction yet later became sought-after collectors’ items. By the close of the 1980s the song had already been sampled or referenced multiple times. Its profile rose still higher in 1996 when 2Pac and Dr. Dre’s multi-platinum hit “California Love,” featuring Zapp’s Roger Troutman, brought renewed attention to the original recording. Hudson maintained an active schedule of live performances and studio work, culminating in the 2014 release Westcoastin’, which included guest appearances by Too $hort, E-40, Snoop Dogg, and DJ Battlecat along with other prominent West Coast rap artists.
At the outset of the next decade Hudson relocated first to San Francisco and then to Los Angeles, where he launched his solo career with the 1982 single “West Coast Pop Lock,” co-credited to the Street People. Drawing its foundation from Zapp’s “So Ruff, So Tuff” and colored by Hudson’s own distinctive touch, the track gained early momentum through airplay on Los Angeles station KDAY. He issued further singles in 1983 and 1985 that achieved less commercial traction yet later became sought-after collectors’ items. By the close of the 1980s the song had already been sampled or referenced multiple times. Its profile rose still higher in 1996 when 2Pac and Dr. Dre’s multi-platinum hit “California Love,” featuring Zapp’s Roger Troutman, brought renewed attention to the original recording. Hudson maintained an active schedule of live performances and studio work, culminating in the 2014 release Westcoastin’, which included guest appearances by Too $hort, E-40, Snoop Dogg, and DJ Battlecat along with other prominent West Coast rap artists.
Albums
Singles
