# 1996 Hip-Hop Series: DJ Wally Sparks on Why Dr. Dre and Snoop Needed Each Other, Tupac's incredible rise | 03.17

An episode of [The Right Time with Bomani Jones](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/982639043), 17 Mar 2026, 56 min.

Audio: https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/370fc844-36bd-4f61-8b8f-b4bb010de39a/dfcd83a2-e462-4963-9347-b4bb01154671/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=919a7cbe-003c-4146-b592-b4bb010de3a5

Bomani Jones is joined by DJ Wally Sparks for another Time Machine Tuesday, this time breaking down the state of West Coast rap in 1996. They dive into Tupac’s transformation into the ultimate California rap star, Dr. Dre and Snoop struggling without each other, the rise of The Doggfather and Aftermath, and why Ice Cube’s Westside Connection run mattered so much. Plus, they show love to Too Short, E-40, Ras Kass, the Bay Area movement, and explain how the West Coast sound had the whole country in its grip. Subscribe to The Right Time with Bomani Jones for new episodes, sharp takes, and deep dives into sports, culture, and music history. #BomaniJones #TheRightTime #2Pac #DrDre #SnoopDogg #IceCube #WestCoastRap #HipHopHistory #WallySparks #E40 #TooShort Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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