Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026. Jamie Balaoro/STAFF.
SAN JOSE — This city might not be the epicenter of Bay Area hip-hop, but on Friday night, that’s exactly where four of California’s most legendary rappers came together.
Mount Westmore — Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, E-40 and Too $hort — took over SAP Center for the supergroup’s only California show in 2026, bringing decades of West Coast rap into one arena. The crowd spanned multiple generations, from original hyphy fans to their grandkids who’ve stayed loyal to the scene.
“I see the mothers and daughters, the daddies and sons and shit that came to the show together,” Too $hort said. “That’s that Mount Westmore shit.”
The concert’s first song oddly had the lowest energy of the whole night, with the four artists rapping their 2021 collab “Big Subwoofer” in front of its music video while sitting in thrones spaced across the stage. Having them all sitting down, especially during the opening moments, was an odd choice, kicking off the night with neither high energy nor fun chemistry.
But as the four found their groove, the energy and chemistry quickly picked up. Too $hort was the first to get up, leading his familiar “What’s my favorite word?” chant to the iconic “Blow the Whistle,” which was one of the night’s loudest singalongs. Snoop Dogg played his classic “The Next Episode” and Ice Cube brought urgency to “Check Yo Self” while flames flashed across the screens behind him.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
The production value was never super impressive, made up of the four thrones and the screen. During Snoop Dogg’s “Candy (Drippin’ Like Water),” it rolled through a slideshow of stock images of candy. It didn’t seem to matter much to the crowd, though; fans were there for the music. And the music delivered.
For performers who’ve been doing this for four decades, it didn’t feel like they were just going through the motions. Instead, all of the artists seemed to genuinely be having fun. Too $hort attributed this to them all being fans of each other, which was made clear each time one rapper was spitting a solo and the others sang along and danced around by their thrones. Snoop Dogg danced through E-40’s verse on Lil Jon’s “Snap Yo Fingers,” while Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg traded lines naturally during “Go to Church.”
Their chemistry made the show feel not just like four individual greatest hits sets put together but more like four old friends reuniting. They also each brought different strengths. Too $hort and Ice Cube did most of the talking, for example.
“I really want to give a special thanks to all the original fans,” Too $hort said before “The Ghetto.” “I wanna take a moment to acknowledge all the OGs in the building. All my gray hair, all my eyeglasses, all my grandparents — this song is dedicated to you!”
Despite Mount Westmore’s Bay Area and SoCal 50/50 split, lots of attendees — especially those who were around in the ‘90s — knew the words to every song from both regions. The “Yay Area” sound and history was the night’s most important focus, though. E-40 brought out fellow Vallejo rapper B-Legit, while Too $hort introduced Richie Rich by recalling the two of them selling Coca-Cola together at Oakland A’s games in the early ’80s. Richie Rich brought his full energy to “Side Show,” making his brief cameo memorable.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
The supergroup spent surprisingly little time performing songs from their collaborative Mount Westmore album, 2022’s Snoop Cube 40 $hort. That was probably for the best. Judging by applause, the crowd was there to hear iconic West Coast hits like Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice,” Ice Cube’s “Gangsta Gangsta,” Too $hort’s “These Are the Tales” and E-40’s “U And Dat.” The four rappers mostly switched between each song, but they each did four of their own in a row toward the end of the concert.
They closed the night by performing “Big Subwoofer” again, this time standing in the front of the stage and feeding off each other’s energy. The opening song finally had the energy it was missing the first time around, wrapping up a night of true West Coast pride.
Opener DJ Quik got the first “Bay Areaaa” chant of the night going, warming up the crowd with classic California favorites.
“How many of y’all into old-school hip-hop, like 1980s hip-hop?” he asked before launching into “Tonite,” lighting a joint onstage as he did. The crowd was hyped when the set ended, singing along to Bay Area classics on the arena speakers before the main show — Mac Dre’s “Feelin’ Myself” was unsurprisingly the loudest moment.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
Mount Westmore performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
DJ Quik performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
DJ Quik performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
DJ Quik performs at SAP Center in San Jose on Aug. 21, 2026.
About The Author
Ben Siegel grew up in the Bay Area and is now a journalism student across the country at Boston University. He writes for BU’s student publication, The Daily Free Press, and goes to as many concerts as he can.
Ben Siegel grew up in the Bay Area and is now a journalism student across the country at Boston University. He writes for BU’s student publication, The Daily Free Press, and goes to as many concerts as he can.
Jamie Balaoro is a Bay-Area-born and raised photographer who covers live music as well as film and theater. She earned her degree in photojournalism and Asian American studies from San Francisco State University. She has more than 15 years of photography experience.