Although Bruno Mars is known most for his infectious pop songs that have dominated the charts for the last half-decade, a good portion of his latest album, titled 24k Magic, was influenced by some of the most certified rap legends on the West Coast. The "Grenade" artist said as much during a recent interview.

According to Bruno,  24k Magic is partially a reflection of the music he listened to growing up. "The spirit of this album, growing up in the '90s, is to me the most joyous (time) for me. That's my childhood. That's what I grew up on," he explained before rattling off a list of iconic West Coast stalwarts. "I love DJ Quik, Suga Free, Too Short, E-40, Dr. Dre of course, Snoop, and that's because these songs, they influenced hip-hop, these '70s funk songs, but it took place in the '90s and that's why you had this soulful music with a superstar rapping on it. For me, it was all about the live show and the kind of party I want to throw."

Bruno is a certified pop superstar, but based on those names he listed, it's pretty clear he's got a good appreciation for hip-hop. It was probably that appreciation that helped him get over some somewhat disparaging remarks Kanye West made about Bruno winning the MTV Video Music Video Award for Best Male Video in 2013. In a recent interview, Bruno explained that he wasn't bothered by Yeezy's comments.

“I won one award!” Bruno told Rolling Stone in response to Kanye’s comments at a Yeezus Tour show in 2013 . “But he was right about the pretty part. It’s Kanye – bottom line, at the end of the day, we need Kanye. But what he said wasn’t a sting. You can come at me all you want – I’ve set myself up for that. But I am my own biggest critic. Whatever anyone says to me, they don’t know shit.” He continued, “But me and him, we’re cool. He called me and apologized. Kanye loves me, man. You know that. Who doesn’t? I’m Bruno Mars!”

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