This Is How Chanel West Coast Got Her Stage Name

Chelsea Chanel Dudley wasn't quite as catchy as other memorable stars' names, so Chanel West Coast set about coming up with something easier for fans to remember. "My real, full name is Chelsea Chanel Dudley. In my opinion, Chelsea Dudley does not sound like a rapper," the rapper told Popcrush. "So I was like, 'You know what? Imma drop both of those names and just go by Chanel.'" 

Of course, she ended up with more than just her middle name. "When I was trying to figure out a URL for my MySpace music page, all Chanels were taken, so I was like, 'You know what? I'm a West Coast rapper, so maybe I'll just make my URL Chanel West Coast.' And then it kind of stuck ... people started calling me West Coast like it was my last name, like, 'What up, West Coast!?'"

Even though MySpace isn't widely used these days, Chanel kept the moniker, using it for her albums, social media, and appearances. The happy accident served her well, and turned her into an easily recognizable star.