Gangsta rap

Death Row, and groups such as NWA have been targeted for their seemingly destructive and degrading lyrics. The debate over this subgenres supposed influence on gang culture and crime has often taken on aspects of the “chicken-or-egg” scenario; “gangsta rap forced America to confront the issues in its ghettos” (BBC.com, 2017). Interestingly, many documented gang members and criminals have maintained throughout the decades that music was not a cause of their destructive lifestyle. Poverty and…

N.W.A.’s record “Straight Outta Compton” was one of the first songs that popularized Gangsta Rap and West Coast Hip Hop, and many Black and White youth became attracted to this type of music. They rapped about the violence and crime in the city of Compton, ultimately portraying Compton and South Central Los Angeles as ghetto and filled with…

The term “thug” has become synonymous with young black males in the United States. This stereotype owes its origins not to rap music, but to the racialized political atmosphere of the late 1950’s (Abagond, 2015). The notion of the stereotypical black thug of today took hold in the 1990’s with the advent of gangsta rap (Abagond, 2015). As rap has grown in popularity, integrating the thug stereotype into mainstream movies, television shows and even advertisement campaigns was easy and systematic.…

Released on July 1, 1991, the single Mind Playing Tricks On Me by the Geto Boys delved into the mental stress of gangsta and drug addict lifestyles, and addressed how one reaffirmed their existence. During this period, the group consisted of Willie D, Scarface, and Bushwick Bill. They acknowledged their issues, such as coping, vulnerability, and reasons for living. Through this song, one is able to deduce that the lyrics and beat complement one another, and the first few verses set the tone of…

Book Review The book called Hip-Hop Revolution The Culture and Politics of Rap by Jeffrey O. G. Ogbar was a very informative, historical source for learning about the background of how hip hop came to be. Jeffrey O. G. Ogbar is an associate professor of history and director of the institute for African American Studies at the University of Connecticut. With his skills, Jeffrey Ogbar writes a book that examines genders in hip hop, authenticity of hip hop, and races that had an influence on hip…

Another area that the media often associates with hip hop music is its relation to drugs and violence. Violent and explicit themes are what makes rap music often subject to controversy. Looking at Eminem, a notorious artist known for his provocative and explicit songs, is very often criticized for the vulgar themes and aggressive behavior. His “The Marshall Mathers LP” album details his rage with drugs, his relationship with his estranged wife Kim and his mother, and his price for fame. Despite…

Rappers like Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa have brought marijuana to the mainstream, a popular issue today. 2Chainz spoke out on the issue on the Nancy Grace show in favor of legalizing it. Cypress Hill had a firm stance on legalization as well and there music definitely reflected that. With many rappers being huge celebrities it’s no surprise they’ve been offered several endorsement deals. Nas has been featured in both Hennesy and Sprite commercials. Rapper Drake has made a few Sprite commercials…

too common East Coast – West Coast rivalry, to the death of Tupac & Biggie, to even the notion of past rappers who are in the limelight now having been drug dealers and cons in the past, the impact of hip-hip is indisputable. Ever since the rise of rap and hip-hop music, teens have been turning to them to help solve their problems. Despite our youth being exposed to…

that hip-hop inserts into the black community. “For Simmons, gangsta raps teach listeners something about the lives of the people who create them and remind them that these people exist.” (John McWhorter, 2003) In my opinion, hip-hop has positive influences as well, but the negative uses of hip-hop is promoted and the image of hip-hop as a genre. There are individual artists for individual audiences. “Analyzing the relationship between rap/hip-hop lyrical content and song popularity showed how…

the problem when really it turns into a tragedy or a lot of trouble because the rappers in the songs rap about solving their arguments and troubles through gun violence or some other type of action that results in death or tragedy(Violent rap lyrics, 2008). Not only is the influence of music affecting children towards other children 's it 's affecting them in a way of approaching the police. Due to rap music rappers make police look so bad and hated. Rappers quote "the Feds are watching" or "F…