Tupac Shakur

Introduction Rap lyrics have continuously made a large impact on the lives of people living in the North American ghettos in both positive and negative ways. Rap music, intrinsically has generally created a positive base to which people of the North American ghetto can relate and express their feelings and values towards things like mainstream culture. Kubrin refers to rap music as “The CNN for black America” (2005), it keeps the nation updated with the struggles of the ghetto. Although the…

Hip hop music, originating in New York in the late 70s, had spread throughout the nation and splintered into many different subgenres sending many different messages. One impulse was “Gangsta Rap”, which exemplified the violence and struggles of many inner city youths through harsh and often offensive lyrics. Gangsta rap was specifically popular on the west coast and eventually reached the ears of kids living in South Central Los Angeles. Artists like N.W.A., a group that grew up in South…