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The origins of gangsta rap

Without a doubt, gangsta rap is the most controversial style of hip hop music genre. Conveying vibrant sexist, misogynistic, and homophobic messages and echoing violent portrayals of the urban ghetto life in America, gangsta rap gained almost unexpected global reputation, while it opened the way to other styles of hip hop music.

Gangsta rap roots its traces in the early depictions of inner-city youths of New York City of the late 1970s. However, it has become largely known as a West Coast flavor because it was pioneered in the mid-1980s by rappers such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Ice T, and Ice Cube. All those multi-million sales rappers made gangsta rap widely known to a large audience proclaiming Los Angeles the home of gangsta rap. However, the lyrics of their big hits were directly related to the impoverished neighborhoods of South Bronx in the mid-1970s, which praised blacks as gangsters, pushers, criminals, pimps, and prostitutes. As many of rap's early pioneers were gang members, gangsta rap was born from the life experiences of the rappers.

The relation of gangsta rap lyrics to crime had stimulated much of the controversy surrounding this musical style. Gangsta rap has been heavily criticized for glorifying the unconstructiveness of the hustler lifestyle and the negativity of the streets. In addition, it has raised lots of opposition on the grounds of reinforcing negative stereotypes and role models of the black community and openly praising anti-social behavior. In this context, some of the biggest gangsta rap figures have gained public notoriety thus enhancing public opposition. For instance, Snoop Doggy Dogg has been involved in gangland murders, while the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur have been murdered.

On the other hand, gangsta rap's advocates argue that gangsta rap simply reports the reality of life in the black neighborhoods; sex, violence, prostitution and sexual promiscuity are part of their daily existence and this reality needs to be heard.

Despite the intense opposition, gangsta rap had a crossover influence infusing popular culture in an unprecedented way. The combination of sexually explicit lyrics with vivid portrayals of gang killings had a universal appeal on many white middle-class male youths. This gave gangsta rap an unexpected boost in record sales that was directly proportional to the explicitness of its lyrics. The more it provoked, the more it was selling. Critics viewed the exaggeration of violence and gangsterism in the lyrics as an extremely effective marketing tool applied by the white-owned record companies. Most likely, for these white middle-class male youths gangsta rap represents the fulfillment of the forbidden, the place of adventure, erotic fantasy and violence that drives them out of the conformity and routine of suburbia. This explains the extreme acceptance of gangsta rap outside the black communities of origin.

The distinctive element of gangsta rap is its rich storytelling that lies over profound funk samples from James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly Stone, George Clinton, Rick James, Average White Band, and Ohio Players. In 1987, Schoolly D released his album “Smoke Some Kill” which along with Boogie Down Production's “Criminal Minded” are considered the inspirational gangsta rap albums that actually gave birth to this musical style. However, gangsta was firmly established in the American music scene with Ice T’s “Rhyme Pays”, N.W.A.'s “Niggaz With Attitude”, both released in 1987, and N.W.A.'s “Straight Outta Compton”, released in 1988. All these three albums tell stories of violence, crime and outright misogyny echoing the underground ghetto life. Particularly, the track "F*** Tha Police" from “Straight Outta Compton” was considered so scandalous - “Without a gun and a badge, what do you got/A sucker in a uniform waiting to get shot"- that MTV and radio stations refused to play it. However, the album went platinum, which shows the oxymoron of the popularity of gangsta rap in relation to its lyrics.

During the 1990s gangsta rap glamorous figures even went to Hollywood. Some of the most known films are “Boyz 'n' the Hood” (1991), “New Jack City” (1991), and “Menace II Society” (1993), which showed the real ghetto life to the masses giving voice to black people and their problems.

About the Author

I work as a financial and investment advisor but my passion is writing, music and photography. Writing mostly about finance, business and music, being an amateur photographer and a professional dj, I am inspired from life.

Being a strong advocate of simplicity in life, I love my family, my partner and all the people that have stood by me with or without knowing. And I hope that someday, human nature will cease to be greedy and demanding realizing that the more we have the more we want and the more we satisfy our needs the more needs we create. And this is so needless after all.

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