Gangsta Hip Hop Music: What's It All About
Gangsta hip hop is defined as the presentation in music of the urban inner city youths that have lived a life of violence and anger. It involves aggressive lyrics and beats that are trunk heavy. In 1983 Ice T created songs such as "Cold Winter Madness" and was accepted into mainstream hip hop with groups such as NWA during the latter part of the 80s.
Though the success of gangsta rap hit its peak in the early part of the 90s, nowadays this genre of hip hop is not accepted because of the violent themes that are so much a part of the lyrics. Rappers have said that they are merely trying to share their inner city fights against what was the status quo and are not promoting a violent way of life. Of course, teens that have lived in the inner cities and beyond see it in a totally different way.
Notorious B.I.G. was one of the first of the commercially successful gangsta hip hop artists with his album, "Ready to Die." Puff Daddy, or whatever name he goes by these days was his producer and he interconnected narratives with a gritty feel with pop beats that were created with the pop charts and dance clubs in mind.
Gangsta rappers that have achieved fortune and fame are Snoop Dogg, Westside Connection, N.W.A. and The Geto Boys to name just a few of the hip hop artists that have made their name in the hip hop music business. 50 Cent is also considered a gangsta rapper though he has recently been seen as a "sell out" as he only raps these days about women and partying.
If you are interested in checking out Gangsta hip hop albums that showcase the genre, then you should check out Roots of Evil by Kool G Rap or Criminal Minded by Boogie Down Productions. Other notables of the gangsta rap genre are Dr. Dre with his recordings of The Chronic and N.W.A's "Straight out of Compton" and "Efil4Zaggin."
Many have attacked gangsta hip hop because of the negative connotations that make women seem as if they are only sex objects, the way that they portray the police and violence in general, while others feel that is a true indication of what really goes down in neighborhoods where poor African-Americans have the choice of dealing drugs or applying whatever talent they have to the world of hip hop.
Gangsta hip hop has long had a bad reputation for putting women down and encouraging the distrust of the authorities because of what they have experienced in their lives. We as the purchasing public are the only ones that can insure that Gangsta hip hop is a thing of the past as we embrace new ways to express our discontent with the way the world turns.
