The document discusses the genre of gangsta rap, including its origins, themes, and cultural impact. Gangsta rap originated in African American communities and uses explicit lyrics about urban violence and crime to give voice to marginalized groups. While it can perpetuate negative stereotypes, gangsta rap also addresses issues like racism, oppression, and police brutality. The document examines examples of gangsta rap lyrics and images to analyze how the genre influences perceptions and can both challenge and promote certain ideologies.
2. Why is hip-hop important?
Its popularity alone gives it a large cultural influence in our
society.
Although there are many different types of hip-hop, all of
them have important “social and political
meanings” (Brummet 236).
The insights that this type of music can provide to a wide
audience are what make hip-hop and all of its sub-genres,
including gangsta rap, into a cultural phenomenon.
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3. What is gangsta rap?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary states that gangsta rap is
“rap music with lyrics explicitly portraying the violence and
drug use of urban gang life and typically expressing hostility
toward whites, women, and civil authority”.
This genre of hip-hop has been predominately filled with
African American stars. Although there has been a few white
rappers (i.e. Eminem), the industry still has a majority of
African American stars.
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4. What is the point of gangsta rap?
There are several reasons why this genre of music is so
popular in our culture among all races.
It is its own voice; gangsta rap speaks for those who don’t
feel comfortable talking about subjects that they feel they
shouldn’t (i.e illegal activity, using the “n” word, racism).
Although gangsta rap is often times violent, it can stand as
an opponent against racism, oppression and brutality.
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5. Who is gangsta rap about?
Gangsta rap is almost always about African Americans, but
despite that it can still provide insights for our society.
A key component of gangsta rap is the frequent use of the
“n” word. At this point, it is usually only culturally
acceptable for African Americans to use this term.
This word alone shows that this type of rap is mainly created
by and for one group of people.
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6. What are the negatives of gangsta rap?
Gangsta rap can perpetuate racist ideologies towards African
Americans, as well as sexism towards women and
resentment towards authority.
As the book states, not all the claims made in these rap
songs can be true, as not all African Americans are gun-
slinging criminals who disrespect women and the law.
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7. Examples of Gangsta Rap
Here are some lyrical examples of songs that have provided an insight of issues that are common to our
culture:
“F****** with me cause
I’m a teenager, with a little
bit of gold and a pager,
searching my car, looking
for the product, thinking
every n**** is selling
narcotics”
-NWA
“I see no changes, all I see is
racist faces, misplaced hate
makes disgrace to races. We
under, I wonder what it takes to
make this one better place, to
erase the wasted.”
-Tupac
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8. What Do These Lyrics Mean?
The two examples provided are by two of the most commonly
known gangsta rappers of all time.
This shows the rhetoric of gangsta rap-it is a tool used to
convey injustices in our culture while urging listeners to do
something about it.
Despite its sometimes violent nature, gangsta rap has a
overwhelming theme of change.
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9. What does gangsta rap say about African
Americans?
African American culture is violent.
African American culture is overly sexual.
African American culture is crassly materialistic.
The book states that gangsta rap can create stigmas against African
American culture, and these are:
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10. Are these claims true?
The fact is that gangsta rappers are often times not even
“gangstas” and their accounts of the life that they live, which
often includes guns, drugs and illegal activity is not a true
account of the typical African American’s life.
History has shown that violence is typically against African
Americans (i.e slavery) rather than the other way around.
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11. Continued...
To say that gangsta rap is overly sexual is a defensive
mechanism against the fact that African American women
have not been the subject of sexual exploitation for
centuries.
Materialistic images and texts run rampant in our society,
and this genre of rap is certainly not the only source.
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12. Images & Artists That Exemplify Gangsta Rap
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15. What do these images mean?
These images all have a strong message to the public, which
is that these rappers should be feared.
In addition to this, these rappers are trying to portray that
they are tough, often by showing their guns or having
artwork that promotes illegal activity.
For example, the NWA album is used to look like the rappers
are on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. The reason behind this is
to promote the ideology that these men are thugs.
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16. Analysis:
Gangsta rap can be compared to queer theory, in the way
that it is a group of people attempting to turn an offensive
word like the “n” word or queer into positive and
empowering word.
Evaluating gangsta rap through a feminist perspective,
however, can lead to a more negative view of this genre. The
words “ho” and “bitch” are very common in this genre and
can promote the mistreatment of women.
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17. Analysis:
Rhetoric theories state that “texts influence people to think
and act in certain ways” (Brummet 78). This is no different
in the case of gangsta rap.
This type of rap can influence racist thoughts towards African
Americans, negative views against women and authority
figures.
If evaluated through a Marxist perspective, gangsta rap
promotes a lot of the materialism that Marxist critics believe
to be a defining component of our entire culture.
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18. Analysis:
It is clear that gangsta rap is an overwhelming complex
component of popular culture.
The rhetoric in these raps can persuade the audience to
participate in illegal activity and to disrespect women, but
many raps also have an opposing message that strives for
change and acceptance of the African American race.
Because of this, it is hard to pinpoint the exact effect of
gangsta rap on popular culture because the text in this case
always varies.
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19. Sources:
Brummet, Barry. Rhetoric in Popular Culture. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2006. Print.
“Changes Lyrics.” 2PAC lyrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 June 2013.
“Fuck Tha Police Lyrics” By N.W.A. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 June 2013.
“Gangsta Rap.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 03 June 2013.
Notorious B.I.G. Photograph. Rap is Read. Web. 03 June 2013. <www.rapisread.com>
Rick Ross. Photograph. Hip Hop is Dream. Web. 03 June 2013. <www.hiphopisdream.com>
The N.W.A. Photograph. Respect the Next. Web. 03 June 2013. <www.respectthenext.com>
Tupac. Photograph. The Music World. Web. 03 June 2013. <www.themusic-world.com>
Young Buck. N.d. Photograph. Rap Wallpapers. Web. 03 June 2013. <www.rap-wallpapers.com>
50 Cent. Photograph. Videokeman. Web. 03 June 2013. <www.videokeman.com>
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