“Gangsta” Rap is one of the many genres that has been around for a long period of time. While it has a lot of meaning within the words, certain audiences misunderstand how gangsta rap started, what it is and what it means. There are many attributes to gangsta rap that set it apart from other genres. These include the musical style, the lyrics and how these two intertwine. “Gangsta” rap is a musical movement that was created in neighborhoods that were full of violence and crimes around the 1990’s (“Gangsta Rap”). Drugs, killings and gang crimes were what made “gangsta” rap what it was and what it is now. This class of music, like every other genre, had many artist that helped broadcast the name of this new type of music. “The genre was pioneered …show more content…
“Hip-hop tracks have traditionally been heavy on the beats, light on melody (Jay-Z 54.)” Listening to popular gangsta rap songs 99 Problems by Jay-Z and Straight Outta Compton by NWA, you see that all three of these songs relate in some way. 99 Problems was a song that Jay-Z made to explain the certain complications and struggles that he had to deal with as a young man in his society. “Growing up as a black kid from the projects, you can spend your whole life being misunderstood, followed around department stores, looked at funny, accused of crimes you didn’t do, accused of motivations you don’t have, dehumanized (Jay-Z 55.)” As a young child in a not so wealthy environment, life could be hard. They could hardly ever go anywhere without others looking at you as a criminal or a bad influence because of where they grew up or where you lived. Straight Outta Compton by NWA, with its loud upbeat style, was classified as a strong lyrical song. In this song, rappers Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy E and MC Ren rapped about crimes within the community and neighborhoods, gang violence and how they thought the police wanted control over their lives. “To me it’s kinda funny, the attitude showing a nigga driving. But don’t know where the fuck he’s going, just rolling. Looking for the one they call Eazy. But here’s a flash, they never seize me. (H7. Eazy E).” From listening to these lyrics, you could tell that a