Gangsta Rap

AJ Vogt
Mar 20, 2016
2 min read

Gangsta or Gangster Rap began on the East Coast. Now, the songs are becoming deeper and more symbolic than ever before and the lyrics are hitting on a beat, rather than a fast paced delivery. Also, the lyrics as this time were more like sentences, which would help enable longer rhyme schemes. Two prominent Gangsta Rap groups were Public Enemy and KRS One.

Public Enemy, was a hip hop group made up of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, Khari Wynn and CJ Lord, formed in Long Island New York. This band created a political movement that motivated the younger population in a way that the Black Panther movement did. An interesting claim that Public Enemy consistently made was that they did not make Rap music, rather it was Rock & Roll, just played faster. This is an interesting statement because when Rock & Roll initially came about, it was seen by the American public as "black people's music."

The lyrics that Public Enemy used addressed social issues directly and were much more confrontational. They even had a song that spoke directly to the expectations of black actors in Hollywood, called "Burn Hollywood Burn." Their song, "Fight the Power" was a direct connection to Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.

KRS One, another band from the gangsta rap period. Lawrence Parker was known as KRS One who was originally from the Bronx, New York City. One of the most famous songs from KRS One was "9mm Goes Bang." This song uses synthesizers and drum machines, with no samples. This song started the development of a mass misconception of urban street culture. This is because there is a removal of morals, and the listener is left with an unknown feeling. Thus, there is now a separation between circumstance and consequence.

Check out the video below for Public Enemy's "FIght the Power"