First Dark
In conjunction with Rap Hater, First Dark [re]presents...
Hip-Hop ain't responsible for violence in America,
America's responsible for violence in America..
They don't do it 'cause I rap about it,
I rap about it 'cause they do it. [1]
MC's get a little bit of love and think they hot
Talkin' 'bout how much money they got; all y'all records sound the same
I'm sick of that fake thug, R&B-Rap scenario, all day on the radio
Same scenes in the video, monotonous material
Y'all don't hear me though
These record labels slang our tapes like dope
You can be next in line, and signed, and still be writing rhymes and broke
You would rather have a Lexus? or justice? a dream? or some substance?
A Beamer? a necklace? or freedom? [2]
Message from the Editor: If at any point you come across a word which you do not understand, feel free to consult Dictionary.com.
_Intelligence 101: If You Can't Back It Up, You Can't Argue In the First Place
I encourage all supporters of this thread to follow the policy of Intelligence 101 and not waste your time on unintelligent comments which lack any explanation (i.e. "RAP=CRAP!!!" wink . They should be either be ignored or dealt with differently than other posts. I find that the most effective way of getting a message to what I would typically refer to as an "idiot" is directly (meaning, PM them in response to their post [maybe explain why it is that bad arguments are like 'bad apples']).
+_Mm..Appetizer // Excerpts from the main course and elsewhere
_Everyone is entitled to their own opinion
Spoken like a true humanist. Sadly, its relevance in this thread is minimal. While it is perhaps true that opinions are integral to a functioning human brain, not all opinions are created equal. For instance:
An individual who believes that the Earth is flat may be entitled to an opinion, but that doesn't change the fact that they are wrong. To seriously assert that the world is flat in this day would welcome the harshest of criticisms because the world's actual shape is common knowledge. Of course, back in 100 BC this was not the case and by 100 AD only the most inquisitive scholar might have asserted that the Earth was spherical.
In short, the most moronic of imbeciles may have opinions... but that doesn't change the fact that they are an imbecile. My hope is that regardless of what else you believe, idiocy is not a virtue.
_You can't spell "crap" without "Rap"
True! Congratulations in advance to whomever points this out, such a connection shows thinking at the kindergarten level. This means you're more intelligent than most apes. Sadly, since you are inferring that "Rap" shares more in common with "crap" than mere spelling, you must provide an explanation else you hold no ground for argument.
Still don'a understand? Here's a different explanation:
The trouble is that there's a little something in this world that I like to call "language". Language is the amazing device which allows us to communicate with other humans. There are actually several thousand languages that we humans speak collectively, and words are typically spelled differently from one language to the next.
For example:
In Dutch, "crap" translates to "rotzooi" or "poep" while "Rap" is still "Rap".
As you may have noticed, one can spell either of those words without "Rap"... and here is where individuals who have progressed beyond an elementary level of mental comprehension might consider your statement as unworthy of any other response than "..." or " talk2hand ".
_Rap = crap | Rap is crap
Wow, "crap" seems to be quite a popular term these days. Yet again I'd like to express congratulations in advance to whomever makes this concise and cleverly worded assertion. Like the aformentioned, you also show a level of comprehension at least as impressive as that of a trained chimpanzee. Consequently, the above lesson could easily reveal your error of thought if I were to simply Copy & Paste it here. However, in case there is still a misunderstanding, I will review the problem.
Any individual who infers that Rap is symbolic of excrement cannot do so with any validity whatsoever by simply asserting that "Rap" and "crap" are equivalent. Typically, to even begin making such a statement valid, it would need to be followed by a conjuction (i.e. "because" wink to leave room for an explanation. If you are not prepared to provide backup for any allegation you wish to express, you are not prepared to argue. You are therefore irrelevant to the premise of this thread and insignificant to me. All that you can attain by posting such gibberish is a spot on the evergrowing list of Stupid Doo Doo Dummies.
Some may think, "You're a hypocrite because the title of this thread doesn't have a conjunction in it". Well, that's right.. due to a character limit on topic titles. However, you should think of this entire first post as what comes after "because".
_Rappers only talk about drugs / alcohol / sex / violence / etc. | Rap is sexist / racist.
In case you didn't know, these are called stereotypes. According to Wikipedia, "{i}n modern usage, a stereotype is a simplified mental picture of an individual or group of people who share certain characteristic (or stereotypical) qualities." If you havn't listened to a substantial portion of Hip-Hop, meaning everything from Kool Keith to Cam'ron to J-Zone to Drunken Tiger to Skee-Lo, any simplified statement you make about Rap is a stereotype. In case you havn't figured it out yet, stereotypes aren't welcome in this thread.
As for Rap being sexist, not only is that a stereotype but it is a misconception as well. First of all, if Rap itself were indeed sexist, there would be no female MC's and hopefully you know that is not the case. Second, I feel that most people would agree that there is a difference between the words "b|tch" and "woman" in the same way that there is a difference between the words "idiotic" and "intelligent". If a Rap song contains something along the lines of "b|tches ain't sh|t but ho's and tricks" one could validly assume that the word "b|tches" is not intended to be an alternative to "female / woman". This is not true in all cases, but in some cases, it is undoubtedly so.
i.e. In "B|tches & Sisters", Jay-Z expresses the following:
Sisters get respect, b|tches get what they deserve
Sisters work hard, b|tches work your nerves
Sisters hold you down, b|tches hold you up
Sisters help you progress, b|tches will slow you up
Sisters cook up a meal, play their role with the kids,
B|tches in the street with their nose in your biz...
I love my sisters, I don't love no b|tch...
This is, of course, Jay-Z's personal distinction between "B|tches & Sisters", whether or not you agree with him is another issue. If you have a problem with the word "b|tch", take it up with the dictionary, not just a portion of the Rap community.
_Rap is not music / Rappers don't use real instruments.
Let me see what Webster's Dictionary has to say about Rap...
"A kind of popular music in which rhymed verses are chanted or declaimed to the accompaniment of forceful and repetitive rhythms, played usually on drums or synthesizers."
Let me reiterate:
_Only old school Rap is good.
I find it comical that some people seem to feel that this assertion somehow makes them less ignorant than other Rap haters. Let's examine some lyrics from the good old days.
I believe 1989 would be considered "old school"...
Unless I'm mistaken, the above lyrics exemplify nearly every negative stereotype that is pinned on Rap..
_I Hear 30 Voices
Assorted verses and lines from Rap lyrics // expanded response to "Rappers only talk about _____"
+_Mm..Food // The main course
_Initial Thoughts
Let me emphasize that this thread isn't about Rap being better than any other types of music. The main focus when creating it was to give people the opportunity to learn more about Rap and expand their minds rather than join the ignorant masses.
One of the most general agreements amongst Hip-Hop heads is that Hip-Hop consists of four main elements (arguably five):
_Rap or Emceeing
A kind of popular music in which rhymed verses are chanted or declaimed to the accompaniment of forceful and repetitive rhythms, played usually on drums or synthesizers.
_Turntablism
A form of music, which uses turntables to manipulate sounds of records in a rhythmic manner to create new musical compositions. Skratching and beatjuggling are two techniques used in turntablism.
_Breakdancing
A form of urban dance involving styles such as rocking, popping, capoeira, and b-boying, usually performed to funk.
_Graffiti
Usually using markers or spray paint; Consists mainly of tagging, bombing, and mural work. Not to be confused with normal vandalism, the term "graffiti" in the context of Hip-Hop is a type of art.
As you will find, this thread is focused almost entirely upon the most popular and misconceived element, Rap. More specifically, American Rap. I've found that Hip-Hop culture is much better preserved outside of the United States and need not be thoroughly examined in this thread.
_I'm just SO sick of not being able to listen to the radio or watch TV without hearing/seeing Rap on like every other station!
_Rappers don't even use real words!
All words are made up. They aren't magically endowed upon us from the heavens.
_You can't change my opinion!!!
Fine, but you're still an idiot.
_The only rapper I listen to is Eminem because he's just too talented to ignore.
Eminem is most often renouned for his lyrical talent, and I would agree that he is a good lyricist. However, I would encourage Eminem junkies to track down and listen to him battle MC JUICE in the '97 Rap Olympics. Eminem's mainstream career basically started after that battle, in which he placed second, but since then I feel that his lyrical prowess has only decreased.
_All they ever talk about is sex, money, drugs, alcohol, and violence.
I think nearly everyone would agree that Gangsta Rap is a good place to start when examining the explicit content of Rap lyrics. In order to introduce an alternative view on gangsta rappers, I would like to quote DJ Quik (a pioneer of West Coast Gangsta Rap):
We've had some violent records, but when we perform 'em, we perform 'em like a play. It's not like we're being real and ready to shoot, fight somebody, or kill somebody. It's all acting, it's like theater. It's just us playing out... it's us imitating life with art. That's how I put it. And I just hope the violence in Hip-Hop can stop so that we can go more places, do more things, sharing our show, doing our play.
His statements must be taken in an ideological sense. Ideally Gangsta Rap is imitating life with art, but that is not to say that Gangsta rappers don't get out of hand. I'm sure there are many rappers out there who would respond to such statements with "FU(K THAT! I AIN'T IMITATIN SH|T! I'M A GANGSTA 'TIL I DIE AND I'LL MURDA ANYONE WHO GETS IN MY WAY!". Such individuals are undoubtedly problematic, but this thread isn't directed towards them.
_PRELUDE
In this section, I will go over various aspects of Gangsta Rap. The first half will be dedicated to recurring themes people find associated with Gangsta Rap, while the second half will contain compressed information about various important/pioneering gangsta rappers. I am confronting the main East vs West conflict in a sense because there is so much controversy and confusion surrounding it. I'm in quite a difficult position actually..
_PRODUCTION [East vs West]
A distinct difference between alot of West Coast and East Coast Rap is the accompanying music. To understand the reason for the contrast, we must recall what was happening during the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Funk, Soul, and Jazz were three of the most popular genres amongst African-Americans. You had The O'Jays, Heatwave, Marvin Gaye, Parliament Funkadelic, Con Funk Shun, James Brown, Zapp & Roger, to name a few. Although many of these artists came out of places like Philadelphia and Chicago, when West Coast Rap began to form its identity, producers were sampling alot of East Coast Funk and Soul. Dr. Dre is typically the one attributed to pioneering G-Funk, the type of production most characteristic of West Coast Rap, however it could be argued that DJ Quik is the true founder of the G-Funk (should-be called 'G-Fonk') while Dr. Dre only popularized it. This is because Dr. Dre's funky debut album, The Chronic, was released in December of 1992, while Quik's fonky debut album, Quik Is The Name, was released in July of 1991. On the East Coast, there were of course Hip-Hop producers who sampled Funk, Soul, and Jazz, but one must understand a certain division found in Funk. Although the likes of Bootsy Collins, George Clinton, Maceo Parker, etc. were often associated with James Brown, there is a distinct difference between the types of Funk they were playing. George Clinton founded what is known as P-Funk, which is described as "a looser, wilder and more self-consciously countercultural version" of what the likes of James Brown were playing. East Coast producers tended to sample James Brown while West Coast producers sampled P-Funk artists.
_LYRICAL CONTENT [East vs West]
There's no doubt that cities on the East Coast, such as New York, were important factors in communicating Hip-Hop with the rest of the country (and eventually the world). In the early years of Hip-Hop East Coast rappers were often found rapping about the hardships of living in poverty and as Hip-Hop became more profitable and popular, they began to also rap about partying and lavish lifestyles. At the same time, there were alot of people on the West Coast becoming involved with Hip-Hop who couldn't completely relate with what East Coast rappers were talking about. Although there was poverty on both coasts, life was very different in African-American communities. On the West Coast, there was alot more gang violence, especially in the poorest neighborhoods, and pimping had been a popular lifestyle for decades. As you might have noticed, these are both recurring themes in West Coast Gangsta Rap to this day. Drugs, sex, and violence are topics found in early lyrics on both coasts. However, there is noticeably less talk about actual drug-dealing in West Coast Rap lyrics perhaps because pimping was the prominent and more appealing business in western cities. As for sex, it is well-known that most rappers are male, so it shouldn't be a surprise that sex is a recurring theme in lyrics nationwide. Money? Well, we already know that Hip-Hop was, for the most part, born in poverty-ridden areas. Back in the 70's and early-to-mid 80's, Rap was not profitable nor did most rappers feel it was an investment. But as time passed and the culture became more popular, members of the Hip-Hop community began to see that they could make a living off of Rap. It's only logical that the more profitable Rap becomes, the more you'll hear about monetary status and materialism.
_B|TCHES, HO'S, TRICKS, TRAMPS, SLUTS
B|tch -
a. A woman considered to be spiteful or overbearing.
b. A lewd woman. [lewd - Preoccupied with sex and sexual desire]
Ho -
A prostitute.
Trick -
An act of prostitution.
Tramp -
A prostitute.
Slut -
a. A woman considered sexually promiscuous.
b. A woman prostitute.
Whether you like it or not THEY EXIST and HAVE EXISTED. Pimps and prostitutes have been thriving, on the West Coast in particular, for decades. I will not say that all Gangsta Rap artists justify their usage of such labels, but some (or perhaps many) of them do.
Here is a short lyrical example which further illustrates what I mean:
In "Why You Bullsh|ttin'?" Suga Free expresses the following..
Alright, now that I've covered a portion of the basics, I'm going to go over some important Gangsta Rap artists.
_DJ QUIK
To this day, DJ Quik remains one of my favorite Hip-Hop artists. You mayhaps wonder why. Well, I'll tell you. First of all, he is, in my opinion, the true founder of what is now called "G-Funk" (which I love). He is also a producer-rapper, which is always something I admire (if they're good at both, of course). To me, he's always had his own distinct West Coast Rap/production style (although recently some of his works seem to be slipping into something less Fonky). One aspect of his CD's which I have always found to be intriguing and original is the inclusion of "Quik's Groove"s, instrumentals which are all orchestrated by him (yes, real instruments). In a sense, the further back in time you go, the more gangsta content you'll find in his lyrics. Coming out of Compton he associated himself with gangs and gang-related activity. However, over the years he has grown to oppose that aspect of his former lifestyle.
_EAZY-E
I'm hoping most of you have at least heard Eazy-E's name before. I've never been a huge fan of Eazy but I like alot of what I've heard from him (he actually sounds alot like Hi-C to me). So, why is Eazy-E such a prominent name throughout the Hip-Hop community? Well, I'm not much of an authority on him, so here's an excerpt from his "official" biography (just a bit biased):
Loved by many, reviled by a few, Eazy-E was one of the most important figures in hip hop history. By no means a an of large physical stature, he commanded o respect and notoriety in rap circles that was immediate and undying. Along with Chuck D and Rakim, few other people making hip hop records had a voice as discernible on wax as Eazy's. As soon as one heard "Boyz-N-The-Hood," "We Want Eazy" or his third verse on "n|ggaz4life, there was no mistaking who was on the microphone, the high-pitched, razor-sharp edge of his tones cutting through cacophony. His multi-platinum sales, despite his oft-reported battles with former NWA members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, made him just as tall as hip-hop's tallest emcee. Just as importantly, as founder/owner/President and general ideas man, he made Ruthless Records one of the most successful independent record labels of all time. Responsible for the sale of millions of records including those of NWA, JJ Fad, Michel'le, MC Ren, Above The Law, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and his own hit solo records, Eazy-E more than made history.
_E-40
One of the most renouned Bay Area rappers, E-40 is also one of the most original rappers you'll find. Often referred to as the "King of Slanguage", E-40 is the originator of a universe of slang words. Along with his release of Breaking News, 40 came out with E-40's Dictionary Book of Slang in which he defines the vast amount of words he's created and popularized.
I was the first one who put it out there real tough in 1996 on my song "Rappers Ball." We were saying "fo' sheezy," and "fo' shizzle." I told Jay-Z after he used it on his record, I said, "That's a Bay Area word, man." That's from the land where they pop they collars and jack they slacks. Then I took it to "fo' shiggedy", to "fo' shiggadough" and now "fo' shiggadale," that's the newest. You know, it don't stop. 75% of the words I made up. Even before this rap game my ear's always been to the street. I've been making up slang words since the first grade, you smell me? I stay coming with something to keep the game interesting. I tell 'em the rap game without 40 is like old folks without bingo.
"You feel me" that's straight from me. You can put a stamp on that. Do you know how many words came from "you feel me"? Like "I'm not feeling that" or "I'm feeling her." All that sh|t was created in 1991-1992. Now I took it to "you smell me." Also, you know the word "playboy"? I was the first rapper to put that out there as a regular street terminology, such as "What's up, playboy?" And there's the word "pimpin," too, like as in "What's up, pimpin?? that's me. Then we took it to "What's up, pimp?" "What's up pimp soup?" "What's up pimp juice?" "What's up pimperoni?" You know, "pimpalufahgus?" and "what's up pimptation?" We just keep it moving. Plus you got that whole "pop ya collar" sh|t. I'm the first rapper ever popping his collar. When you observe me in my new video, when I'm giving Fabolous the no-fingerprints-backwards-handshake and then I pop my collar, you can see how professional it is and you can tell that it's not a fluke or a gimmick. It's not a fad, the way I do it is so original.
_NIGGAZ WITH ATTITUDE
One musn't misinterpret what I said earlier about the formations of West Coast Rap and G-Funk. Although people like Dr. Dre and DJ Quik put together an integral aspect of West Coast Rap, G-Funk wasn't the earliest sound on the West Coast Hip-Hop scene. NWA came together in the 80's and really started showing people the hardcore/gangsta side of Hip-Hop culture. The group originally consisted of Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre (pre-G-Funk), DJ Yella, and MC Ren. I'm not much of a fan but would agree that they were a major factor in the spread of Hip-Hop culture / Gangsta Rap (especially on the West Coast).
_MAC DRE
Another prominent Bay Area rap artist who has recently become the focus of much West Coast attention due to his unexpected death, Mac Dre definitely had his own sense of originality. Coming out of Valejo, CA, his first album was entitled Young Black Brotha ('89) and established his name in the Bay Area. He led to the underground popularity of other Bay Area rappers such as Mac Mall and Coolio Da Unda Dog. Since then, he's come out with 17+ albums/compilations, popularized his own dance moves, and created an array of alter egos comparable in quantity to those of Madlib and MF DOOM. I've got respect for him and enjoy his music, but will admit that I didn't really listen to his albums until after he died. My brother owns basically every Mac Dre album so I've gotten a good dose of it.
While Gangsta Rap is very popular on the West Coast, that doesn't mean there aren't any Gangsta Rap artists in the East. If you were to ask me who best represents East Coast Gangsta/Hardcore Rap these days, I would say...
_THE [HARLEM] DIPLOMATS
Alot of people hate them, alot of people love them, whichever one's you doesn't matter because I'm typing this and I think they're fantastichen. The four founding members of the Diplomats are Jim Jones, Cam'ron, Juelz Santana, and Freaky Zeeky. Recently, several other rappers seem to have almost become a additional members of their squad. The Diplomats are the leaders of a Rap movement. Courtesy of U-Mad.net, the ultimate Diplomats fan site, here is a visual representation of the Dip Set family as of Summer 2005:
One of the most prominent characteristics of the Dips is their sample-heavy production style (often times collaborating with Heatmakerz). A vast majority of their songs use samples you won't hear anywhere else in the Rap game (such as Tears For Fears' "Woman In Chains" and Salt N' Pepa's "Push It" wink . They are one of the most original Rap groups I've come across.
_Links to info on other important Gangsta Rap artists who aren't covered here because of laziness and/or unwillingness:
*I must add that the Bone Thugs have remained one of my favorite Hip-Hop groups since early childhood. Where I grew up, everyone from toddlers to grandparents were Bone Thug fans. They've never been covered in this post because I've not been confident in where I should tie them in. Eazy-E would be an obvious starting point but since, as I mentioned, I'm not very knowledgeable on Eazy, so I don't think I'd do a very good job.
And.. what about 50 Cent?
I think I'll end this section in the same way I began, with a DJ Quik quote:
Now I ain't got sh|t against 50 but he gotta stop calling himself a gangsta when he don't know what a gangsta is.
_WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE GOOD OL' DAYS? // Old School Rap R.I.P
Do you miss the "good old days" when Hip-Hop was all about positivity? That RUN DMC type stuff right? Back when they didn't rap about violence, sex, drugs, and an unnecessary amount of money, right? When there wasn't so much profanity, and the lyrics had a message! 'Tis high time I dismantled this weak assertion.
Those were the days. I guess we'll never hear beautiful lyrics like those again .
Hip-Hop ain't responsible for violence in America,
America's responsible for violence in America..
They don't do it 'cause I rap about it,
I rap about it 'cause they do it. [1]
MC's get a little bit of love and think they hot
Talkin' 'bout how much money they got; all y'all records sound the same
I'm sick of that fake thug, R&B-Rap scenario, all day on the radio
Same scenes in the video, monotonous material
Y'all don't hear me though
These record labels slang our tapes like dope
You can be next in line, and signed, and still be writing rhymes and broke
You would rather have a Lexus? or justice? a dream? or some substance?
A Beamer? a necklace? or freedom? [2]
Message from the Editor: If at any point you come across a word which you do not understand, feel free to consult Dictionary.com.
_Intelligence 101: If You Can't Back It Up, You Can't Argue In the First Place
I encourage all supporters of this thread to follow the policy of Intelligence 101 and not waste your time on unintelligent comments which lack any explanation (i.e. "RAP=CRAP!!!" wink . They should be either be ignored or dealt with differently than other posts. I find that the most effective way of getting a message to what I would typically refer to as an "idiot" is directly (meaning, PM them in response to their post [maybe explain why it is that bad arguments are like 'bad apples']).
+_Mm..Appetizer // Excerpts from the main course and elsewhere_Everyone is entitled to their own opinion
Spoken like a true humanist. Sadly, its relevance in this thread is minimal. While it is perhaps true that opinions are integral to a functioning human brain, not all opinions are created equal. For instance:
An individual who believes that the Earth is flat may be entitled to an opinion, but that doesn't change the fact that they are wrong. To seriously assert that the world is flat in this day would welcome the harshest of criticisms because the world's actual shape is common knowledge. Of course, back in 100 BC this was not the case and by 100 AD only the most inquisitive scholar might have asserted that the Earth was spherical.
In short, the most moronic of imbeciles may have opinions... but that doesn't change the fact that they are an imbecile. My hope is that regardless of what else you believe, idiocy is not a virtue.
_You can't spell "crap" without "Rap"
True! Congratulations in advance to whomever points this out, such a connection shows thinking at the kindergarten level. This means you're more intelligent than most apes. Sadly, since you are inferring that "Rap" shares more in common with "crap" than mere spelling, you must provide an explanation else you hold no ground for argument.
Still don'a understand? Here's a different explanation:
The trouble is that there's a little something in this world that I like to call "language". Language is the amazing device which allows us to communicate with other humans. There are actually several thousand languages that we humans speak collectively, and words are typically spelled differently from one language to the next.
For example:
In Dutch, "crap" translates to "rotzooi" or "poep" while "Rap" is still "Rap".
As you may have noticed, one can spell either of those words without "Rap"... and here is where individuals who have progressed beyond an elementary level of mental comprehension might consider your statement as unworthy of any other response than "..." or " talk2hand ".
_Rap = crap | Rap is crap
Wow, "crap" seems to be quite a popular term these days. Yet again I'd like to express congratulations in advance to whomever makes this concise and cleverly worded assertion. Like the aformentioned, you also show a level of comprehension at least as impressive as that of a trained chimpanzee. Consequently, the above lesson could easily reveal your error of thought if I were to simply Copy & Paste it here. However, in case there is still a misunderstanding, I will review the problem.
Any individual who infers that Rap is symbolic of excrement cannot do so with any validity whatsoever by simply asserting that "Rap" and "crap" are equivalent. Typically, to even begin making such a statement valid, it would need to be followed by a conjuction (i.e. "because" wink to leave room for an explanation. If you are not prepared to provide backup for any allegation you wish to express, you are not prepared to argue. You are therefore irrelevant to the premise of this thread and insignificant to me. All that you can attain by posting such gibberish is a spot on the evergrowing list of Stupid Doo Doo Dummies.
Some may think, "You're a hypocrite because the title of this thread doesn't have a conjunction in it". Well, that's right.. due to a character limit on topic titles. However, you should think of this entire first post as what comes after "because".
_Rappers only talk about drugs / alcohol / sex / violence / etc. | Rap is sexist / racist.
In case you didn't know, these are called stereotypes. According to Wikipedia, "{i}n modern usage, a stereotype is a simplified mental picture of an individual or group of people who share certain characteristic (or stereotypical) qualities." If you havn't listened to a substantial portion of Hip-Hop, meaning everything from Kool Keith to Cam'ron to J-Zone to Drunken Tiger to Skee-Lo, any simplified statement you make about Rap is a stereotype. In case you havn't figured it out yet, stereotypes aren't welcome in this thread.
As for Rap being sexist, not only is that a stereotype but it is a misconception as well. First of all, if Rap itself were indeed sexist, there would be no female MC's and hopefully you know that is not the case. Second, I feel that most people would agree that there is a difference between the words "b|tch" and "woman" in the same way that there is a difference between the words "idiotic" and "intelligent". If a Rap song contains something along the lines of "b|tches ain't sh|t but ho's and tricks" one could validly assume that the word "b|tches" is not intended to be an alternative to "female / woman". This is not true in all cases, but in some cases, it is undoubtedly so.
i.e. In "B|tches & Sisters", Jay-Z expresses the following:
Sisters get respect, b|tches get what they deserve
Sisters work hard, b|tches work your nerves
Sisters hold you down, b|tches hold you up
Sisters help you progress, b|tches will slow you up
Sisters cook up a meal, play their role with the kids,
B|tches in the street with their nose in your biz...
I love my sisters, I don't love no b|tch...
This is, of course, Jay-Z's personal distinction between "B|tches & Sisters", whether or not you agree with him is another issue. If you have a problem with the word "b|tch", take it up with the dictionary, not just a portion of the Rap community.
_Rap is not music / Rappers don't use real instruments.
Let me see what Webster's Dictionary has to say about Rap...
"A kind of popular music in which rhymed verses are chanted or declaimed to the accompaniment of forceful and repetitive rhythms, played usually on drums or synthesizers."
Let me reiterate:
{Andre 3000 | Pharrell Williams}
{Aesop Rock | The Roots}
{Subtle}
And of course...
{J-Live | Madlib}
{Aesop Rock | The Roots}
{Subtle}
And of course...
{J-Live | Madlib}
_Only old school Rap is good.
I find it comical that some people seem to feel that this assertion somehow makes them less ignorant than other Rap haters. Let's examine some lyrics from the good old days.
I believe 1989 would be considered "old school"...
In 'Signifying Rapper' ('89) Schoolly D
Way, way down, in the ghetto Tee
The badas$ pimp stepped on the signifying rapper's feet
And the rapper said, n|gga can't you see
You're standin on my motherfu(king feet?
The badas$ pimp said, Sure I ain't heard a co(ksucking word you said
You say some more, I'll be standin on your motherfu(king head
Yeah that's what he said
Cause every day, when the sun go down
The badas$ pimp come and kick that rappers as$ all over ghetto town
But the rapper got wise, started using his wit
And said man, I'm gettin tired of this kick-as$ sh|t
So early, early early the very next day
The rapper said, mister pimp, mister pimp I got something to say
There's this mean, big bad f.aggot comin your way
He talk about you so bad, turn my hair gray
Listen, listen to what he say
Listen to this mister badas$ pimp
This what the f.aggot said
He said, you know your daddy and he's a f.aggot
And your mother's a whore
He said he seen you sellin a$shole door to door
Yeah that's what he said, listen to what else he said mister badas$ pimp
He said, your granny, she's a dyke
And your other brother, he's a f.aggot
And your little sister Loo
She's so low she sucked the d|ck of a little maggot
Yeah that's what he said
The badas$ pimp was mad
Jumped up in a hell of a rage
Hopped in his Caddy and loaded his 12 guage
Caught up with the f.aggot on 55th and Vine
Said you f.aggot, it's gonna be your as$ or mine
The f.aggot looked at the pimp, and saw fear in his eyes
Said motherfu(ker, you better go fu(k with somebody your own damn size
The pimp made his move, and thought he was fast
The f.aggot side-stepped him and kicked him in his as$
They fought all that night, and all the next day
That f.aggot kicked that pimp's as$ in a hell of a way
Me myself I don't know how he survived
Came back to the projects more dead than alive
And the rapper, standin up on one of those tall as$ project buildings
He said, "DAMN somethin smells"
He said, "Mister badas$ pimp look live you've been through hell
As I told one of my hoes before you left
I should've kicked your as$ my motherfu(king self"
The badas$ pimp stepped on the signifying rapper's feet
And the rapper said, n|gga can't you see
You're standin on my motherfu(king feet?
The badas$ pimp said, Sure I ain't heard a co(ksucking word you said
You say some more, I'll be standin on your motherfu(king head
Yeah that's what he said
Cause every day, when the sun go down
The badas$ pimp come and kick that rappers as$ all over ghetto town
But the rapper got wise, started using his wit
And said man, I'm gettin tired of this kick-as$ sh|t
So early, early early the very next day
The rapper said, mister pimp, mister pimp I got something to say
There's this mean, big bad f.aggot comin your way
He talk about you so bad, turn my hair gray
Listen, listen to what he say
Listen to this mister badas$ pimp
This what the f.aggot said
He said, you know your daddy and he's a f.aggot
And your mother's a whore
He said he seen you sellin a$shole door to door
Yeah that's what he said, listen to what else he said mister badas$ pimp
He said, your granny, she's a dyke
And your other brother, he's a f.aggot
And your little sister Loo
She's so low she sucked the d|ck of a little maggot
Yeah that's what he said
The badas$ pimp was mad
Jumped up in a hell of a rage
Hopped in his Caddy and loaded his 12 guage
Caught up with the f.aggot on 55th and Vine
Said you f.aggot, it's gonna be your as$ or mine
The f.aggot looked at the pimp, and saw fear in his eyes
Said motherfu(ker, you better go fu(k with somebody your own damn size
The pimp made his move, and thought he was fast
The f.aggot side-stepped him and kicked him in his as$
They fought all that night, and all the next day
That f.aggot kicked that pimp's as$ in a hell of a way
Me myself I don't know how he survived
Came back to the projects more dead than alive
And the rapper, standin up on one of those tall as$ project buildings
He said, "DAMN somethin smells"
He said, "Mister badas$ pimp look live you've been through hell
As I told one of my hoes before you left
I should've kicked your as$ my motherfu(king self"
Unless I'm mistaken, the above lyrics exemplify nearly every negative stereotype that is pinned on Rap..
_I Hear 30 Voices
Assorted verses and lines from Rap lyrics // expanded response to "Rappers only talk about _____"
Rap is a deadly emcee (What is Rap?)
Rap is for makin some G's (What is Rap?) [3]
The fact is, some things got to change
With eight or more rappers that sound the same [4]
Aye, if I may interject,
Rap these days is like a pain up in the neck
Cornier and phonier than a play fight
Take two of these and don't phone me on the late night [5]
Internet rappers - blow me
Askin for a beat tape, cough it up, you don't know me
You went platinum in a chatroom, write, click and send
I hope your harddrive crashes if this sh|t don't offend
(But I been rappin since '81) Nobody cares
Talkin 'bout belt buckles nobody wears
Try to save Hip-Hop, what are you insane?
I just play my part cause ain't a damn thing changed
Still my herbs get the dime pieces, cool cats beat it
Zone's still zonin while these fools get weeded
Still cradle-robbin, still lookin for your daughter
Step to chicks and lose quarters cause my game is out of order
I be like (Yo baby, yo baby) - still 10 years behind
So I still do the Running Man to keep up with the times [6]
I'm bout my money you see, girl you can holla at me
If you fu(king with me, I'm a P-I-M-P [7]
Now here you come, drop top ridin
You ain't no pimp, fake n|gga, stop lyin' [8]
He said I got the drank and you got the dank
He said my n|gga Dre Dog Frisco is the place
For me to get high and you to get drunk
We smoke dope, we rap, and these ho's we fu(k [9]
around the world, on a smoke tour, dabbeling
the most best of weed, amsterdam humble seeds
weeds weeds weeds, is what we all needs needs [10]
I'm a producer if a rhythm is dope I choose it
And I hope you know that I'd rather be dope than use it [11]
But one in ya dome is easy, get it on if need be
Chrome for sheezy, please, don't believe me [12]
I'm not impressed by you n|ggas on TV
Everybody "fo' sheezy" and "off the heezy"
I know it ain't easy, rhyme spillin
But thats no justification for rhyme stealin [13]
Y'all ride 18's we ride 26's
Big truck Big wheels rollin ova ditches
Crome rims loud pipes heated like a kitchen
Ice chain Ice watch gettin at these b|tches [14]
What do the size of your rims got to do with Hip-Hop?
Nevertheless, I can't let the art flip flop [15]
B|tches ain't sh|t but hoes and tricks
Lick on deez nutz and suck the di(k [16]
I hate it that we the only race that call our women hoes
N|ggaz, be too hard to say "ho" at the shows [17]
You know it makes me unhappy (what's that)
When brothas make babies, and leave a young mother to be a pappy
And since we all came from a woman
Got our name from a woman and our game from a woman
I wonder why we take from our women
Why we rape our women, do we hate our women?
I think it's time to kill for our women
Time to heal our women, be real to our women
And if we don't we'll have a race of babies
That will hate the ladies, that make the babies
And since a man can't make one
He has no right to tell a woman when and where to create one
So will the real men get up
I know you're fed up ladies, but keep your head up [18]
This is that ignorant sh|t you like
N|gga fu(k sh|t as$ b|tch sh|t plus ice
I got that ignorant sh|t you love
N|gga fu(k sh|t maricon puta and drugs
I got that ignant sh|t you need
N|gga fu(k sh|t as$ b|tch trick plus weed
I'm only tryna give you what you want
N|gga fu(k sh|t as$ b|tch you like it don't front [19]
So if I limit my appeal by being over your head,
So fu(kin what? What's the last book you've read? [20]
Okay, if knowledge is the key then just show me the lock
Got the scrawny legs but I move just like Lou Brock
With speed. I'm agile plus I'm worth your while
One hundred percent intelligent black child [21]
You can take a look in my eyes
To see I'll be a gangsta 'til I die [22]
It's the return of the gangsta thanks ta'
Them n|ggas that's on that blow
That run up in yo' crib which contains
Your lady and an 8 month old
Child to raise plus you true blue 'bout this music but
They do not want to hear it because they'd
Rather be bouncin' and shootin' and killin' and bouncin'
and sh|t get down
Return of the gangsta thanks ta'
Them n|ggas that think you soft
And say y'all be gospel rappin'
But they be steady clappin' when you talk about
B|tches & switches & hoes & clothes & weed
Let's talk about time travelin' rhyme javelin
Somethin' mind unravelin' get down [23]
Want can make a n|gga wanna take another n|gga life
What can make a n|gga wanna do another n|gga wife
Life a butter knife
What can make a n|gga wanna get his body so high
That can't go to sleep, don't wanna eat
Pray to God that he don't do crack
What can make a n|gga wanna cut a beauty queen raw
Feeling every drip drop she can generate imitate seesaws
What can make a n|gga wanna fight a whole night club
Figure that he ought to maybe be a pimp simply 'cause he don't like love
What can make a n|gga wanna achy, break all rules
In a book when it took a lot to get you hooked up to this volume
What can make a n|gga wanna loose all faith in
Anything that he can't feel through his chest wit sensation [24]
In peace, live by the sword
God Is love, God Is War
Most cats out on the streets don't know what they're fighting for [25]
The devil only exists because of your belief in him
Same goes for that other guy
I believe the sun is simply reflecting the shine from the moon (word?)
Stealing its spotlight, they'll have a co(kfight at noon [26]
I put piss stains on private planes cuz its my jet n|gga
Money aint sh|t cuz my rottweilers drink moet
Diamond baugette bracelets for my lovers
Playa, i use cristal to lubricate rubbers
Who got sh|t on his wrist that cost 3 nickel
Who got the project on lock when that n|gga slangin pickle
Who got benz, a prowler, playboy, and a Vette
Tell the truth--who fu(ked ya on the same night when we met? [27]
See me in the town you might think I'm a star
Every three months in a different car
Like the other day in a '81 Datsun
wit' my alternator rollin' shotgun
Or in the fall in a '88 Seville
Pushin' it wit my foot down the hill
Once I did a job, the lady didn't wanna pay me
So she offered me a hooptie instead, I said MAYBE
Cause it looked like it went through a war
Missin' a door, three out of four
Ain't bad -- but is it safe to drive?
I'll wait til payday, then make it live
Fixed the beat first cause that's my choice
A bucket wit' the beat look like a Rolls Royce!
Next week it broke down on the Bay Bridge
And lemme tell you that motherfu(ker dang-ress!
Had a hun'ed so I hit the auction block off
Got a seven-six Pinto wit' some knock offs
Catchin' buses be gettin' me to work late
And you know that slow down my pay rate
Down to zero
No alignment make it kinda hard to steer though
They need to pay me for all these adventures
Tell 'em to my grandkids when I got dentures
Makin' a buck really costs a buck fiddy
It's only that cheap if yo' cars sh|tty
Motherfu(kers laughin' but it beats the AC transit blues
sh|t, my car is better than my shoes [28]
All you rappers yellin' bout who you put in a hearse
Do me a favor; write one verse without a curse [29]
Is you fat cats or lab rats?
Trails to my steppin got em sweatin flashbacks
I played a part of minesweeper, plunking sneakers in my sunken city
Defunct, and apparently examinin' famine, I'm a
Volatile strobe while your blind spot swallows the globe
Sing to the track and think back
When I was a boy I employed styles exhausted
By every lost child at present
Normally I drill pillars of normalcy
You're cordially invited to accompany me [30]
Rap is for makin some G's (What is Rap?) [3]
The fact is, some things got to change
With eight or more rappers that sound the same [4]
Aye, if I may interject,
Rap these days is like a pain up in the neck
Cornier and phonier than a play fight
Take two of these and don't phone me on the late night [5]
Internet rappers - blow me
Askin for a beat tape, cough it up, you don't know me
You went platinum in a chatroom, write, click and send
I hope your harddrive crashes if this sh|t don't offend
(But I been rappin since '81) Nobody cares
Talkin 'bout belt buckles nobody wears
Try to save Hip-Hop, what are you insane?
I just play my part cause ain't a damn thing changed
Still my herbs get the dime pieces, cool cats beat it
Zone's still zonin while these fools get weeded
Still cradle-robbin, still lookin for your daughter
Step to chicks and lose quarters cause my game is out of order
I be like (Yo baby, yo baby) - still 10 years behind
So I still do the Running Man to keep up with the times [6]
I'm bout my money you see, girl you can holla at me
If you fu(king with me, I'm a P-I-M-P [7]
Now here you come, drop top ridin
You ain't no pimp, fake n|gga, stop lyin' [8]
He said I got the drank and you got the dank
He said my n|gga Dre Dog Frisco is the place
For me to get high and you to get drunk
We smoke dope, we rap, and these ho's we fu(k [9]
around the world, on a smoke tour, dabbeling
the most best of weed, amsterdam humble seeds
weeds weeds weeds, is what we all needs needs [10]
I'm a producer if a rhythm is dope I choose it
And I hope you know that I'd rather be dope than use it [11]
But one in ya dome is easy, get it on if need be
Chrome for sheezy, please, don't believe me [12]
I'm not impressed by you n|ggas on TV
Everybody "fo' sheezy" and "off the heezy"
I know it ain't easy, rhyme spillin
But thats no justification for rhyme stealin [13]
Y'all ride 18's we ride 26's
Big truck Big wheels rollin ova ditches
Crome rims loud pipes heated like a kitchen
Ice chain Ice watch gettin at these b|tches [14]
What do the size of your rims got to do with Hip-Hop?
Nevertheless, I can't let the art flip flop [15]
B|tches ain't sh|t but hoes and tricks
Lick on deez nutz and suck the di(k [16]
I hate it that we the only race that call our women hoes
N|ggaz, be too hard to say "ho" at the shows [17]
You know it makes me unhappy (what's that)
When brothas make babies, and leave a young mother to be a pappy
And since we all came from a woman
Got our name from a woman and our game from a woman
I wonder why we take from our women
Why we rape our women, do we hate our women?
I think it's time to kill for our women
Time to heal our women, be real to our women
And if we don't we'll have a race of babies
That will hate the ladies, that make the babies
And since a man can't make one
He has no right to tell a woman when and where to create one
So will the real men get up
I know you're fed up ladies, but keep your head up [18]
This is that ignorant sh|t you like
N|gga fu(k sh|t as$ b|tch sh|t plus ice
I got that ignorant sh|t you love
N|gga fu(k sh|t maricon puta and drugs
I got that ignant sh|t you need
N|gga fu(k sh|t as$ b|tch trick plus weed
I'm only tryna give you what you want
N|gga fu(k sh|t as$ b|tch you like it don't front [19]
So if I limit my appeal by being over your head,
So fu(kin what? What's the last book you've read? [20]
Okay, if knowledge is the key then just show me the lock
Got the scrawny legs but I move just like Lou Brock
With speed. I'm agile plus I'm worth your while
One hundred percent intelligent black child [21]
You can take a look in my eyes
To see I'll be a gangsta 'til I die [22]
It's the return of the gangsta thanks ta'
Them n|ggas that's on that blow
That run up in yo' crib which contains
Your lady and an 8 month old
Child to raise plus you true blue 'bout this music but
They do not want to hear it because they'd
Rather be bouncin' and shootin' and killin' and bouncin'
and sh|t get down
Return of the gangsta thanks ta'
Them n|ggas that think you soft
And say y'all be gospel rappin'
But they be steady clappin' when you talk about
B|tches & switches & hoes & clothes & weed
Let's talk about time travelin' rhyme javelin
Somethin' mind unravelin' get down [23]
Want can make a n|gga wanna take another n|gga life
What can make a n|gga wanna do another n|gga wife
Life a butter knife
What can make a n|gga wanna get his body so high
That can't go to sleep, don't wanna eat
Pray to God that he don't do crack
What can make a n|gga wanna cut a beauty queen raw
Feeling every drip drop she can generate imitate seesaws
What can make a n|gga wanna fight a whole night club
Figure that he ought to maybe be a pimp simply 'cause he don't like love
What can make a n|gga wanna achy, break all rules
In a book when it took a lot to get you hooked up to this volume
What can make a n|gga wanna loose all faith in
Anything that he can't feel through his chest wit sensation [24]
In peace, live by the sword
God Is love, God Is War
Most cats out on the streets don't know what they're fighting for [25]
The devil only exists because of your belief in him
Same goes for that other guy
I believe the sun is simply reflecting the shine from the moon (word?)
Stealing its spotlight, they'll have a co(kfight at noon [26]
I put piss stains on private planes cuz its my jet n|gga
Money aint sh|t cuz my rottweilers drink moet
Diamond baugette bracelets for my lovers
Playa, i use cristal to lubricate rubbers
Who got sh|t on his wrist that cost 3 nickel
Who got the project on lock when that n|gga slangin pickle
Who got benz, a prowler, playboy, and a Vette
Tell the truth--who fu(ked ya on the same night when we met? [27]
See me in the town you might think I'm a star
Every three months in a different car
Like the other day in a '81 Datsun
wit' my alternator rollin' shotgun
Or in the fall in a '88 Seville
Pushin' it wit my foot down the hill
Once I did a job, the lady didn't wanna pay me
So she offered me a hooptie instead, I said MAYBE
Cause it looked like it went through a war
Missin' a door, three out of four
Ain't bad -- but is it safe to drive?
I'll wait til payday, then make it live
Fixed the beat first cause that's my choice
A bucket wit' the beat look like a Rolls Royce!
Next week it broke down on the Bay Bridge
And lemme tell you that motherfu(ker dang-ress!
Had a hun'ed so I hit the auction block off
Got a seven-six Pinto wit' some knock offs
Catchin' buses be gettin' me to work late
And you know that slow down my pay rate
Down to zero
No alignment make it kinda hard to steer though
They need to pay me for all these adventures
Tell 'em to my grandkids when I got dentures
Makin' a buck really costs a buck fiddy
It's only that cheap if yo' cars sh|tty
Motherfu(kers laughin' but it beats the AC transit blues
sh|t, my car is better than my shoes [28]
All you rappers yellin' bout who you put in a hearse
Do me a favor; write one verse without a curse [29]
Is you fat cats or lab rats?
Trails to my steppin got em sweatin flashbacks
I played a part of minesweeper, plunking sneakers in my sunken city
Defunct, and apparently examinin' famine, I'm a
Volatile strobe while your blind spot swallows the globe
Sing to the track and think back
When I was a boy I employed styles exhausted
By every lost child at present
Normally I drill pillars of normalcy
You're cordially invited to accompany me [30]
+_Mm..Food // The main course_Initial Thoughts
Let me emphasize that this thread isn't about Rap being better than any other types of music. The main focus when creating it was to give people the opportunity to learn more about Rap and expand their minds rather than join the ignorant masses.
One of the most general agreements amongst Hip-Hop heads is that Hip-Hop consists of four main elements (arguably five):
_Rap or Emceeing
A kind of popular music in which rhymed verses are chanted or declaimed to the accompaniment of forceful and repetitive rhythms, played usually on drums or synthesizers.
_Turntablism
A form of music, which uses turntables to manipulate sounds of records in a rhythmic manner to create new musical compositions. Skratching and beatjuggling are two techniques used in turntablism.
_Breakdancing
A form of urban dance involving styles such as rocking, popping, capoeira, and b-boying, usually performed to funk.
_Graffiti
Usually using markers or spray paint; Consists mainly of tagging, bombing, and mural work. Not to be confused with normal vandalism, the term "graffiti" in the context of Hip-Hop is a type of art.
Other elements of Hip-Hop include knowledge, politics, fashion, production, & beatboxing.
As you will find, this thread is focused almost entirely upon the most popular and misconceived element, Rap. More specifically, American Rap. I've found that Hip-Hop culture is much better preserved outside of the United States and need not be thoroughly examined in this thread.
_I'm just SO sick of not being able to listen to the radio or watch TV without hearing/seeing Rap on like every other station!
Well, I have a message for you... Your Brain
Turn off the radio!
Turn off that bullsh|t!
Turn off the TV!
Turn off that bullsh|t!
Turn off that bullsh|t!
Turn off the TV!
Turn off that bullsh|t!
M-1 of dead prez
What's on the radio? Propaganda, mind control
And turnin it on is like puttin on a blindfold
Cuz when you bringin the real you don't get ro-tation
Unless you take over the station
And yeah I know it's part of they plans
To make us think it's all about party and dancin
And yo it might sound good when you spittin your rap
But in reality, don't nobody live like that
You wanna know what kinda n|gga I am?
Lemme tell you 'bout the n|gga I'm not - I don't fu(k with the cops
Platinum don't mean that it gotta be hot
I ain't gotta love it, even if they play it a lot
You can hear it when you walk the streets
How many people they reach, how they use music to teach
A "radio program" ain't a figure of speech
Don't sleep, cuz you could be a radio freak.
And turnin it on is like puttin on a blindfold
Cuz when you bringin the real you don't get ro-tation
Unless you take over the station
And yeah I know it's part of they plans
To make us think it's all about party and dancin
And yo it might sound good when you spittin your rap
But in reality, don't nobody live like that
You wanna know what kinda n|gga I am?
Lemme tell you 'bout the n|gga I'm not - I don't fu(k with the cops
Platinum don't mean that it gotta be hot
I ain't gotta love it, even if they play it a lot
You can hear it when you walk the streets
How many people they reach, how they use music to teach
A "radio program" ain't a figure of speech
Don't sleep, cuz you could be a radio freak.
_Rappers don't even use real words!
All words are made up. They aren't magically endowed upon us from the heavens.
Dictionary.com
Q. How does a word get into the dictionary? How can I get my word into the dictionary?
A. Usage.
A word gets into the dictionary by being used. That's the only way. Lexicographers (the people who make dictionaries) don't make words; they find them and record them. They are like the entomologist who goes into the rain forest looking for new species of beetles. Similarly, you can't invent a word and petition to have it admitted into the dictionary. You can invent a word and use it, of course, and if your word catches on it might end up in the dictionary some day. However, this is extremely unlikely.
A. Usage.
A word gets into the dictionary by being used. That's the only way. Lexicographers (the people who make dictionaries) don't make words; they find them and record them. They are like the entomologist who goes into the rain forest looking for new species of beetles. Similarly, you can't invent a word and petition to have it admitted into the dictionary. You can invent a word and use it, of course, and if your word catches on it might end up in the dictionary some day. However, this is extremely unlikely.
Dictionary.com also
Our Living Language: The culture of hip-hop has been the source of dozens of words and expressions in American English, of which rap is one of the most familiar. The word is probably a development ultimately of rap meaning "to hit." It shows up in the early 1900s in the extended meaning "to express orally," as used by so notable a figure as Winston Churchill in 1933. Over the next few decades it came to mean "to discuss or debate informally," a meaning that was well established in the African-American community by the late 1960s. A decade later the word was applied to an evolving style of music characterized by, among other things, beat-driven rhymes of an often improvisatory nature. The slang that is integral to the lyrics of rap continues to be a source of borrowings into colloquial American English; recent examples include chill meaning "to calm down," and diss meaning "to show disrespect to." These are but the latest examples in a long series of such borrowings from Black English stretching back a century or more, many of them directly from popular music lyrics or from musicians' lingo.
_You can't change my opinion!!!
Fine, but you're still an idiot.
_The only rapper I listen to is Eminem because he's just too talented to ignore.
Eminem is most often renouned for his lyrical talent, and I would agree that he is a good lyricist. However, I would encourage Eminem junkies to track down and listen to him battle MC JUICE in the '97 Rap Olympics. Eminem's mainstream career basically started after that battle, in which he placed second, but since then I feel that his lyrical prowess has only decreased.
_All they ever talk about is sex, money, drugs, alcohol, and violence.
I think nearly everyone would agree that Gangsta Rap is a good place to start when examining the explicit content of Rap lyrics. In order to introduce an alternative view on gangsta rappers, I would like to quote DJ Quik (a pioneer of West Coast Gangsta Rap):
We've had some violent records, but when we perform 'em, we perform 'em like a play. It's not like we're being real and ready to shoot, fight somebody, or kill somebody. It's all acting, it's like theater. It's just us playing out... it's us imitating life with art. That's how I put it. And I just hope the violence in Hip-Hop can stop so that we can go more places, do more things, sharing our show, doing our play.
His statements must be taken in an ideological sense. Ideally Gangsta Rap is imitating life with art, but that is not to say that Gangsta rappers don't get out of hand. I'm sure there are many rappers out there who would respond to such statements with "FU(K THAT! I AIN'T IMITATIN SH|T! I'M A GANGSTA 'TIL I DIE AND I'LL MURDA ANYONE WHO GETS IN MY WAY!". Such individuals are undoubtedly problematic, but this thread isn't directed towards them.
I'll deal with them later.
_PRELUDE
In this section, I will go over various aspects of Gangsta Rap. The first half will be dedicated to recurring themes people find associated with Gangsta Rap, while the second half will contain compressed information about various important/pioneering gangsta rappers. I am confronting the main East vs West conflict in a sense because there is so much controversy and confusion surrounding it. I'm in quite a difficult position actually..
_PRODUCTION [East vs West]
A distinct difference between alot of West Coast and East Coast Rap is the accompanying music. To understand the reason for the contrast, we must recall what was happening during the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Funk, Soul, and Jazz were three of the most popular genres amongst African-Americans. You had The O'Jays, Heatwave, Marvin Gaye, Parliament Funkadelic, Con Funk Shun, James Brown, Zapp & Roger, to name a few. Although many of these artists came out of places like Philadelphia and Chicago, when West Coast Rap began to form its identity, producers were sampling alot of East Coast Funk and Soul. Dr. Dre is typically the one attributed to pioneering G-Funk, the type of production most characteristic of West Coast Rap, however it could be argued that DJ Quik is the true founder of the G-Funk (should-be called 'G-Fonk') while Dr. Dre only popularized it. This is because Dr. Dre's funky debut album, The Chronic, was released in December of 1992, while Quik's fonky debut album, Quik Is The Name, was released in July of 1991. On the East Coast, there were of course Hip-Hop producers who sampled Funk, Soul, and Jazz, but one must understand a certain division found in Funk. Although the likes of Bootsy Collins, George Clinton, Maceo Parker, etc. were often associated with James Brown, there is a distinct difference between the types of Funk they were playing. George Clinton founded what is known as P-Funk, which is described as "a looser, wilder and more self-consciously countercultural version" of what the likes of James Brown were playing. East Coast producers tended to sample James Brown while West Coast producers sampled P-Funk artists.
_LYRICAL CONTENT [East vs West]
There's no doubt that cities on the East Coast, such as New York, were important factors in communicating Hip-Hop with the rest of the country (and eventually the world). In the early years of Hip-Hop East Coast rappers were often found rapping about the hardships of living in poverty and as Hip-Hop became more profitable and popular, they began to also rap about partying and lavish lifestyles. At the same time, there were alot of people on the West Coast becoming involved with Hip-Hop who couldn't completely relate with what East Coast rappers were talking about. Although there was poverty on both coasts, life was very different in African-American communities. On the West Coast, there was alot more gang violence, especially in the poorest neighborhoods, and pimping had been a popular lifestyle for decades. As you might have noticed, these are both recurring themes in West Coast Gangsta Rap to this day. Drugs, sex, and violence are topics found in early lyrics on both coasts. However, there is noticeably less talk about actual drug-dealing in West Coast Rap lyrics perhaps because pimping was the prominent and more appealing business in western cities. As for sex, it is well-known that most rappers are male, so it shouldn't be a surprise that sex is a recurring theme in lyrics nationwide. Money? Well, we already know that Hip-Hop was, for the most part, born in poverty-ridden areas. Back in the 70's and early-to-mid 80's, Rap was not profitable nor did most rappers feel it was an investment. But as time passed and the culture became more popular, members of the Hip-Hop community began to see that they could make a living off of Rap. It's only logical that the more profitable Rap becomes, the more you'll hear about monetary status and materialism.
_B|TCHES, HO'S, TRICKS, TRAMPS, SLUTS
B|tch -
a. A woman considered to be spiteful or overbearing.
b. A lewd woman. [lewd - Preoccupied with sex and sexual desire]
Ho -
A prostitute.
Trick -
An act of prostitution.
Tramp -
A prostitute.
Slut -
a. A woman considered sexually promiscuous.
b. A woman prostitute.
Whether you like it or not THEY EXIST and HAVE EXISTED. Pimps and prostitutes have been thriving, on the West Coast in particular, for decades. I will not say that all Gangsta Rap artists justify their usage of such labels, but some (or perhaps many) of them do.
Here is a short lyrical example which further illustrates what I mean:
In "Why You Bullsh|ttin'?" Suga Free expresses the following..
Now, I...
Never hit a woman, nah
But I slapped the sh|t out of a b|tch,
Why you bullsh|ttin'?
Never hit a woman, nah
But I slapped the sh|t out of a b|tch,
Why you bullsh|ttin'?
Alright, now that I've covered a portion of the basics, I'm going to go over some important Gangsta Rap artists.
_DJ QUIK
DJ Quik
Now everybody wants to know the truth about a brother named Quik
I come from the school of the sly, wicked and the slick
A lotta people already know exactly where it's at
Cause it's the home of the jackers and the crack
(Compton) Yeah, that's the name of my hometown
I'm goin down in the town where my name is all around
The suckers just be havin a fit, and that's a pity
But I ain't doin nothin but (claimin my city)
See, my lyrics I'm doublin up and provin to suckers that I can throw
I'm passin a natural ten or four or six or eight before I go
Yes, I'm definitely freestylin, all the while still profilin
Never a trickster, DJ Quikster steals the show
So now that's how I'm livin
I do as I please, you see
A younger brother that's up on reality
Cause everybody knows you have to be stompin
If you're born and raised in Compton
I come from the school of the sly, wicked and the slick
A lotta people already know exactly where it's at
Cause it's the home of the jackers and the crack
(Compton) Yeah, that's the name of my hometown
I'm goin down in the town where my name is all around
The suckers just be havin a fit, and that's a pity
But I ain't doin nothin but (claimin my city)
See, my lyrics I'm doublin up and provin to suckers that I can throw
I'm passin a natural ten or four or six or eight before I go
Yes, I'm definitely freestylin, all the while still profilin
Never a trickster, DJ Quikster steals the show
So now that's how I'm livin
I do as I please, you see
A younger brother that's up on reality
Cause everybody knows you have to be stompin
If you're born and raised in Compton
DJ Quik
You see I'm 5'11", my d|ck's a size seven
and if a hooker's fine I can stretch you a nine
And go deep (how deep?) All up in that sh|t
I'll fu(k a p***y dry cuz I don't know how to quit
I'm 19 (say what?) so I'm a young a** man
My eyes are brown and my skin is tan
So pull them cotton-a** panties right down to ya knees
if you wanna take part in a proper-a** skeez
I'm more than a playa (word?) I'm more like a pimp (yeah!)
I love black p***y but I sure won't simp
and if a hooker's fine I can stretch you a nine
And go deep (how deep?) All up in that sh|t
I'll fu(k a p***y dry cuz I don't know how to quit
I'm 19 (say what?) so I'm a young a** man
My eyes are brown and my skin is tan
So pull them cotton-a** panties right down to ya knees
if you wanna take part in a proper-a** skeez
I'm more than a playa (word?) I'm more like a pimp (yeah!)
I love black p***y but I sure won't simp
To this day, DJ Quik remains one of my favorite Hip-Hop artists. You mayhaps wonder why. Well, I'll tell you. First of all, he is, in my opinion, the true founder of what is now called "G-Funk" (which I love). He is also a producer-rapper, which is always something I admire (if they're good at both, of course). To me, he's always had his own distinct West Coast Rap/production style (although recently some of his works seem to be slipping into something less Fonky). One aspect of his CD's which I have always found to be intriguing and original is the inclusion of "Quik's Groove"s, instrumentals which are all orchestrated by him (yes, real instruments). In a sense, the further back in time you go, the more gangsta content you'll find in his lyrics. Coming out of Compton he associated himself with gangs and gang-related activity. However, over the years he has grown to oppose that aspect of his former lifestyle.
_EAZY-E
Eazy-E
Hey yo Doctor, here's another proper track
and it's phat, watch the sniper, time to pay the piper
And let that real sh|t provoke
So youse a wannabe 'loc, and you'll get smoked, and I hope
that your fans understand when you talk about playin me
The same records that you makin is payin me
Motherfu(k Dre, Motherfu(k Snoop, Motherfu(k Death Row
Yo, and here comes my left blow
Cause I'm the E-A-Z-Y-E and, this is the season
to let the real motherfu(kin G's in
You're like a kid you found a pup and now you're dapper
But tell me where the fu(k yah found a anorexic rapper?
Talkin about who you gon squabble with and who you shoot
You're only 60 pounds when you're wet and wearin boots
(Damn E, they tried to fade you on "Dre Day" wink
But "Dre Day" only make Eazy's pay day
All of a sudden Dr. Dre is the "G Thang"
But on his old album cover he was a she thang
So n|gga please, n|gga please, don't step to deez
motherfu(kin real G's!
and it's phat, watch the sniper, time to pay the piper
And let that real sh|t provoke
So youse a wannabe 'loc, and you'll get smoked, and I hope
that your fans understand when you talk about playin me
The same records that you makin is payin me
Motherfu(k Dre, Motherfu(k Snoop, Motherfu(k Death Row
Yo, and here comes my left blow
Cause I'm the E-A-Z-Y-E and, this is the season
to let the real motherfu(kin G's in
You're like a kid you found a pup and now you're dapper
But tell me where the fu(k yah found a anorexic rapper?
Talkin about who you gon squabble with and who you shoot
You're only 60 pounds when you're wet and wearin boots
(Damn E, they tried to fade you on "Dre Day" wink
But "Dre Day" only make Eazy's pay day
All of a sudden Dr. Dre is the "G Thang"
But on his old album cover he was a she thang
So n|gga please, n|gga please, don't step to deez
motherfu(kin real G's!
I'm hoping most of you have at least heard Eazy-E's name before. I've never been a huge fan of Eazy but I like alot of what I've heard from him (he actually sounds alot like Hi-C to me). So, why is Eazy-E such a prominent name throughout the Hip-Hop community? Well, I'm not much of an authority on him, so here's an excerpt from his "official" biography (just a bit biased):
Loved by many, reviled by a few, Eazy-E was one of the most important figures in hip hop history. By no means a an of large physical stature, he commanded o respect and notoriety in rap circles that was immediate and undying. Along with Chuck D and Rakim, few other people making hip hop records had a voice as discernible on wax as Eazy's. As soon as one heard "Boyz-N-The-Hood," "We Want Eazy" or his third verse on "n|ggaz4life, there was no mistaking who was on the microphone, the high-pitched, razor-sharp edge of his tones cutting through cacophony. His multi-platinum sales, despite his oft-reported battles with former NWA members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, made him just as tall as hip-hop's tallest emcee. Just as importantly, as founder/owner/President and general ideas man, he made Ruthless Records one of the most successful independent record labels of all time. Responsible for the sale of millions of records including those of NWA, JJ Fad, Michel'le, MC Ren, Above The Law, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and his own hit solo records, Eazy-E more than made history.
_E-40
E-40
Smell me on this one, check it out
Hit up for 5, and hold it for 10, I'm true lung
Let's see who got the most wind, get em sprung
Make em wanna come back and spend, Afghani bomb
From juice and Seagram's Gin
fu(k all of that Cristal-poppin, drinkin Moet sh|t
I'm from the block
Wheaties, Thunderbird, gorilla milk and Aftershock
Boom square wide country, Wild Irish Rose
Smugglin Hennessey and scotch, Jagermeister and Tequila shots
Drinkin 40 ounces was how I first got my figure
Then I graduated to straight hard liquor
So hah, let me take a swig of that Crown Royal
What you puttin on that blunt huh? Hash oil
My Panamanian saha from south San Francisco
on some marijuana farm down in San Luis Obisbo
Wake yo' a** up Charlie Hustle, wake yo' a** up, why you asleep?
Cause, n|gga that sh|t got my twaskin?? My life n|igga, sh|t!
Hit up for 5, and hold it for 10, I'm true lung
Let's see who got the most wind, get em sprung
Make em wanna come back and spend, Afghani bomb
From juice and Seagram's Gin
fu(k all of that Cristal-poppin, drinkin Moet sh|t
I'm from the block
Wheaties, Thunderbird, gorilla milk and Aftershock
Boom square wide country, Wild Irish Rose
Smugglin Hennessey and scotch, Jagermeister and Tequila shots
Drinkin 40 ounces was how I first got my figure
Then I graduated to straight hard liquor
So hah, let me take a swig of that Crown Royal
What you puttin on that blunt huh? Hash oil
My Panamanian saha from south San Francisco
on some marijuana farm down in San Luis Obisbo
Wake yo' a** up Charlie Hustle, wake yo' a** up, why you asleep?
Cause, n|gga that sh|t got my twaskin?? My life n|igga, sh|t!
One of the most renouned Bay Area rappers, E-40 is also one of the most original rappers you'll find. Often referred to as the "King of Slanguage", E-40 is the originator of a universe of slang words. Along with his release of Breaking News, 40 came out with E-40's Dictionary Book of Slang in which he defines the vast amount of words he's created and popularized.
I was the first one who put it out there real tough in 1996 on my song "Rappers Ball." We were saying "fo' sheezy," and "fo' shizzle." I told Jay-Z after he used it on his record, I said, "That's a Bay Area word, man." That's from the land where they pop they collars and jack they slacks. Then I took it to "fo' shiggedy", to "fo' shiggadough" and now "fo' shiggadale," that's the newest. You know, it don't stop. 75% of the words I made up. Even before this rap game my ear's always been to the street. I've been making up slang words since the first grade, you smell me? I stay coming with something to keep the game interesting. I tell 'em the rap game without 40 is like old folks without bingo.
"You feel me" that's straight from me. You can put a stamp on that. Do you know how many words came from "you feel me"? Like "I'm not feeling that" or "I'm feeling her." All that sh|t was created in 1991-1992. Now I took it to "you smell me." Also, you know the word "playboy"? I was the first rapper to put that out there as a regular street terminology, such as "What's up, playboy?" And there's the word "pimpin," too, like as in "What's up, pimpin?? that's me. Then we took it to "What's up, pimp?" "What's up pimp soup?" "What's up pimp juice?" "What's up pimperoni?" You know, "pimpalufahgus?" and "what's up pimptation?" We just keep it moving. Plus you got that whole "pop ya collar" sh|t. I'm the first rapper ever popping his collar. When you observe me in my new video, when I'm giving Fabolous the no-fingerprints-backwards-handshake and then I pop my collar, you can see how professional it is and you can tell that it's not a fluke or a gimmick. It's not a fad, the way I do it is so original.
_NIGGAZ WITH ATTITUDE
Ice Cube
Homies all standin around, just hangin
Some dope-dealin, some gang-bangin
We decide to roll and we deep
See a n|gga on Dayton's and we creep
Real slow, and before you know
I had my shotgun pointed in the window
He got scared, and hit the gas
Right then, I knew I has to smoke his a**
He kept rollin, I jumped in the bucket
We couldn't catch him, so I said fu(k it
Then we headed right back to the fort
Sweatin all the b|tches in the biker shorts
We didn't get no play, from the ladies
With six n|ggaz in a car are you crazy?
She was scared, and it was showin
We all said "fu(k you b|tch!" and kept goin
To the hood, and we was fin to
Find somethin else to get into
Like some p***y, or in fact
A bum rush, but we call it rat pack
On a n|gga for nuttin at all
Ice Cube'll go stupid when I'm full of eight ball
I might stumble, but I won't lose
Now I'm dressed in the county blues
Cause I'm the type of n|gga that's built to last
If you fu(k wit me, I'll put my foot in your a**
I don't give a fu(k, cause I keep bailin
Yo, what the fu(k are they yellin?
Some dope-dealin, some gang-bangin
We decide to roll and we deep
See a n|gga on Dayton's and we creep
Real slow, and before you know
I had my shotgun pointed in the window
He got scared, and hit the gas
Right then, I knew I has to smoke his a**
He kept rollin, I jumped in the bucket
We couldn't catch him, so I said fu(k it
Then we headed right back to the fort
Sweatin all the b|tches in the biker shorts
We didn't get no play, from the ladies
With six n|ggaz in a car are you crazy?
She was scared, and it was showin
We all said "fu(k you b|tch!" and kept goin
To the hood, and we was fin to
Find somethin else to get into
Like some p***y, or in fact
A bum rush, but we call it rat pack
On a n|gga for nuttin at all
Ice Cube'll go stupid when I'm full of eight ball
I might stumble, but I won't lose
Now I'm dressed in the county blues
Cause I'm the type of n|gga that's built to last
If you fu(k wit me, I'll put my foot in your a**
I don't give a fu(k, cause I keep bailin
Yo, what the fu(k are they yellin?
Eazy-E + MC Ren
Well I'm Eazy-E the one they're talkin about
n|gga tried to roll the dice and just crapped out
Police tried to roll, so it's time to go
I creeped away real slow and jumped in the six-fo'
Wit the "Diamond in the back, sun-roof top"
Diggin the scene with the gangsta lean
Cause I'm the E, I don't slang or bang
I just smoke motherfu(kers like it ain't no thang
And all you b|tches, you know I'm talkin to you
"We want to fu(k you Eazy!" I want to fu(k you too
Cause you see, I don't really take no sh|t
[So let me tell you motherfu(kers who you're fu(kin with]
Cause I'm the type of n|gga that's built to last
If you fu(k wit me, I'll put my foot in your a**
I don't give a fu(k, cause I keep bailin
Yo, what the fu(k are they yellin?
n|gga tried to roll the dice and just crapped out
Police tried to roll, so it's time to go
I creeped away real slow and jumped in the six-fo'
Wit the "Diamond in the back, sun-roof top"
Diggin the scene with the gangsta lean
Cause I'm the E, I don't slang or bang
I just smoke motherfu(kers like it ain't no thang
And all you b|tches, you know I'm talkin to you
"We want to fu(k you Eazy!" I want to fu(k you too
Cause you see, I don't really take no sh|t
[So let me tell you motherfu(kers who you're fu(kin with]
Cause I'm the type of n|gga that's built to last
If you fu(k wit me, I'll put my foot in your a**
I don't give a fu(k, cause I keep bailin
Yo, what the fu(k are they yellin?
One musn't misinterpret what I said earlier about the formations of West Coast Rap and G-Funk. Although people like Dr. Dre and DJ Quik put together an integral aspect of West Coast Rap, G-Funk wasn't the earliest sound on the West Coast Hip-Hop scene. NWA came together in the 80's and really started showing people the hardcore/gangsta side of Hip-Hop culture. The group originally consisted of Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre (pre-G-Funk), DJ Yella, and MC Ren. I'm not much of a fan but would agree that they were a major factor in the spread of Hip-Hop culture / Gangsta Rap (especially on the West Coast).
_MAC DRE
Mac Dre
Listen up, I'm about to get dope
It ain't nothin' but some sh|t I wrote
About a young brotha deep in the game
They call me Mac Dre and I'm keepin the name
I sport Nike shoes, I got a mic to use
To talk bad about suckers, I don't like the fools
Down and dirty bout spittin' my hits
And if not, I'm gettin' my grits
Playin' the game like it's supposed to be played
Makin' much more than the minimum wage
Not a pimp daddy, don't drive a Caddy
I just mack and get all that babby
Dre, you know I never slow down
Smokin cesstee until I'm really towed down
Walk into the party, fully perked
Grab the microphone and let the mouthpiece work
I got hype and the game starts flowin'
The girls get freaky and it starts showin'
And when the party's over at the end of the night
They say "Damn, Mac Dre you ain't nothin' polite"
Cuz I'm the numero uno, could never be the dos
A mack named Dre and I'm poppin the most
18, makin' raps 'til I'm 80 though
And too hard for the fu(kin' radio
It ain't nothin' but some sh|t I wrote
About a young brotha deep in the game
They call me Mac Dre and I'm keepin the name
I sport Nike shoes, I got a mic to use
To talk bad about suckers, I don't like the fools
Down and dirty bout spittin' my hits
And if not, I'm gettin' my grits
Playin' the game like it's supposed to be played
Makin' much more than the minimum wage
Not a pimp daddy, don't drive a Caddy
I just mack and get all that babby
Dre, you know I never slow down
Smokin cesstee until I'm really towed down
Walk into the party, fully perked
Grab the microphone and let the mouthpiece work
I got hype and the game starts flowin'
The girls get freaky and it starts showin'
And when the party's over at the end of the night
They say "Damn, Mac Dre you ain't nothin' polite"
Cuz I'm the numero uno, could never be the dos
A mack named Dre and I'm poppin the most
18, makin' raps 'til I'm 80 though
And too hard for the fu(kin' radio
Another prominent Bay Area rap artist who has recently become the focus of much West Coast attention due to his unexpected death, Mac Dre definitely had his own sense of originality. Coming out of Valejo, CA, his first album was entitled Young Black Brotha ('89) and established his name in the Bay Area. He led to the underground popularity of other Bay Area rappers such as Mac Mall and Coolio Da Unda Dog. Since then, he's come out with 17+ albums/compilations, popularized his own dance moves, and created an array of alter egos comparable in quantity to those of Madlib and MF DOOM. I've got respect for him and enjoy his music, but will admit that I didn't really listen to his albums until after he died. My brother owns basically every Mac Dre album so I've gotten a good dose of it.
Mac Dre
B|tch
Life's a b|tch
Life's a b|tch and then you die
Life's a b|tch and then you die
Life's a b|tch and then you die
Life's a b|tch and then you die
It's not often young n|ggas get a chance
to enjoy riches in legitimate fashion
So many of us say "fu(k it" get a bucket
and run up in something and keep smashing
It's all about survival
but jealous rivals make it hard for us to do this
So everybody got a gun but when we was younger
our only weapon was our two fists
Now who missed the first lesson in life don't be no punk
If you a man have heart be a savage whether you sober or drunk
I seen n|ggas in the pen getting
their a** dug out over some hop or a pack of Kamels
But thats the game home boy and every move you make is a gamble
Them squares don't under stand so it takes n|ggas like me to explain it
I show vengeance violence and hatred because underneath it's so much pain
I aint no sissy or punk so don't trip when you see me crying
A n|gga just hella mad his partners is dead and his folks keep on dying
My enemys feel the same way they want me dead they think I'm the n|gga
that put they partner 6 feet under and left his son with no father figure
I live day by day not giving a fu(k and when they ask me why
I pause for a minute then I reply because lifes a b|tch and then you die
Lifes a b|tch then you die n|gga
don't want a whole slice just let me taste the pie
They sent me to the pen for five years
for a crime that was never committed
I aint no bank robber but that five years
had me thinking maybe I should have did it
Do my thoughts deceive me? What a motherfu(ker supposed to think
Locked down trapped looking at four walls a toilet bowl and a sink
Aint that a b|tch I've been struggling ever since I could remember
But I stay strong year round from January all the way to December
See I am a hustler I need cash bad as a fat b|tch need jogging
So I specialize in three things and thats
Pimping hogging and dogging (thats right)
Half these suckers walking around here fake as three dollar bills
If you with that bullsh|t don't come around me
I do this for reals not for thrills
I got to watch my back for them suckers thats out to do harm
Got a tattoo of a list full a partners
thats dead that run all the way down my arm
So If you see me mugging tripping and bugging don't stop and ask me why
A n|gga just hella mad because Lifes a b|tch and then you die
I got a crew full of the realest thats deep as the Pittsburgh Steelers
Retired bank robbers ex-dope dealers and adversary killers
Our mission is simple get rich and stay real n|gga
So our kids can live fat better then we did when we was little n|ggas
Life is short you only live once and aint no telling when your leaving
So I'm going to do it all have a ball
while I'm still living and breathing
See I am a philosopher and my philosophy is this
Don't be no punk young homey if it's worth it take that risk
Anything's possible but nothings for sure
Got to take advantage of all opportunities
and get your money you know
Love those who love you but don't never let it fu(k up your vision
How much love did your loved ones
have when you was broke or doing time in prison
Stay on your toes don't fu(k with hoes before you read them
Watch your back for them rats that set n|ggas up to keep they freedom
It takes 365 days for the earth to spin one time
But it only takes one minute
for that guilty verdict when that snitch drops that dime
A damn shame I thought rat heads get nothing but cheddar
But I got partners doing all day with 35 next to that letter
So I'm in trouble unless I bubble So I struggle to keep my peace
Staying money motivated with thoughts of Mike Robinson and D.J. Cee
Life's a b|tch
Life's a b|tch and then you die
Life's a b|tch and then you die
Life's a b|tch and then you die
Life's a b|tch and then you die
It's not often young n|ggas get a chance
to enjoy riches in legitimate fashion
So many of us say "fu(k it" get a bucket
and run up in something and keep smashing
It's all about survival
but jealous rivals make it hard for us to do this
So everybody got a gun but when we was younger
our only weapon was our two fists
Now who missed the first lesson in life don't be no punk
If you a man have heart be a savage whether you sober or drunk
I seen n|ggas in the pen getting
their a** dug out over some hop or a pack of Kamels
But thats the game home boy and every move you make is a gamble
Them squares don't under stand so it takes n|ggas like me to explain it
I show vengeance violence and hatred because underneath it's so much pain
I aint no sissy or punk so don't trip when you see me crying
A n|gga just hella mad his partners is dead and his folks keep on dying
My enemys feel the same way they want me dead they think I'm the n|gga
that put they partner 6 feet under and left his son with no father figure
I live day by day not giving a fu(k and when they ask me why
I pause for a minute then I reply because lifes a b|tch and then you die
Lifes a b|tch then you die n|gga
don't want a whole slice just let me taste the pie
They sent me to the pen for five years
for a crime that was never committed
I aint no bank robber but that five years
had me thinking maybe I should have did it
Do my thoughts deceive me? What a motherfu(ker supposed to think
Locked down trapped looking at four walls a toilet bowl and a sink
Aint that a b|tch I've been struggling ever since I could remember
But I stay strong year round from January all the way to December
See I am a hustler I need cash bad as a fat b|tch need jogging
So I specialize in three things and thats
Pimping hogging and dogging (thats right)
Half these suckers walking around here fake as three dollar bills
If you with that bullsh|t don't come around me
I do this for reals not for thrills
I got to watch my back for them suckers thats out to do harm
Got a tattoo of a list full a partners
thats dead that run all the way down my arm
So If you see me mugging tripping and bugging don't stop and ask me why
A n|gga just hella mad because Lifes a b|tch and then you die
I got a crew full of the realest thats deep as the Pittsburgh Steelers
Retired bank robbers ex-dope dealers and adversary killers
Our mission is simple get rich and stay real n|gga
So our kids can live fat better then we did when we was little n|ggas
Life is short you only live once and aint no telling when your leaving
So I'm going to do it all have a ball
while I'm still living and breathing
See I am a philosopher and my philosophy is this
Don't be no punk young homey if it's worth it take that risk
Anything's possible but nothings for sure
Got to take advantage of all opportunities
and get your money you know
Love those who love you but don't never let it fu(k up your vision
How much love did your loved ones
have when you was broke or doing time in prison
Stay on your toes don't fu(k with hoes before you read them
Watch your back for them rats that set n|ggas up to keep they freedom
It takes 365 days for the earth to spin one time
But it only takes one minute
for that guilty verdict when that snitch drops that dime
A damn shame I thought rat heads get nothing but cheddar
But I got partners doing all day with 35 next to that letter
So I'm in trouble unless I bubble So I struggle to keep my peace
Staying money motivated with thoughts of Mike Robinson and D.J. Cee
While Gangsta Rap is very popular on the West Coast, that doesn't mean there aren't any Gangsta Rap artists in the East. If you were to ask me who best represents East Coast Gangsta/Hardcore Rap these days, I would say...
_THE [HARLEM] DIPLOMATS
Juelz Santana
Ayo my Dip Set Taliban, we are not a crew
We're more like a movement, more like in tuned with
The moon and the stars, some say I'll soon be doomed for them bars
But I could be caught, pissy clubs, saloons and some bars
Industry think that they grooming a star nah
I'm more like a thug misproving the odds, run around my city all crazy
With my goons in some cars
We're more like a movement, more like in tuned with
The moon and the stars, some say I'll soon be doomed for them bars
But I could be caught, pissy clubs, saloons and some bars
Industry think that they grooming a star nah
I'm more like a thug misproving the odds, run around my city all crazy
With my goons in some cars
Cam'ron
I tell 'em
Wake up, wake up
Gotta go get that cake up, break up
Divide that payroll, aiyyoo
Go get that ya-yo, ya-yo
Killa, paper, holla at Pedro
On the 8-0 and wait for my son the lay low
Ba' bro
When I beef, names will be said tool will be spread
Two in your head, body be bagged, eulogy read
Dog in the news will get read, cause what I deal with is usually feds
On the first
Wake up, wake up
Gotta go get that cake up, break up
Divide that payroll, aiyyoo
Go get that ya-yo, ya-yo
Killa, paper, holla at Pedro
On the 8-0 and wait for my son the lay low
Ba' bro
When I beef, names will be said tool will be spread
Two in your head, body be bagged, eulogy read
Dog in the news will get read, cause what I deal with is usually feds
On the first
Cam'ron
I represent, where them killers at
145th and Broadway you get your head cracked
Get your legs snapped, arm trist, ribs cracked
Wig tapped, play fair day care kids napped
You think you real, well my posse is crazier
Your moms mobbin' and rapin' her, Saudi Arabia
I'm 89 and oh, Audi and eightiers
Beef in N-O I had to call No Limit up
Baby mack baby gat love the way the baby
Got my baby boo, cop the X5, that's a baby truck
Santana rollin' big, Jimmy in the Caddy
Dayton, Youngstown, Cleveland, Cincinnati
In the Double-O I represent the C-O
Please ho, Harlem World forty if that's me, yo
Clipse eleven or bricks get seven off
Snow so white only thing missin' is seven dwarfs...
145th and Broadway you get your head cracked
Get your legs snapped, arm trist, ribs cracked
Wig tapped, play fair day care kids napped
You think you real, well my posse is crazier
Your moms mobbin' and rapin' her, Saudi Arabia
I'm 89 and oh, Audi and eightiers
Beef in N-O I had to call No Limit up
Baby mack baby gat love the way the baby
Got my baby boo, cop the X5, that's a baby truck
Santana rollin' big, Jimmy in the Caddy
Dayton, Youngstown, Cleveland, Cincinnati
In the Double-O I represent the C-O
Please ho, Harlem World forty if that's me, yo
Clipse eleven or bricks get seven off
Snow so white only thing missin' is seven dwarfs...
Jim Jones
You know I claim (What you claim?) where them gangstas bang
15th and Lennox, nine tray they do they own thing
In uptown, up on 40 a phat Sean hit the block
Dogg he move that water sh|t, he like the network
Over wet work, you come up short on that paper get a wet shirt
Then if you walkin' through Foster and Taft
Flossin' that cash and gangstas put the torch to your a**
And I can't forget AK and Wagner
My dogs straight crazy cuz the AK'll blast ya
One callin' daddy Sheik and Q
LB's and Sally beat your crew, now come on
And dope stacks, right in front the liquor store
Hennesy, lil' me me you know the flipped the raw
Much upset, oh yeah they bout it
16 shots up out the glock I come about it
15th and Lennox, nine tray they do they own thing
In uptown, up on 40 a phat Sean hit the block
Dogg he move that water sh|t, he like the network
Over wet work, you come up short on that paper get a wet shirt
Then if you walkin' through Foster and Taft
Flossin' that cash and gangstas put the torch to your a**
And I can't forget AK and Wagner
My dogs straight crazy cuz the AK'll blast ya
One callin' daddy Sheik and Q
LB's and Sally beat your crew, now come on
And dope stacks, right in front the liquor store
Hennesy, lil' me me you know the flipped the raw
Much upset, oh yeah they bout it
16 shots up out the glock I come about it
Alot of people hate them, alot of people love them, whichever one's you doesn't matter because I'm typing this and I think they're fantastichen. The four founding members of the Diplomats are Jim Jones, Cam'ron, Juelz Santana, and Freaky Zeeky. Recently, several other rappers seem to have almost become a additional members of their squad. The Diplomats are the leaders of a Rap movement. Courtesy of U-Mad.net, the ultimate Diplomats fan site, here is a visual representation of the Dip Set family as of Summer 2005:
One of the most prominent characteristics of the Dips is their sample-heavy production style (often times collaborating with Heatmakerz). A vast majority of their songs use samples you won't hear anywhere else in the Rap game (such as Tears For Fears' "Woman In Chains" and Salt N' Pepa's "Push It" wink . They are one of the most original Rap groups I've come across.
_Links to info on other important Gangsta Rap artists who aren't covered here because of laziness and/or unwillingness:
Notorious BIG
2Pac
Too Short
Schoolly D
Ice T
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony*
Bloods and Crips
Twista
Do Or Die
Scarface
2Pac
Too Short
Schoolly D
Ice T
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony*
Bloods and Crips
Twista
Do Or Die
Scarface
*I must add that the Bone Thugs have remained one of my favorite Hip-Hop groups since early childhood. Where I grew up, everyone from toddlers to grandparents were Bone Thug fans. They've never been covered in this post because I've not been confident in where I should tie them in. Eazy-E would be an obvious starting point but since, as I mentioned, I'm not very knowledgeable on Eazy, so I don't think I'd do a very good job.
And.. what about 50 Cent?
I think I'll end this section in the same way I began, with a DJ Quik quote:
Now I ain't got sh|t against 50 but he gotta stop calling himself a gangsta when he don't know what a gangsta is.
_WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE GOOD OL' DAYS? // Old School Rap R.I.P
Do you miss the "good old days" when Hip-Hop was all about positivity? That RUN DMC type stuff right? Back when they didn't rap about violence, sex, drugs, and an unnecessary amount of money, right? When there wasn't so much profanity, and the lyrics had a message! 'Tis high time I dismantled this weak assertion.
In 'P Upon A Tree' ('90) DMC of RUN DMC
I pee upon a tree because I drink too much Olde E
And not time, for pee, to come out, on me, so I
I go and pee I go and pee upon a tree, right...
And not time, for pee, to come out, on me, so I
I go and pee I go and pee upon a tree, right...
In 'PSK What Does It Mean?' ('86) Schoolly D
Drivin in my car down the avenue
Towin on a j, sippin on some brew...
Took a little trip to a fancy bar
Copped some brew, some j, some coke
Tell you now, brother, this ain't no joke
She got me to the crib, she laid me on the bed
I fu(ked her from my toes to the top of my head
I finally realized the girl was a whore
Gave her ten dollars, she asked me for some more...
Copped my pistols, jumped into the ride
Got at the bar, copped some flack
Copped some cheeba-cheeba, it wasn't wack...
Towin on a j, sippin on some brew...
Took a little trip to a fancy bar
Copped some brew, some j, some coke
Tell you now, brother, this ain't no joke
She got me to the crib, she laid me on the bed
I fu(ked her from my toes to the top of my head
I finally realized the girl was a whore
Gave her ten dollars, she asked me for some more...
Copped my pistols, jumped into the ride
Got at the bar, copped some flack
Copped some cheeba-cheeba, it wasn't wack...
In '9mm Goes Bang' ('87) KRS-ONE Wrote
Wa da da dang
Wa da da da dang (Ay!)
Listen to my 9 millimeter go bang
Wa da da dang
Wa da da da dang (Ay!)
This is KRS-One...
Me knew a crack dealer by the name of Peter
Had to buck him down with my 9 millimeter
He said I had his girl, I said "Now what are you? Stupid?"
But he tried to play me out and KRS-One knew it
He reached for his pistol but it was just a waste
Cos my 9 millimeter was up against his face
He pulled his pistol anyway and I filled him full of lead
But just before he fell to the ground this is what I said...
Seven days later I was chillin in the herb gate
But seven days too much when the gossip has to circulate
Puffin sensemilla I heard "knock knock knock"
But the way that they knocked it did not sound like any cop
And if it were a customer they'd ask me for a nick
So suddenly I realized it had to be a trick
I dropped down to the floor and they did not waste no time
They shot right through the door so I had to go for mine
They pumped and shot again but the suckas kept on missin
Cos I was on the floor by now, I crawled into the kitchen
Thirty seconds later, boy, they bust the door down
The money and the sensemi' was lyin all around
But just as they put their pistols down to take a cut
Me jumped out the kitchen, went "buck! buck! buck!"
They fall down to the floor but one was still alive
So I put my 9 millimeter right between his eyes
Looked at his potnah and both of them were dead
So just before he joined his potnah this is what I said...
I gathered all the money and I ran up the block
I said "This is a perfect time to meet with Scott LaRock"
But Scott is either psychic or he has a knack for trouble
Cos Scott LaRock showed up in a all-black BMW
I jumped inside the car and we screeched off in a hurry
And Scott said "What is wrong? Relax, tell me the story"
I said "You remember Peter? Well his posse tried to kill me
I'm all right now because the sensemi' fill me"
Scott just laughed, he said "I know they're all dead
And just before you pulled the trigger this is what you said..."
Wa da da da dang (Ay!)
Listen to my 9 millimeter go bang
Wa da da dang
Wa da da da dang (Ay!)
This is KRS-One...
Me knew a crack dealer by the name of Peter
Had to buck him down with my 9 millimeter
He said I had his girl, I said "Now what are you? Stupid?"
But he tried to play me out and KRS-One knew it
He reached for his pistol but it was just a waste
Cos my 9 millimeter was up against his face
He pulled his pistol anyway and I filled him full of lead
But just before he fell to the ground this is what I said...
Seven days later I was chillin in the herb gate
But seven days too much when the gossip has to circulate
Puffin sensemilla I heard "knock knock knock"
But the way that they knocked it did not sound like any cop
And if it were a customer they'd ask me for a nick
So suddenly I realized it had to be a trick
I dropped down to the floor and they did not waste no time
They shot right through the door so I had to go for mine
They pumped and shot again but the suckas kept on missin
Cos I was on the floor by now, I crawled into the kitchen
Thirty seconds later, boy, they bust the door down
The money and the sensemi' was lyin all around
But just as they put their pistols down to take a cut
Me jumped out the kitchen, went "buck! buck! buck!"
They fall down to the floor but one was still alive
So I put my 9 millimeter right between his eyes
Looked at his potnah and both of them were dead
So just before he joined his potnah this is what I said...
I gathered all the money and I ran up the block
I said "This is a perfect time to meet with Scott LaRock"
But Scott is either psychic or he has a knack for trouble
Cos Scott LaRock showed up in a all-black BMW
I jumped inside the car and we screeched off in a hurry
And Scott said "What is wrong? Relax, tell me the story"
I said "You remember Peter? Well his posse tried to kill me
I'm all right now because the sensemi' fill me"
Scott just laughed, he said "I know they're all dead
And just before you pulled the trigger this is what you said..."
In 'It's A Big Daddy Thing' ('89) Greg Nice
One-two-three-four, to five-six-seven
eight, nine-ten, then ya got eleven
Twelve, thirteen, start your age;
fourteen-fifteen-sixteen, the pubic stage
Like an apple, like a cherry, like a peach, like a plum
better get off the virgin before I cuuuuum!
Pick up my pants and thump and thump
I think I'll call up Tootie, she'll give me some...
eight, nine-ten, then ya got eleven
Twelve, thirteen, start your age;
fourteen-fifteen-sixteen, the pubic stage
Like an apple, like a cherry, like a peach, like a plum
better get off the virgin before I cuuuuum!
Pick up my pants and thump and thump
I think I'll call up Tootie, she'll give me some...
and then Big Daddy Kane
I see trim and bag it, take it home and rag it
the Big Daddy law is anti-f.aggot
That means no homosexuality;
what's in my pants'll make you see reality
And if you wanna see a smooth black Casanova -- BEND OVAH!
the Big Daddy law is anti-f.aggot
That means no homosexuality;
what's in my pants'll make you see reality
And if you wanna see a smooth black Casanova -- BEND OVAH!
In 'Get It Girl' ('86) 2 Live Crew
Just open those legs and let me (get it girl)
In 'Let, Let Me In' ('91) Pos of De La Soul
Force it like a motion, let me in to that
Flower power child, let me in to that
Let me sew your panic button, let me in to that
I got the semen headlocked, you won't get fat
Just lay, lay back, way, way, way
The oops up, it's a clear Saturday
We're selling my all-expense July paid
By the way, what's your name?
Just kidding, I know it's Renee
No, it isn't? Word, word, well check it out
Check, check it out
I got my my mind made up, come on, get it
Take a test, child
And get with this Pos position
From beginning to the Huckleberry Fin
If I was to yodel, would you let me in?
Flower power child, let me in to that
Let me sew your panic button, let me in to that
I got the semen headlocked, you won't get fat
Just lay, lay back, way, way, way
The oops up, it's a clear Saturday
We're selling my all-expense July paid
By the way, what's your name?
Just kidding, I know it's Renee
No, it isn't? Word, word, well check it out
Check, check it out
I got my my mind made up, come on, get it
Take a test, child
And get with this Pos position
From beginning to the Huckleberry Fin
If I was to yodel, would you let me in?
Those were the days. I guess we'll never hear beautiful lyrics like those again .
