The concept of gangsterism in hip hop

[Mc Cubz]

Hi everyone, I have been thinking about this concept for a long time now, and I have some personal interpretions of wht I hear in and about our hip hop music. Some rappers seem to talk about gangster shit in lyrics because they want to talk about theyre life and tht is wht they have lived, others tallk about gangster shit tht havent lived it but know about it, either with a comdoning or condescending stance, with it seeming the former to me mostly. Another idea for thought is artists trying to sound mean/agressive on tracks when they dont actually speak nefin like tht, possibly beacuse they think it is cool. Do you guys think gangster shit in lyrics or a exaggerated street voice is cool; personaly I would say It appeals to more ppl, although I dont know if I think tht is how it should be. Also, although voice is important on a track (because if you dont like someones voice ur less likely to listen to them) do u guys think lyrical content and its meaning (if existant) is more important? Where I live and It seems on the net so in ohther places, although lots of guys are 'true' to themselves we have alot of ppl jus talking about gangster shit with no more meaning, with rhymes along the lines of, packing macks, attacking fags, slapping bad, or draw my nine, your all dry, etc, the amount of times I've herd the phrases 'draw my nine' or 'you dont really want it....' is beyond a joke, and although some of these peeps sound arite on tracks cos of the sound theyre voice makes, I jus find myself turning it of and listening to my deeper meaning music, namely nas. This is just me and I can dance to 50 cents apparently simple lyrics with a gangster theme in clubs etc, but when I want to use music to involve my mind's deeper thoughts about life and shit I jus rather my type of music. I like to listen to as much music as I can and expand my knowledge and understanding of music/life/lyrics etc(, as I do in walks of life through a range of activities). Also I have always kept an open mind about everything and used to listen to simple lyrics constantly when younger, never even appreciating rappers like mob deep for theyre deepness; therefore I would appreciate some discussion from ppl who share my interest in music etc so that I can think more about this concept. Thanks peeps . I hope someone, as in my past discussion threads, can make me think of an alternate thing, or highlight something I didnt realise before. Mc Cubz

[AspirinE]

I think its kinda rediculous to brag about crimes though. Artistic expression is a great thing, but it seems like many people get a wrong impression about wat this expression is, and when they mimic it they turn it into something different.

Drug dealers, murders, Gansters, shouldnt be rapping in the first place, they should be in jail for their crimes. And if they have made the mistake of taking the wrong road, they should tell the story of their life and tell others not to do the same.

[Coccoa]

Too long to read. No matter how much ASP is bitching we will keep rapping

I aint here to kick knowledge, i am here to get dollars!!

[AspirinE]

Too long to read. No matter how much ASP is bitching we will keep rapping

I aint here to kick knowledge, i am here to get dollars!!

Im not bitching, but ur community is. Get urself a real job.

[Coccoa]

A job that pays like 260-300 dollars less per day? No thanks.

[Hoopz]

Too long to read. No matter how much ASP is bitching we will keep rapping

I aint here to kick knowledge, i am here to get dollars!!

so umm who is we.. are you supposed to be a drug dealer???

[AspirinE]

A job that pays like 260-300 dollars less per day? No thanks.

Being scum is easier ofcourse, ur shitting on your own community. Dont complain wen the cops beat ur face in the pavement, and wile ur being battered think about the people that will be beaten the same way just coz theres too many people like that making stereotyping and racism easier.

[Mc Cubz]

A job that pays like 260-300 dollars less per day? No thanks.

yo coccoa do u sell ur mixtapes to ppl bro, theres a few guys in my area that sell theyre music and are very succesful for there age etc.

[Coccoa]

Being scum is easier ofcourse, ur shitting on your own community. Dont complain wen the cops beat ur face in the pavement, and wile ur being battered think about the people that will be beaten the same way just coz theres too many people like that making stereotyping and racism easier.

Totally. Aint it a bitch when they raid in and find three tons of firearms? Aint it also a bitch when they see the licenses LMAO. See em leave with both of their heads down LMAO!!!

yo coccoa do u sell ur mixtapes to ppl bro, theres a few guys in my area that sell theyre music and are very succesful for there age etc.

No i dont do it for the money. Music is to be told not to be sold.

[yoshi]

i've read Cubz post lmao but anyway, i get it. i'm not sayin that gangsta rap is bad, cause i like it, but sometimes i feel like listening to something deeper..

i think it's cool when people express themselves through the music and tell their listeners story of their life, they actually have the courage to do it, even about most personal stuff [i know they do it for money too lol], but rapping about guns/drugs/bitches, while you have been a nerd in the high school and then thought it'd be cool to be a gangsta rapper, it's just wrong lol

[Coccoa]

-- i totally agree with ASP on everything that's been said.


if you did all those crimes.. you don't necessarily have to preach against it, because, in today's society, preaching doesn't sale. BUT, if the artist tries to uplift his community through donations and community service, he'll not only be setting an example, but he'll also be helping create a community where no one has to be "a thug."


if every rapper did this, especially in these big cities where racism, crime, and poverty run rampant, so many things could change for the better.

Hmmm maybe things aint getting better becuz nobody wants em to be better. You self above all, fuck them rest. Donations, service and bullshit. Nobody gotta be a thug. We are cuz we want it. And preaching sales, go ask Snoop dude.

[Coccoa]

and that's the selfish attitude that perpetuates hate, crime, and poverty. that's why the black community can never get anywhere.

if rapping and basketball is the only way a young black man can get out of the hood, you'd think the people who make it out would want to make a way for rapping and basketball NOT to be the only way out of the hood...

but.. whatever.. i'm going to help black communities in my own way and you can continue to be slave

There is more than blacks in the inner cities you know. Right now latins prolly outnumber the blacks as we getting tossed into the same blocks blacks used and still live. And there are more to come. High population rate increased squalor and squalor increases crime rate. Simple as that.

And then you have those white boys who used to hate everyone but their own guts love your music and your way of life, like it wasnt their father who was beating your father.

Blacks need another Malcolm X, and we need some "Latin" Panthers, instead of Vicelords, Disciples and Latin Kings. But you cant help it. This aint communism, this is anarchy, everyone for his own ass. The Puertoricans next block aint brothers, the Dominicans downtown aint brothers, the Italian in Lil Italy aint brothers, the blacks aint brothers. They are a bunch of motherfuckers tryina take my food out my mouth. So imma catch a body next time. That's how everyone is thinking.

[Coccoa]

so.. if the minority groups need new leaders, do you actually think these leaders will be made in poor housing projects and shitty schools!?!? that's the whole reason why rappers should uplift the community...

Rappers COME from poor housing projects and shitty schools. Wait...what schools? I am the lucky one cuz i dropped school at 17. Others dropped it at 13. They dont understand what u saying. They are not leaders, they are not teachers. They are MONEY MAKERS. Or, as Banks said "i aint here to drop knowledge to you suckers".

yeah.. you don't want someone taking food out of your mouth .. so you hate the other minority groups... but doesn't it seem fucking sad as hell that someone can take food out of your mouth? do you think they worry about this in the suburbs? no.. they don't. and that's yet ANOTHER reason why a rapper should go back to the community and donate his time and money.

Why? The hard earned (or not) money that he deserve?? To give it to whom? Some ignorant fuckers?? 50 can give his entire networth to the hood NOTHING will change. Why? Cuz the people were raised by ignorant people and grow up their seed in an ignorant way. You cant save someone who dont want to be saved.

[stevethetruth]

*walks into thread* well i am too god damn lazy to read all this i'ma save it for a rainy day
oh shit wait it raining right now ahh screw it i'm still not reading this *walks out of thread*

[BaZZ]

ok i donno what u guys said cuz i dont want to read... but the whole gangsta rap came from blacks being angry because of racism and shit... so they started talking about revolution n shit... till they started some kind of revolution... the revolution consisted of commiting crimes n stuff... so the rappers became violent n stuff and they created this gangsta mood... thats all i know...