Gangsta Gangsta

Gangsta rap is a term originated by the mainstream media to describe a certain subgenre of hip hop music which developed during the late 1980s. It is a genre of hip hop that reflects the violent lifestyles of some inner-city youths. Gangsta is a corruption of the word gangster. The genre was pioneered around 1983 by Ice T with songs like Cold Winter Madness and Body Rock/Killers and was popularized by groups like NWA in the late '80s'. After the national attention that Ice-T & N.W.A created in the late 80's, gangsta rap became the most commercially lucrative subgenre of hip hop.

The subject matter inherent in gangsta rap has caused a great deal of controversy. Criticism has come from both right wing and left wing commentators, and religious leaders, who have accused the genre of promoting homophobia, violence, profanity, promiscuity, misogyny, rape, street gangs, drive-by shootings, police brutality, vandalism, thievery, crime, drug dealing, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, racism, and materialism. From the gansta rap genre emerged a sub-genre of sorts of rappers who used profane and sexually graphic lyrics most notably Too Short and the 2 Live Crew.