Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, is a subgenre of hip-hop that conveys the culture and values typical of urban gangs and street hustlers. Emerging in the late 1980s, gangsta rap's pioneers include Schoolly D of Philadelphia and Ice-T of Los Angeles, later expanding in California with artists such as N.W.A and Tupac Shakur. In 1992, via record producer and rapper Dr. Dre, rapper Snoop Dogg, and their G-funk sound, gangster rap broadened to mainstream popularity.
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony is an American hip hop group composed of rappers Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Flesh-n-Bone. Formed in 1991 in Cleveland, Ohio, the group signed to fellow American rapper Eazy-E's Ruthless Records in late 1993, on which they debuted with their EP Creepin on ah Come Up the next year. The EP included their breakout hit single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone". In 1995, the group released its second album E. 1999 Eternal, which included hits "1st of tha Month" and "East 1999". Their hit song "Tha Crossroads", a tribute to then-recently deceased mentor Eazy-E, won a Grammy Award in 1997.
Above the Law was an American hip hop group from Pomona, California, founded in 1989 by Cold 187um, KMG the Illustrator, Go Mack, and DJ Total K-Oss.
Jay Wayne Jenkins, known by his stage name Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream audiences. Jenkins began his career in 2001, releasing two independent albums, until signing with Def Jam Recordings to release his major label debut, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 (2005). It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, sold 172,000 copies in its first week, and received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album was led by the single "Soul Survivor", featuring Akon, which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song.
Hood film is a 1990s film genre originating in the United States, which features aspects of urban African American or Hispanic American culture. John Singleton, Mario Van Peebles, F. Gary Gray, Hughes Brothers, and Spike Lee are all directors who have created work typically classified as part of this genre. The genre has been identified as a sub-genre of the gangster film genre.
DeAndre Cortez Way, known professionally as Soulja Boy, is an American rapper and record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He rose to prominence after his self-released 2007 debut single, "Crank That " peaked the Billboard Hot 100 for seven non-consecutive weeks. After its commercial re-release by Collipark Music, an imprint of Interscope Records, the song and its follow-up, "Soulja Girl" led to the release of his debut studio album, Souljaboytellem.com (2007). Despite unfavorable critical reception, it peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and spawned the single "Yahhh!."
Raymond Forchion is an American actor, writer, producer, and director who has appeared on film, television and stage. Aside from several pilots and TV movies, he has co-starred on series such as Burn Notice, Numb3rs, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Femme Fatales, Southland, Will & Grace, The Golden Girls, Wiseguy and In the Heat of the Night. He has had recurring roles on General Hospital and Miami Vice. His film credits include Flight of the Navigator (1986), Point Break (1991) and Masterblaster (1987).
A Day in the Life is a 2009 American musical crime film, written, directed by and starring Sticky Fingaz, released on July 7, 2009 by Major Independents and Lions Gate Films. The film tells about one day in the life of Sticky, the leader of the gang, who is trying to escape from criminal life. A Day in the Life contains no spoken dialogue. Instead, the actors rap all their lines over a hip-hop beat.
Tougher Than Leather is an American film released in 1988 and distributed by New Line Cinema. The film was directed by Rick Rubin and stars the hip-hop group Run–D.M.C. They created the film to coincide with the release of their fourth studio album also titled Tougher Than Leather.
Dale Anthony Resteghini, known professionally as Rage, is an American music video director and film director. He has been credited on music videos for prominent music industry acts in the genres of hardcore, heavy metal, rock, punk, hip hop and gangsta rap.
Lexus Arnel Lewis, professionally known as Lex Luger, is an American record producer. His stage name is a homage to the former WCW/WWF professional wrestler Lex Luger. He co-founded the American hip hop production team 808 Mafia with Southside. He is a member of the hip hop production duo Low Pros with A-Trak, and the VABP, a hip hop group that he founded in high school.
"Wild Boy" is a song by American rapper Machine Gun Kelly featuring fellow American rapper Waka Flocka Flame. The song, released September 27, 2011, serves as the lead single from Kelly's debut EP Half Naked & Almost Famous (2012). Produced by GB Hitz and Southside, the song was initially included on Kelly's third mixtape Rage Pack, and later included on his major-label debut studio album Lace Up.
Dequantes Devontay Lamar, known professionally as Rich Homie Quan, is an American rapper. Beginning his career in 2011, Lamar first saw mainstream success with his 2013 single "Type of Way", which peaked at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. His 2015 single, "Flex " saw further success at number 26 on the chart. Alongside fellow Atlanta rapper Young Thug, Lamar was a member of Cash Money Records' spin-off project Rich Gang, who found success with their 2014 single "Lifestyle".
Leland Tyler Wayne, known professionally as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer. Critically acclaimed for his dark production style, he is regarded as one of the most influential producers in modern hip hop and trap music. His frequent collaborators include Future, Young Thug, the Weeknd, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, 21 Savage, Gucci Mane, Gunna and Nav.
David Maximillian Cunningham, known professionally as Dun Deal, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper. He is best known for producing A$AP Mob's hit single "RAF", Young Thug's single "Stoner" and Migos' single "Hannah Montana". Cunningham has also worked with Gucci Mane, Usher, Trey Songz, Future, NBA YoungBoy, Rich Homie Quan, and Kevin Gates, among others. He is signed to Artist Publishing Group.
Bankroll Mafia is an American hip hop collective from Atlanta, Georgia. The collective was formed in 2015, after southern rappers T.I., Young Thug and Shad da God began frequently working together. Other Atlanta-based rappers also joined the collective, including Label No Genre’s London Jae, and Young Thug's close affiliates Peewee Roscoe and Lil Duke. In an interview with Billboard, T.I. described the group's dynamic as "a collective that includes a lot of personal and professional constituents throughout the industry, in and out of our elements." The collective released their self-titled debut album in April 2016.
YSL Records is an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia. It was founded in 2016 by the Atlanta-based rapper Young Thug. The company is a label imprint of 300 Entertainment. Its artists include Gunna, Lil Keed and more. Several contemporary artists, including Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Lil Baby, Lil Gotit, NAV, Travis Scott, and Slimelife Shawty have expressed allegiance to YSL, but are not contractually signed.
The 1995 Source Awards were held at the Paramount Theater in New York City on August 3, 1995. The awards show was one of the most consequential and infamous events in the history of hip-hop. The show escalated tensions between the East and West Side hip-hop communities, thereby likely catalysing the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls within the following two years. Televised nationally, the show also worsened America's moral panic about the influence of rap and hip-hop on its youth.
