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.
Wild Style is a 1983 American hip hop film directed and produced by Charlie Ahearn. Regarded as the first hip hop motion picture, it includes appearances by seminal figures such as Fab Five Freddy, Lee Quiñones, Lady Pink, The Rock Steady Crew, The Cold Crush Brothers, Queen Lisa Lee of Zulu Nation, Grandmaster Flash and ZEPHYR.
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.
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.
Angelo "Sonny" Mercurio was an Italian-American mobster and a member of the Patriarca crime family who became an FBI informant that recorded for the first time a mafia induction ceremony. This recording led to the incarceration of family boss Raymond Patriarca, Jr. and several other high ranking mafioso. It also became a source of embarrassment for the organization. Subsequently after incarceration Mercurio was entered into the Witness Protection Program.
A 2Pac Tribute: Dare 2 Struggle is a posthumously released tribute album dedicated to the late hip hop icon, Tupac Shakur.
DeAndre Cortez Way, known professionally as Soulja Boy, is an American rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence after his self-released debut single "Crank That " peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven non-consecutive weeks in 2007. He then released his debut album, Souljaboytellem.com (2007), which also included the single "Soulja Girl".
Days of Wrath is a 2008 American drama film starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Laurence Fishburne and Wilmer Valderrama. The film is directed by Celia Fox, and written by Mitchell Kapner and Michael Markee.
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, better known as Rage, is a music video and film director and record producer. Rage has helmed hundreds of videos for well-known acts from the global superstars to the emerging acts to the niche branded. A visually prolific and explosively versatile director, his work ranges from hardcore, heavy metal, rock, punk to hip hop and rap and gangsta rap. Rage is the founder of Raging Nation with Kim Resteghini, his wife and partner.
Lexus Arnel Lewis, professionally known as Lex Luger, is an American record producer. His stage name is inspired by the 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.
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.
"Lifestyle" is a song by American hip hop group Rich Gang, featuring rappers Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan. The song, produced by London on da Track, was released on June 5, 2014. It has been certified Platinum in the United States.
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 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.
