Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, is a subgenre of hip hop music that emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a distinct but highly controversial rap subgenre, whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American,street gangs and street hustlers. Gangsta rap's reputed, earliest pioneers were Philadelphia rapper Schoolly D and Los Angeles rapper Ice-T and the genre was taken to new heights in 1988 by rap group N.W.A. By 1992, via record producer Dr. Dre, rapper Snoop Dogg and their pioneering G-funk sound, gangsta rap had taken the rap genre's lead and become mainstream, popular music.
Korean hip hop, also known as K-hip hop, is a subgenre of hip hop music from South Korea. Korean hip hop is distinguished from American hip hop by not only sound and language, but also by the culture from which the music is made.
A rap opera or hip hopera is a musical work in hip hop style with operatic form. The terms have been used to describe both dramatic works and concept albums, and hip hopera has also been used for works drawing more heavily on contemporary R&B than other hip hop such as rap.
Donnie Shaquan Lewis, also known as Skillz, or Mad Skillz is an American rapper known for his acclaimed 1996 album From Where???, a reference to his origins in Virginia, not a New York City or Los Angeles rapper. He is also known for his yearly "Rap Ups," which he has done annually since 2002.
Hip hop or hip-hop is a culture and art movement that was created by African Americans, Latino Americans and Caribbean Americans in the Bronx, New York City. The origin of the name is often disputed. It is also argued as to whether hip hop started in the South or West Bronx. While the term hip hop is often used to refer exclusively to hip hop music, hip hop is characterized by four key elements: "rapping", a rhythmic vocal rhyming style (orality); DJing, which is making music with record players and DJ mixers ; b-boying/b-girling/breakdancing (movement/dance); and graffiti. Other elements are: hip hop culture and historical knowledge of the movement (intellectual/philosophical); beatboxing, a percussive vocal style; street entrepreneurship; hip hop language; and hip hop fashion and style, among others. The fifth element, although debated, is commonly considered either street knowledge, hip hop fashion, or beatboxing.
Michael Jerome Stewart was an African-American man who received recognition after his death following an arrest by New York City Transit Police for writing graffiti in soft tip marker or using an aerosol can on a New York City Subway wall at the First Avenue station. His treatment while in police custody and the ensuing trials of the arresting officers sparked debate concerning police brutality and the responsibilities of arresting officials in handling suspects. This was a widely publicized episode in New York City's history of police brutality cases.
LGBTQ representations in hip hop music have been historically low. Hip hop has long been portrayed as one of the least LGBTQ-friendly genres of music with a significant body of the genre containing homophobic views and anti-gay lyrics. Attitudes towards homosexuality in hip hop culture have historically been negative. Gay slurs like "sus", "no homo", and "pause" can be heard in hip hop lyrics from the industry’s biggest stars. According to the LA Times, these slurs were used to put "queerness as a punchline". However, since the early 2000s there has been a flourishing community of LGBTQ hip hop artists, activists and performers breaking barriers in the mainstream music industry.
Toni Blackman is an American rapper, actress, and writer who was the first hip-hop ambassador to the U.S. State Department. Additionally, she was selected as a 2006 Rhythm Road touring artist and subsequently served as on the selection committee for American Music Abroad with American Voices.
Twerking is a type of dance that came out of the bounce music scene of New Orleans in the late 1980s. Individually-performed by women, dancers move by throwing or thrusting their hips back or shaking their buttocks, often in a low squatting stance. Twerking is part of a larger set of characteristic moves unique to the New Orleans style of hip-hop known as "bounce". Moves include "mixing", "exercising", the "bend over", the "shoulder hustle", "clapping", "booty clapping", "booty poppin", and "the wild wood"—all recognized as "booty shaking" or "bounce". Twerking is but one choreographic gesture within bounce.
Drill is a style of trap music that originated in the South Side of Chicago in early 2010. It is defined by its dark, violent, nihilistic lyrical content and ominous trap-influenced beats.
Michelle Taryn Friedland is a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Jeff Chang is an American historian and music critic on hip hop music and culture. His 2005 book, Can't Stop Won't Stop, which won the Before Columbus Foundation's American Book Award, chronicles the early hip hop scene. His writing has appeared in URB, BOMB, San Francisco Chronicle, The Village Voice, San Francisco Bay Guardian, Vibe, Spin, The Nation, and Mother Jones. He has also been featured on NPR.
Stephen Yale-Loehr , is an American law professor and immigration law attorney. Yale-Loehr earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Cornell University in 1977 and 1981, respectively. He was editor-in-chief of the Cornell International Law Journal during his time at the law school. Upon graduating he clerked for Judge Howard G. Munson of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York. Yale-Loehr has been a member of the Cornell Law faculty since 1991.
"Love Galore" is a song by American singer SZA, featuring vocals from American rapper and singer Travis Scott. It was released on April 28, 2017, as the second single from the former's debut studio album, Ctrl (2017). The song was written by the two artists alongside the producers ThankGod4Cody, Carter Lang, and Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence "Punch" Henderson.
Emo rap is a fusion genre of hip hop and emo that originated in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-late 2010s. The genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals commonly found in emo music. The genre also takes influence from genres of rock such as indie rock, pop punk and nu metal as well as hip hop elements from trap music, cloud rap and alternative hip hop. The term is sometimes conflated with "SoundCloud rap".
Quality Control Music is an American record label founded by Kevin "Coach K" Lee and Pierre "Pee" Thomas in March 2013. Its productions were distributed through Universal Music Distribution until it was dismantled in 2015; the label's releases are now distributed through Motown and Caroline, subsidiaries of the Capitol Music Group. Tamika Howard and Simone Mitchell are executives of the label, with Howard serving as its general manager.
Anti-police sentiment refers to a social group or individual's attitude and stance against police officers. It can involve rhetoric, protests, or abuse.
Brooklyn drill music is a subgenre of hip-hop that began as derivative of the drill music scene in Chicago, Illinois, USA, and was modified with 808 percussion and sliding notes by notable producers from the drill music scene in London, United Kingdom and blossomed in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Brooklyn drill emerged around 2016 and was made popular in the mainstream in 2019 by the late Pop Smoke. Other notable contributors of Brooklyn drill music are Fivio Foreign, 22GZ, Sheff G, Sleepy Hallow, Sosa Geek, KJ Balla, Smoove'L, Fetty Luciano, Max ThaDemon, Ciggy Black, Coach Da Ghost, Rah Swish, Bizzy Banks, Curly Savv,Envy Caine, Blizz Vito, PNV Jay, and Nick Blixky.
Emil Wilbekin is an American journalist, media executive, stylist, content creator, culture critic, and human-rights activist. He is the former editor-in-chief of Vibe Magazine and GIANT Magazine, editor-at-large at Essence Magazine and managing editor of its associated website Essence.com, and chief content officer of Afropunk. He is the founder of Native Son Now, an organization dedicated to empowering and lifting up Black gay men through positive representation and business opportunities.
