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, predominantly black street gangs and street hustlers. Gangsta rap's reputed, earliest pioneers were Los Angeles rapper Ice-T, influenced by Philadelphia rapper Schoolly D, and especially rap group N.W.A. By 1995, via record producer Dr. Dre and rapper Snoop Dogg, gangsta rap had taken the rap genre's lead and become mainstream, popular music.
Tracy Lauren Marrow, better known by his stage name Ice-T, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, actor, record producer, and author. He began his career as an underground rapper in the 1980s and was signed to Sire Records in 1987, when he released his debut album Rhyme Pays; the second hip-hop album to carry an explicit content sticker after Slick Rick's La Di Da Di. The following year, he founded the record label Rhyme $yndicate Records and released another album, Power, which went on to go Platinum. He also released several other albums that went Gold.
N.W.A was an American hip hop group from Compton, California. They were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and are widely considered one of the greatest and most influential groups in the history of hip hop music.
Lorenzo Jerald Patterson, better known by his stage name MC Ren, is an American rapper, songwriter and record producer from Compton, California. He is the founder and owner of the record label, Villain. His moniker is derived from the middle letters in his first name (Lorenzo).
O'Shea Jackson, better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper, actor, and filmmaker. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1988 album Straight Outta Compton contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popularity. His solo albums of 1990 and 1991 consist of political rap. In 1991 and 1995, entering film, he starred in Boyz n the Hood and cocreated Friday.
Australian hip hop traces its origins to the early 1980s and is largely inspired by hip hop and other predominantly African-American musical genres from the United States. As the form matured, Australian hip hop has become a commercially viable style of music that is no longer restricted to the creative underground, with artists such as 1200 Techniques, Manu Crooks, Briggs, Baker Boy, Koolism, Hilltop Hoods and Bliss n Eso achieving notable fame. Australian hip-hop is still primarily released through independent record labels, which are often owned and operated by the artists themselves. Despite its genesis as an offshoot of American hip hop, Australian hip hop has developed a distinct personality that reflects its evolution as an Australian musical style.
Compton's Most Wanted (C.M.W.) is an American gangsta rap group and part of the early West Coast hip hop scene. The leaders of the group are MC Eiht and Tha Chill.
Criminal Minded is the debut studio album by hip hop music group Boogie Down Productions, released on March 3, 1987 by B-Boy Records. It is considered a highly influential hip hop album and one of the first in the gangsta rap genre.
Jonathan Smith, better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, songwriter, DJ, and record producer based in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the lead frontman of the multi-platinum selling rap group, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz and was instrumental in the emergence of the hip/hop subgenre crunk. He is credited with bringing the genre into mainstream success, producing Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 singles "Get Low," "Goodies," "Cyclone," "Freek-a-Leek," and "Yeah!". "Yeah!" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance. Lil Jon is also a frequent collaborator with friend and fellow rapper Pitbull. In 2013, Lil Jon collaborated with DJ Snake and released the EDM multi-platinum hit, "Turn Down for What," that won Billboard Music Award for Top Dance/Electronic Song. The music video for the single, released in 2014, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, and has been viewed over 900 million times on YouTube as of October 2019. As of 2016, Lil Jon is listed as one of the Top Billboard Music Award Winners of All Time. In 2019, Lil Jon achieved his 8th #1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Chart as a songwriter on the song "My Type" by Sacramento rapper Saweetie.
Robert Lee Green, Jr., better known by his stage name Spice 1, is an American rapper from Hayward, California. He began releasing albums in 1992 and was ranked number 56 in The Source magazine's Top 115 Hip-Hop Artists from 1988 to 2003.
Criminal Activity is the debut album by American rap supergroup Criminalz, which consisted of Spice 1, Celly Cel and Jayo Felony. It was released on August 7, 2001 via Celly Cel's label, Realside Records. Cel also served as executive producer and audio production of the record was handled by Doyle, G-Man Stan and Spice 1. It peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 26 on the Billboard Independent Albums. The album features guest performances by Yukmouth, Tray Dee, Sylk-E. Fyne and Bun B.
Release the Pressure is the debut album by rap group, Criminal Nation. It was released in 1990 for Nastymix Records and was produced by the group's producers, Eugenius and Womack. The album peaked at #73 on the Billboard charts' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and also featured the hit single, Insane, which made it to #17 on the Hot Rap Singles. The video for another single Black Power Nation, gained some airplay.
Resurrection is the third and final album released by rap group, Criminal Nation. It was released on April 3, 2000 for Ocean Records and was produced by Eugenius and several tracks by M.A.S.. This marked the group's first album since 1992's Trouble in the Hood, however the reunion would prove to be short lived as the group would disband a second time after the album's release.
Antoine Franklin McColister, better known by his stage name Ace Hood, is an American rapper. He was born in Port St. Lucie, Florida and raised in Deerfield Beach, Florida. He was initially signed to DJ Khaled's label We the Best Music Group in 2008. He has released four studio albums with his most successful of which being Blood, Sweat & Tears (2011) and Trials & Tribulations (2013). The albums contained his highest charting singles, "Hustle Hard" and "Bugatti", respectively. In 2016, McColister announced his departure from We the Best Music and is currently working as an independent artist.
Lawrence "Kris" Parker, better known by his stage names KRS-One, and Teacha, is an American rapper and occasional producer from Bronx, New York. He rose to prominence as part of the hip hop music group Boogie Down Productions, which he formed with DJ Scott La Rock in the mid-1980s. KRS-One is best known for his top hits, "Sound of da Police", "Love's Gonna Get'cha ", and "My Philosophy", among others. Boogie Down Productions received numerous awards and critical acclaim in their early years. Unfortunately, following the release of the group's debut album, Criminal Minded, fellow artist Scott La Rock was shot and killed, but KRS-One continued the group, effectively as a solo project. He began releasing records under his own name in 1993. He is politically active, having started the Stop the Violence Movement after Scott's death. He's also a vegan activist, expressed in songs such as "Beef". He is widely considered as an influence to many well known hip hop artists, such as 2Pac and Eminem to name just a few.
Robert Rihmeek Williams, known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper, songwriter, and activist. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, The Bloodhoundz. In 2008, Atlanta-based rapper T.I. signed Meek Mill to his first record deal. In February 2011, after leaving Grand Hustle Records, Mill signed with Miami-based rapper Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group (MMG). Mill's debut album, Dreams and Nightmares, was released in 2012 under MMG and Warner Bros. Records. The album, preceded by the lead single "Amen", debuted at number 57 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head is the eighth studio album by American hip hop recording artist T.I.. It was released on December 18, 2012, by Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. The production was provided by some of T.I.'s longtime collaborators; including DJ Toomp, Jazze Pha, Pharrell Williams and Lil' C. These high-profile record producers such as T-Minus, Cardiak, No I.D., Rico Love, Planet VI, Tommy Brown and Chuck Diesel, also contributed to the album. The album features guest appearances from P!nk, Lil Wayne, André 3000, R. Kelly, Akon, Meek Mill, CeeLo Green, ASAP Rocky, Trae tha Truth, Victoria Monet and Grand Hustle's own D.O.P.E.
Sonny Corey Uwaezuoke, better known by his stage name Sonny Digital, is an American record producer, rapper, and DJ. He rose to prominence after producing YC's hit single "Racks" in 2011. He is best known for his production on ILoveMakonnen's "I Dont Sell Molly No More" and "Tuesday" featuring Drake, Future's single "Same Damn Time", 50 Cent's "I'm the Man" and 2 Chainz's "Birthday Song", as well as the XXL Freshman Cyphers for 2017 and 2018. He has worked with multiple Future, Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, Drake, 50 Cent, and more.
Orlando Tucker, better known by his stage name Jahlil Beats, is an American hip hop record producer and songwriter. He is currently signed to Jay Z's Roc Nation. He has produced for artists such as Jay-Z, Diddy, Lil Wayne, Fabolous, Meek Mill, Chris Brown, Tyga, Rick Ross, Ace Hood, Bobby Shmurda, T.I., and 50 Cent among others.
Kevin Erondu, better known as K.E. on the Track, is an American record producer.
