What usually comes to your mind when you think of Hip-Hop? You may not want to admit it, but most of those idealisms are stereotypical views spawned by what many see on television. Many think of Hip-Hop as simply being violent, misogynistic and containing materialistic qualities that destroy our youth. To a certain degree I’m obliged to agree that some rappers maintain such qualities, and if it weren’t for the fact that I am not only a fan but a product of this Hip-Hop generation, I’d probably assume that’s all there is to this music.

But instead of going into all of the misconceptions of Hip-Hop, I would like to dig deeper into a topic spawned by none other than Hip-Hop mogul, Jay-Z. Jay has previously spoken out about the state of Hip-Hop since President Obama’s recent election and the riddance of the “gangsta” image that Hip-Hop often reveals.

“Obama represents so much hope for blacks and Latinos. The hope he represents is bigger than any of the huge problems he could possibly correct,” he said. “When you have positive role models, you can change your life for the better. The day Obama got elected, the gangsta became less relevant.”

So my question is: Is “Gangsta” Dead?

Now in order to truly analyze this question, we must first ask ourselves, was “Gangsta” ever alive? The answer to this may lie within Hip-Hop’s musical history.

Gangsta Rap or Hard Core rap is a genre developed in the early 80s by artists who intended to musically paint a picture depicting life in their inner-city ghettos. Artists who emerged from this genre include Ice T and N.W.A., which were two of the most prominent and commercially accepted artists of this subgenre.


While thugs and gangsters have existed for centuries, with the spawn of this new subgenre, people were able to get a clear cut picture of what being a “gangsta” was all about. They say art imitates life, but often time life can imitate art; as many fans began to mimic what they viewed and heard from these hardcore rappers and ultimately caused an overwhelming hatred for this genre. Over time, hard core rappers became more prevalent. Everyone from Wu-Tang Clan, to Tupac and the rest of Death Row Records were considered as the menaces of Hip-Hop and even society.

However, what we neglect to mention is the fact that “gangsta” is more than just the music, like Hip-Hop in its entirety; “gangsta” is a lifestyle. I believe that Jay-Z making his statement was not so much dealing with the music side of Hip-Hop, but rather the lifestyles of the many young African-Americans and Latino Americans who actually listen to the music.

Before President Obama got elected, there were very few minorities in high places for young people to look up to and admire. So instead, they found pleasure in mimicking and admiring the only role-models some of them had in these inner city communities. Let’s be realistic here, of course they are more than just drug dealers and thugs in the hood, but realistically nobody wants to grow up and be like “Mr. Eddie,” the counselor down at the local Recreation Center.  Although he may be an upstanding citizen and a great role-model, most kids thrive to be like those strong, flashy, and powerful people they see on the streets; the thugs, gangsters, and drug dealers.

With President Obama now in office, the same youth that once viewed the “gangsta” as their superstar can now think bigger, live bigger, dream bigger, knowing that they can be more than just a negative product of their community. No longer are confined by unbreakable barriers because the ultimate barrier has been broken, causing a ripple effect amongst these minorities who now have a positive role-model that they can look up too. Lives can be changed and strongholds can be broken, yes, but will they?


It’s beautiful to live and dream of a world where “gangstas” don’t exist, however, I feel as though we are intoxicated by the reality that we have indeed made change, yet that same intoxication has clouded our minds from the reality that some things, never will.

I would love to say that the “gangsta” is so last season, and at this current time, he very well may be. I do agree with Jay to a certain extent, but we must keep it real. President Obama is not in our households; President Obama is not on our street corners. It’s just like when your mother went away from the weekend, you forgot all about that 11 o’clock curfew and all the rules went out the window. Simply put, out of sight, out of mind. We must be careful of our assumptions, we have to think about the people who never get a glimpse of the change that is occurring in America because they are hidden in the crevices of these ghettos and simply forgotten. In saying that, I’ll simply leave you with a statement that one of my friends said to me the other day that struck a chord on the inside of my mind:

“The “Gangsta” isn’t dead, he’s just thriving underground.”

What do you believe?

Tracy B.
IADT las vegas
Game design

“In my opinion “gangsta” has always been irrelevant, and the fact that it takes something like Obama to get elected for someone to speak out against it is ridiculous. What is a gangsters purpose anyway? To be nothin more than a modern day terrorist. And as much as people front being positive, rappers who talk about ireelevant shit still make the most money.”

Gerald C.
Famu
Economics

“Dead? No. Jayz is speaking out of his butt…and its quite obvious. No one person is going to change who we are or what we are. J knows this..Obama knows this. If that was true, then the “Gangsta” wouldve been dead back around Malcolm X and MLK. They are and i believe forever will be bigger than Obama. Gangsta isnt dead, it is just transformed into… guys who are more undercover ganstas…or moved into the commercialism areas….gansta will forever be cause the mindset will forever be. We didnt see a decline in black crime rates or a decline in what blacks do…in fact we prolly seen an increase…”

J. Jones
Calarts
Writer

“obama is not a gangsta or a gangster. he represents black men in an unprecedented way which makes him inspiring. but, his one image or reality is not going to outweigh some young black and latino men and women’s existence. gangsters often exist in that same existence and teach young people the rules of life as they grow up. therefore the gangsta will never die. especially when it’s being documented on the history channel. “gangsta” is a part of the fabric of america, and obama will not kill that, even though he inspires us all. …

jay’s point is well taken, but i don’t think he is saying obama has deaded gangsta. less relevant? hopefully in due time. dead? these kids listen to gucci mane and dr. dre is still producing records.”

Raven N.
University of Cincinnati
History

“To me… gangster was always stupid. When it was relevant, it was because the people who said it really did it. Now all you have to say is you did it and appear as you if you are a gangster and that’s it and all. People lost sight of what a gangster was about.Watch Goodfellas…not Scarface”

Dre J
CSU
Writing

“yep, it’s become moreso commercialized to immortalize something that many wouldn’t speak on on wax. all these cats are doing is fantasizing in third personand besides even gangsta rap, in the past, actually told us the truth bout what was really going down, and even that has fell by the wayside”