Many rappers claim to be “O.G.’s” or “gangstas” but have no ties to any real gangs. However, a number of rappers truly do have gang affiliations, which affects their music.

     Popular 80s rapper Dr. Dre made multiple songs about being in a gang even though he had no official ties to one. However, one of his N.W.A. group members, Eazy-E, was in a gang: the Park Compton Crips. This caused a rift between the two artists later in their careers as illustrated in the lyrics of Eazy-E’s album “BEEF.”

     “To me, it doesn’t matter if an artist has been in a gang or not if their music is still good. You have to separate the artist from the art that they make,” senior Andreas Hernandez said.

     Gangsta rap first became a genre of hardcore or violent rap songs in the mid 1980s. By the 1990s the genre was one of the most listened-to genres with stars like Tupac Shakur, N.W.A., and Snoop Dogg. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the songs were well received because they were an accurate reflection of the struggles of living in inner-city areas.

     “I think more artists should talk about their experiences with gangs so that people understand because the people who are only joining to fake it can really get hurt,” freshman Denmar Chambers said.

      Shakur reached quick commercial success with his album “All Eyez on Me,” which sold 500,000 copies in its first week. This record success led to the rise in popularity for gangsta rap which led to industry wars.

     Rivalries within the gangsta rap industry quickly flared up. East Coast rappers and West Coast rappers were engaged in a war for domination over the industry. Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records were the main sides in the “coastal battle.”

     Suge Knight, the owner and producer of Death Row Records, was in constant battle with Sean “P Diddy” Combs who founded Bad Boy Records. They were often known to trade public threats and insults starting in the early 90s.

     This gang war led to the murders of Death Row Records premier artist Tupac Shakur, and Bad Boy Records leading artist Christopher Wallace (Notorious B.I.G.). These two artists, though not directly tied to any gang activity, were caught in the crossfire of the rivalry.

     “Rap has shown me more about what the values and morals of people in gangs are like. These people have had to live with doing illegal things since they were young. But it also showed me what rappers have gone through in their lives,” Hernandez said.

     Gangsta rap has always sparked controversy, as a result of offensive lyrics or actions from an artist. Many people have called into question the effects that the harsh music has on its listeners. 

     The lyrics of gangsta rap often depict violence, murder, drugs, and sex. Most songs include these themes in a way that romanticizes them and appeals to the audience. Critics claim that gangsta rap seduces young impressionable teens into gang life because they believe that it will bring them credibility and money.

     “People join gangs for different reasons. It honestly comes from what being in a gang means to you. Some people just join to be cool, but some people join because they had nowhere else to go,” Chambers said.

     Even today gangs still have influence in the music industry. Rapper Lil’ Wayne is a known member of the bloods and raps about it in multiple songs as well as Chief Keef who is a member of the Black Disciples. The violence has not died down; instead, it has taken to social media.

     Chief Keef has even had public beef with another small time rapper Joseph Coleman who was in an opposing gang. He also had a feud with rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine which led to a Keef nearly being shot. 6ix9ine took to Instagram with threats after Keef released a song with Trippie Redd threatening the rapper. In 6ix9ine’s post, he retaliated with a post questioning Keef’s street cred and eventually, things came to a head with the shooting, though no one was hurt.

     Gangs have become prevalent in the music industry over the past 30 years. Many of these gang affiliations cause rifts between artists and can often lead to violence.