Explain the phenomenon of “gangsta rap,” describe how the medium is related to the growth of gangs in the 1990s.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Students should say that the diffusion of gang culture is believed to be one of the most significant contributing factors leading to the growth in reported gang activity in the 1980s and 1990s, and the most common medium for this diffusion was “gangsta rap.” While the loudness and colorful nature of gang symbols have historically made them well-suited for presentation as media products, starting in the 1980s, gangsta rap dramatically changed how these images were presented to audiences. Students should note that before gangsta rap, media presentations of gangs were made largely by middle-class outsiders, who glorified and romanticized gang life. Gangsta rap represented a drastic shift in the source of information about gangs, as it was young insiders who were providing raunchy and violent insider takes on life in a gang. Students should explain that while this music was intended for a wide range of youth, spanning class and ethnic groups, it was especially influential among youth living in poor and disadvantaged areas. These youths came to idolize gangsta rappers, who spread messages of sexual conquests, money, and respect by virtue of their positions as gang members, and served as a significant catalyst for transforming members of youth gangs into members of verifiable street gangs.