Gangsta rap

History and character

Origins

Gangsta rap is a thematic strand before it is a sonic one: it tells, in the first person, of street life, crime, police violence, and the poverty of African American neighborhoods. The first track generally cited is “P.S.K. What Does It Mean?” by Schoolly D (Philadelphia, 1985); Ice-T, inspired by him, releases “6 'N the Mornin'” (1986). Boogie Down Productions' “Criminal Minded” (1987) is the first rap album with guns on the cover. The first blockbuster is N.W.A's “Straight Outta Compton” (Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, DJ Yella; 1988), which, with “Fuck tha Police,” even provokes a letter of protest from the FBI.

The '90s

“The Chronic” (Dr. Dre, 1992) and “Doggystyle” (Snoop Dogg, 1993) make gangsta rap commercially dominant through G-funk; 2Pac (“All Eyez on Me,” 1996), The Notorious B.I.G. (“Ready to Die,” 1994), Mobb Deep, the Geto Boys and Scarface (Houston), Master P with No Limit, and Cash Money (New Orleans) are its faces. On the East Coast, mafioso rap is born (Kool G Rap; Raekwon, “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...,” 1995; AZ, Jay-Z). Controversies (Body Count's “Cop Killer,” C. Delores Tucker's campaigns against misogynistic lyrics, the debate over the Parental Advisory label) accompany the whole decade.

2000–present

50 Cent's “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” (2003, with Dr. Dre and Eminem as executive producers) combines gangsta themes with pop-R&B hooks; The Game continues that line. From the mid-2000s “classic” gangsta rap gives way to trap (Atlanta), drill (Chicago, London, New York), and Griselda's neo-mafioso revival, which inherit its content.

Aesthetics

Sonically, gangsta rap uses the language of its scene: aggressive collage (N.W.A, with The Bomb Squad as a model), G-funk (Los Angeles), dark boom bap (New York), bounce and 808s (the South). Constants: a hard, forward vocal, heavy drums, tense atmospheres.

Scales and keys

Natural minor (Aeolian)

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 (2-1-2-2-1-2-2).
• Example in C: C D Eb F G Ab Bb.
• Chords: Cm – Ddim – Eb – Fm – Gm – Ab – Bb (i ii° III iv v VI VII).
• Use: gloomy loops, tense strings, low pianos; the dominant scale of the strand.

Harmonic minor

• In A: A B C D E F G#.
• Characteristic notes: G# and the augmented second F–G#.
• Use: cinematic tension (strings in the style of the film “Scarface,” 1983, much quoted), dramatic choirs, the “In da Club” style with minor synths and strings.

Dorian (G-funk)

• In E: E F# G A B C# D; major IV with a 9 (A9).
• Use: West Coast groove.

Phrygian

• In E: E F G A B C D; b2 note (F).
• Use: horrorcore and Southern gangsta (Three 6 Mafia, the Geto Boys on their darker tracks).

Minor pentatonic / blues

• In G: G Bb C D F; blues G Bb C Db D F.
• Use: funk basses, synth leads, soul samples.

How to choose

Harmony

Loops and tension

Loops of 1–4 minor chords or soul samples; the tension comes from strings, piano, and sustained choirs, rarely from cadences.

Collage (late '80s)

Multiple layered samples (funk, rock, sirens, voices) with chaotic harmony, the Bomb Squad model: the harmony is organized noise.

Soul and cinema

Mafioso rap samples soul and soundtracks (orchestral strings, horns) for a movie atmosphere; often i–VI–V in harmonic minor.

Harmonic rhythm

One chord per bar or per two bars.

Voicings

Piano in low octaves and mid triads, strings in close triads, synth stabs.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Feel

Mid-tempo (88–98), heavy snare on 2 and 4, light swing (boom bap/G-funk) or straight (2000s). The groove is solid and menacing rather than danceable.

Flow

Straight, punctuated, aggressive (Ice Cube, DMX) or relaxed and melodic (Snoop, 50 Cent); plenty of room for storytelling.

Drums

Kick

Heavy, syncopated (steps 1, 8, 11 or 1, 3, 11); TR-808 or sampled breaks.

Snare

On 2 and 4, big and dry; layered clap; in the 2000s, cleaner, drier snares.

Hi-hat

Eighth or sixteenth notes, light swing or straight.

Percussion and FX

Sirens, gunshots, movie samples, scratching, newscast voices (collage).

Interaction

Kick and bass locked together; steady drums under a long story.

Typical mistakes

Too many FX (they become a caricature); drums too light for the intensity of the lyrics.

Bass

• G-funk: round synth bass.
• East Coast: sampled bass or short sub.
• South: long 808.
• 2000s: clean synth bass and 808 (Dr. Dre / Mike Elizondo).
• Notes: root and fifth; they follow the kick.

Harmonic instruments

• Dark piano and strings, dramatic choirs.
• Synth leads and pads (G-funk, 2000s).
• Soul and funk samples, soundtrack horns.

Melody and vocals

• Rap: first-person, narrative, raw; mid-low register; hard voice.
• Hooks: spoken, shouted in chorus, or sung by R&B voices (2Pac with K-Ci & JoJo, melodic 50 Cent).
• Backing vocals: gang vocals.
• Effects: dry vocal, heavy compression.

Instruments

TR-808, samplers, breaks, synths, piano, strings, choirs, synth bass, 808, FX (sirens, gunshots), turntables, rap vocal.

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• Mini V — Synth bass and lead: Round bass and a lead with glide for West Coast gangsta.
• Augmented Strings — Cinematic strings: Stabs and legatos in harmonic minor for the mafioso atmosphere.
• Piano V — Dark piano: Low octaves and mid triads, lots of reverb.
• Augmented Voices — Dramatic choirs: Low 'ooh' choirs for hooks and intros.
• Prophet-5 V — 2000s pads and stabs: Synth stabs and dark pads typical of Dr. Dre's post-2000 beats.

Song structure

Gangsta albums are full of skits (spoken scenes) between the tracks. Track length 3:30–5:00.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

A hard, forward vocal, heavy drums, deep bass. References: N.W.A “Straight Outta Compton” (raw collage), “The Chronic” (clean, warm G-funk), 50 Cent “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” (punchy and radio-ready). Balance: vocal 0, snare −3, kick −3, bass −4, music −8/−10.

Kick

HP 30 Hz, body 60–80 Hz, click 3 kHz; 4:1 compression 3–5 dB; mono.

Snare / clap

HP 100 Hz; body 200 Hz; crack 3–5 kHz; 4:1 compression 4–6 dB; short plate at −20 dB.

Hi-hat and FX

HP 400 Hz; FX (sirens, gunshots) HP 200 Hz, pan and automation, never louder than the vocal.

Bass

HP 30 Hz; fundamental 50–80 Hz; saturation for harmonics; mono; sidechain 2 dB.

Strings, piano, synths

HP 150–200 Hz; dynamic EQ 2–4 kHz from the vocal; 2 s hall reverb at −16 dB; wide stereo.

Vocal

EQ: HP 80 Hz, −3 dB at 300 Hz, +3 dB at 3–5 kHz, +2 dB at 10 kHz; 1176 compression 6–8 dB + LA-2A 3 dB; de-esser; light saturation; almost dry.

Hook and backing vocals

Wide gang vocals (±70) with room; R&B voices with 1.5 s plate.

Buses, sidechain, master

SSL drum bus 2–4 dB + tape; kick → bass; vocal → music. Master −10/−8 LUFS ('90s style −11/−9; 2000s style −8/−7), true peak −1 dBTP.

Common mistakes

Vocal not present enough; FX too loud; bass covering the vocal at 150–250 Hz.

Reference tracks for the mix

• N.W.A — Straight Outta Compton (1988)
• Dr. Dre — Let Me Ride (1992)
• 50 Cent — In da Club (2003)
• The Game ft. 50 Cent — Hate It or Love It (2005)

Reference listening

• Schoolly D — P.S.K. What Does It Mean? (1985)
• Ice-T — 6 'N the Mornin' (1986)
• N.W.A — Straight Outta Compton (1988)
• Geto Boys — Mind Playing Tricks on Me (1991)
• 2Pac — Hit 'Em Up (1996)
• Raekwon ft. Ghostface Killah — Incarcerated Scarfaces (1995)
• 50 Cent — In da Club (2003)