What’s Gangsta…..?
From the “rap” dictionary:
Gangsta rap is a form of expression which uses words with rhythmic
beats to make one point or another. What separates gangsta rap from regular rap is that gangsta rap talks about gang life and rap usually doesn’t.
(whoever came up with this definition doesnt listen to hiphop obviously)
Lyrics in gangsta rap that cause the most controversy are the ones that talk about killing people or ones that portray woman as just objects.
C. Delores Tucker and William Bennett are responsible for the little advisory stickers on the cd’s you buy.
Anywho, I recently added the term “gangsta” to my own vocab to describe how real, raw things can be.
Its quite fun, here are some examples of the top 6 “what’s gangsta” of summer 2002:

1. Obi Wan kenobi showing up at Boba Fetts house in “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones”. Jedi gangsta

2. Fox News with the commercial free 9/11 coverage (in case you couldnt get enough) media gangsta

3. Jay-z sampling the Doors song “5 to one” on the “The Takeover”.

4. Breaking up with a significant other via voicemail . How gangsta is that?

5. Bankrupt Worldcom decided to stop supporting pager service.
(no wonder some people didnt get my 2way of the weekend)
They also own UUNet, so you know what that could mean to the Internet.

6. Russell Simmons recently combined two goals to create a successful marketing plan.
Attempting to break into the mainstream sneaker industry, Simmons tied his sales campaign to the issue of reparations and became the first black-owned sneaker company to move major numbers and at the same time heightened awareness of the drive for reparations. “I sold a shitload of sneakers,” said Simmons. Corporate gangsta.

“What are they criticizing me for?” asked Simmons. “What I’m doing is certainly not hurting the movement, and I’m hopeful that it really is helpful. I certainly respect their opinions. I try not to be exploitive in a negative way. But, yes, the reparations campaign was very successful for not only selling sneakers but awareness.”

I peeped the ad in a magazine. I have been aware of the HR40 document, a bill that would establish a commission to examine the institution of slavery and economic discrimination of African descent.
I didnt see none of this in the ad, but I guess seeing it in an urban magazine with a pic of the sneakers and the Phat Farm logo is enough these days.

In 1867, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens from Pennsylvania introduced HR29,
a reparation bill for African slaves that would compensate them for being enslaved by the
U.S. government.
Section 4 and 5 of the bill specifically describes what will be a just
compensation for the slaves. Section 4 stipulates that forty acres were to be awarded to
freed slaves. Section 5 stipulated that “a sum equal to fifty dollars for each homestead to
be a here in aforementioned toward the erection of buildings. The use of said slaves, and
the further of 500,000,000 appropriated as follows; to wit: 200,000,000 should be in six
percent, securities and the interest thereof shall to the pensions allowed by law to
pensioners who have become late war; 3000,000,000 or so much thereof as may be
needed to pay damages done to local citizens by the civil or military government later
called the confederate states of America.

Hmm…I’d take my 40 acres gladly, of lower Manhattan, below Canal Street.

Let me know what you all think is “gangsta”