Hardcore Hip Hop - History

History

Hardcore hip hop reflective lyrical themes include partying, braggadocio, crime, violence, sex, nudity, wrath, poverty, menacing, omen, rebellion, profanity, racism, drugs, weapons, hostility, street life, ghettos, gangs, social issues, consciousness, struggling, social issues, nihilism, uncompromising, misbehaviour, distrusting, life, death, police brutality, the harsh and grim experiences of the rapper's urban surroundings. Run-D.M.C. have been credited as the first hardcore hip hop group. Before a formula for gangsta rap had developed, artists such as the New York City-based Boogie Down Productions and Los Angeles native Ice-T implemented detailed observations of "street life", while the chaotic, rough sounding production style of Public Enemy's records set new standards for hip hop production. In the early 1990s, hardcore rap became largely synonymous with West Coast gangsta (gangsters) rap, as exemplified by N.W.A, until the Wu-Tang Clan emerged in 1993. Wu Tang Clan's minimalistic beats and piano-driven sampling became widely popular among other hip hop artists of the time, such as Onyx, House Of Pain, Ras Kass and Cypress Hill. The most notable Southern hardcore scene existed during the 1990s in Memphis, where the dark, gritty lyrics and production (labeled by some as Horrorcore) contrasted with other, more party-oriented Southern hip hop. .