Since the release of N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton” (SOC) in 1988, gangsta rap has captivated cultural discourse. Although scholars have studied the genre from numerous theoretical standpoints, few have examined its texts through structural linguists. This article is a pseudo-paradigmatic analysis that attempts to identify the typical characters, themes, narratives, and oppositions of gangsta rap. To that end I use a hybrid of the structural analytic models of Claude Levi-Strauss, Vladimir Propp, and Will Wright. This is not a comprehensive morphology of all rap lyrics, rather it is a selective classification of prototypical elements generally found in gangsta rap. I make no claim that the structures categorized here are finite or static, or that they can fully explain the lyrics or the social impact of gangsta rap music on audiences. Instead this is an attempt to organize the ingredients and recipes of one of the most influential and popular musical genres through a structural analysis of its seminal texts. My goal is for this work to help organize and motivate future scholarship.
About the presenterEmil Steiner
Dr. Steiner is an assistant professor of journalism at Rowan University where he serves as coordinator of the Sports Communication and Media program. Prior to entering the academy, he worked as reporter and editor at The Washington Post and was a member of the newsroom awarded the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting. His research explores how technology disrupts sports and entertainment for viewers and reporters.