Gangsta rap roots its traces in the early depictions of inner-city youths of New York City of the late 1970s. However, it has become largely known as a West Coast flavor because it was pioneered in the mid-1980s by rappers such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Ice T, and Ice Cube. All those multi-million sales rappers made gangsta rap widely known to a large audience proclaiming Los Angeles the home of gangsta rap. However, the lyrics of their big hits were directly related to the impoverished neighborhoods of South Bronx in the mid-1970s, which praised blacks as gangsters, pushers, criminals, pimps, and prostitutes. As many of rap’s early pioneers were gang members, gangsta rap was born from the life experiences of the rappers.

The relation of gangsta rap lyrics to crime had stimulated much of the controversy surrounding this musical style. Gangsta rap has been heavily criticized for glorifying the unconstructiveness of the hustler lifestyle and the negativity of the streets. In addition, it has raised lots of opposition on the grounds of reinforcing negative stereotypes and role models of the black community and openly praising anti-social behavior. In this context, some of the biggest gangsta rap figures have gained public notoriety thus enhancing public opposition. For instance, Snoop Doggy Dogg has been involved in gangland murders, while the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur have been murdered.

On the other hand, gangsta rap’s advocates argue that gangsta rap simply reports the reality of life in the black neighborhoods; sex, violence, prostitution and sexual promiscuity are part of their daily existence and this reality needs to be heard.

Despite the intense opposition, gangsta rap had a crossover influence infusing popular culture in an unprecedented way. The combination of sexually explicit lyrics with vivid portrayals of gang killings had a universal appeal on many white middle-class male youths. This gave gangsta rap an unexpected boost in record sales that was directly proportional to the explicitness of its lyrics. The more it provoked, the more it was selling. Critics viewed the exaggeration of violence and gangsterism in the lyrics as an extremely effective marketing tool applied by the white-owned record companies. Most likely, for these white middle-class male youths gangsta rap represents the fulfillment of the forbidden, the place of adventure, erotic fantasy and violence that drives them out of the conformity and routine of suburbia. This explains the extreme acceptance of gangsta rap outside the black communities of origin.

The distinctive element of gangsta rap is its rich storytelling that lies over profound funk samples from James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly Stone, George Clinton, Rick James, Average White Band, and Ohio Players. In 1987, Schoolly D released his album “Smoke Some Kill” which along with Boogie Down Production’s “Criminal Minded” are considered the inspirational gangsta rap albums that actually gave birth to this musical style. However, gangsta was firmly established in the American music scene with Ice T’s “Rhyme Pays”, N.W.A.’s “Niggaz With Attitude”, both released in 1987, and N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton”, released in 1988. All these three albums tell stories of violence, crime and outright misogyny echoing the underground ghetto life. Particularly, the track “F*** Tha Police” from “Straight Outta Compton” was considered so scandalous – “Without a gun and a badge, what do you got/A sucker in a uniform waiting to get shot”- that MTV and radio stations refused to play it. However, the album went platinum, which shows the oxymoron of the popularity of gangsta rap in relation to its lyrics.

During the 1990s gangsta rap glamorous figures even went to Hollywood. Some of the most known films are “Boyz ‘n’ the Hood” (1991), “New Jack City” (1991), and “Menace II Society” (1993), which showed the real ghetto life to the masses giving voice to black people and their problems.

Few rappers have been criticized as much as Long Beach legend Snoop Dogg, whose early success led to the popularity of “gangsta” rap in the early 1990s. Despite the raw lyrics of Snoop’s early records, he is determined to see that the youth in the Black community do not follow in his footsteps, which led to his incarceration before achieving international fame.

According to reports, the West Coast rapper has teamed up with documentary director Gabriel London, filmmaker Alex Munoz and Black Entertainment Television’s (BET) Urbanworld Film Festival to present Bigg Snoop Dogg’s Youth Authority: California, an autobiographical streets-to-prison documentary production.

According to a released statement, “The resulting documentary weaves together Snoop’s experiences growing up in the midst of daily violence and gang activity with the stories of young men still caught up in the streets-to-prison cycle. Bridging generations, London has painted an intimate portrait of Snoop and the ‘young G’s,’ current prisoners and parolees who struggle to find their way in a system that is too often focused on punishment rather than education and rehabilitation. The film is Snoop and the filmmakers’ attempt to break a vicious cycle that leads to over 10,000 youth being locked up annually in California alone.”

Before signing to Death Row Records in the early 1990s, Snoop was active in the nefarious street gang the Crips, experiencing frequent run-ins with the law. The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, actually spent time inside California’s infamous “Youth Authority” (also known as CYA).

Not long after high school graduation, the future rapper was arrested on cocaine possession charges and spent the next three years in the judicial system. Unlike so many others in the Black community, Snoop was able to find an alternative lifestyle when he discovered a love for hip-hop. Snoop, along with Nate Dogg and hip-hop producer Dr. Dre’s step-brother Warren G, founded the group 213 and began recording mixtapes hoping to impress Dr. Dre. At a NWA house party, Warren G persuaded the disc jockey to play a 213 mixtape, and Dr. Dre was so impressed with Snoop’s rhymes and charisma that he collaborated with him on his debut solo single “Deep Cover.”

Snoop would go on to become an overnight sensation in the world of hip-hop. However, he could not escape his violent past, and at one time was charged with the murder of a rival gang member, Phillip Woldermarian, a charge he was later acquitted of because of self-defense.

Despite his numerous run-ins with the law, he is determined to see a change in the mentality of youth in the Black community. Snoop’s idea for the documentary was to use his personal story to teach children in the Black community that there are alternatives to the criminal lifestyle.

Bigg Snoop Dogg’s Youth Authority screens Friday, September 12 at the Urbanworld Film Festival.