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Hardcore Hip-Hop

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Hardcore hip hop, also referred to as hardcore rap, is a Sub-Genre of Hip-Hop music that developed through the East Coast hip hop scene in the 1980s. Pioneered by such artists as Schoolly D, Boogie Down Productions, The Treacherous Three and Spoonie Gee, and Kool G Rap, it is generally characterized by an aggressive sound and technical, confrontational lyricism.

Hardcore rappers think about their lyrics as a showcase for their lexical skill, so subject matter is often about rapping in general, and a genre signature is its Battle Rapping-inspired songs consisting of strings of inventive insults to inferior rival rappers and/or haters. Although lyrics are often violent and may include Gangsta Rap or even Horrorcore themes, the majority of violence in the genre is dysphemistic — opponents in hardcore hip-hop songs are more likely to be threatened with being allegorically murdered as if with a gun than with being murdered with a gun. (Lack of understanding that the lyrics aren't literal has been a major cause of disgust and moral panic about the genre from outsiders.) However, rappers are expected to use their background and Kayfabe Music personas to flesh out their lyrics, so there is a great deal of overlap. Storytelling skills are also considered part of being a great rapper, and some hardcore rappers place great emphasis on this part of their abilities, such as Slick Rick and Nas.

While the style is commonly associated with boom-bap (a production style based on minimalist, gritty funk or soul drum loops), this is because hardcore hip-hop was defined in the public consciousness in the early 1990s, when virtually everything from the East Coast was produced as boom-bap — hardcore hip-hop is more about the style of lyrics rather than the musical accompaniment, though sparse and stripped-down production that makes the rapping the prime focus is common. A lot of hardcore hip-hop artists have therefore had pop crossover success; many rappers in the subgenre take pride in maintaining their standard of lyricism even on Pop Rap beats, and lyrics in this style can be clean and apolitical enough for Radio Friendliness while still being gritty and authentic enough to maintain credibility.

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