Taking what we have learnt about Coolio and his community, LV croons: ‘The Blacker the Berry’ by Kendrick Lamar also discusses the consequences of lateral violence, so I would highly recommend you refer also to that track.įinally, the two hooks sung by LV tie the story together.
This type of violence can manifest itself in the form of gang violence, as is common in Compton, or domestic violence which we see in Indigenous communities around North America and Australia. Lateral violence stems from a variety of catalysing factors, but is most commonly associated with poor living standards, low levels of education, bad relations with the authorities, and destitution. This specific narrative, termed lateral violence, is inflicted by perpetrators upon their peers and community, people who are not their enemies. The artist describes the anarchy he sees in the streets – the brother-on-brother violence, and how a cycle of violent role models breed future generations of violent young men. The most confronting part is not the lives he has taken or the alienation he has suffered from his family, but the role he has played in perpetuating the violence that grips his community. On my knees in the night sayin’ prayers in the street lightĬoolio sees himself in a way not unlike the guys in N.W.A, the only difference being that Coolio has actually turned around and seen the destruction left in his wake. Or you and your homies might be lined in chalkĪs they croak, I see myself in the pistol smokeįool, I’m the kinda g that little homie’s wanna be like You betta watch how ya talkin’ and where ya walkin’ Me be treated like a punk, you know that’s unheard of That even my momma thinks that my mind is goneīut I ain’t never crossed a man that didn’t deserve it
I take a look at my life and realize there’s nothin’ leftĬause I’ve been blastin’ and laughin’ so long In twelve expertly engineered lines Coolio shares with us a story detailing the effect that violence has had not only on his own life, but also on the lives of his peers and the children of his community.Īs I walk through the valley of the shadow of death The first verse of ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ might just be my favourite verse in all hip-hop.
#Coolio gangsta paradise meaning code#
It goes on to expound upon the sad reality that violence is not only a part of life but a code to live by in Compton, a code fully embraced by the community and, seemingly, the artists themselves. Ignoring the extent to which it exaggerates or glorifies, the track details the situation in the city of Compton as well as what it takes to thrive in this infamous community. ‘We are the ones on top, and this is what it takes to be us’. In other words, Dre is telling you to sit down and take notes. You are about to witness the strength of street knowledge
#Coolio gangsta paradise meaning how to#
But what’s beneath the bravado and the sound of the semi-automatic? This track is two parts threat, one part instruction on how to survive in the streets. The title track to their debut album, Straight Outta Compton lets everyone know from the get-go that N.W.A (Niggaz Wit Attitudes) isn’t here to fuck around. Let me take you on a journey through three hip-hop songs and together we will delve deeper into the artistry of hip-hop and the cultural concepts that give meaning to these stories. And it is no coincidence that these, like many of the most compelling stories told in art and hip-hop, are stories of violence and community. Both Guernica and Good Kid, M.A.A.D City subvert elements of reality as a means for political and social criticism. Neither of these two divergent pieces of art, one musical and one visual, is particularly renowned for its adherence to fact – but factuality is by no means a necessary condition of art. While varied, the stories these artists weave are important not only because they entertain us and provide an escape from the banality of everyday life, but also because they record a kind of cultural history of the musicians and the communities in which they are embedded.Īrtists are the historians of the present, and in this case hip-hop is to Kendrick Lamar what the canvas was to Picasso. That power, the power of storytelling, can introduce listeners to the nonsensical and fantastical, as well as a dark and morbid conception of reality we would otherwise hope never finds us. While it may constantly twist and morph, its cultural influence is undeniable, and hip-hop artists wield a power that should not be underestimated. Love it or hate it, hip-hop is here to stay.
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