On Gangsta Rap

Kenyan blog, Mentalacrobatics, muses over “gangsta” rap:

I was young, I was growing up, I was immature and thus, I was allowed to like it. But even then I knew that one day I would just have to recognise it for the nonsense it is. Till then I could go around singing along to Snoop’s Doggy Style from start to finish and feel only slightly guilty.

And it wasn’t just me. At times it looked like the whole of Kenya had this fever. Every estate had a guy who would could describe the geography of Los Angeles like he was born and breed there, “you drive though Compton, pass Inglewood, and get to South Central” and of course us muppets who had never been to the USA would nod our heads wisely like we were talking about Ngummo, Ngong Road and Kenyatta Market… it wasn’t until much later the ridiculousness of the whole situation slapped in me in the face.

Read the full text: Mentalacrobatics - Outgrowing Gangsta Rap