Gangster rap is a specific subgenre of hip-hop music which addresses such controversial topics as sex, racism, drug dealing, violence, etc. The songs under analysis are Drop it Like it’s Hot by Snoop Dogg and Outlaw by 50 Cent. Both performers have similar background: they are extremely popular throughout the world, they had troubled childhood, and overcame many difficulties on the way to their success, and they address similar issues in their songs — self-assertion, sex, friendship and loyalty to the gang.
First of all, both songs remind manifestos in which the rappers try to show everyone how “cool” they are. This is mostly achieved through enumeration of luxurious things they have, like expensive yachts, diamonds, cars and designer clothes, and the amount of money they possess. For instance, in Outlaw, he says “My Maybach, my watch, my Hublot, / My fat knots, my swag is top notch”, meaning that hardly anyone else has similar things. The same in Drop it Like it’s Hot , “I got the Rolly on my arm and I’m pouring Chandon .” They also use different adjectives and fancy names to characterize themselves: Snoop Dogg calls himself “Big Boss Dog”, and 50 Cent says, “Looking at the man in the mirror. I’m so hot.”
Secondly, the rappers address the issue of sex. In that regard, they describe their sexual intercourses in details, using mostly slangy words. They demonstrate their domination and call their sexual partners disgraceful names. For example, 50 Cent says “My bitch cold / I meant hot” or “I’m CEO, hoe, you ain’t know?” Snoop Dogg, as well, calls his women “hoes.”
Finally, both songs show how free in their behavior the rappers are and how they and their friends disobey the law. Both performers argue that if they have some problems, their gang will do everything possible to solve them: “When my niggas fill ya vest / They ain’t gonna pass me shit” (Snoop Dogg). They also mention guns as the means of protection from their enemies: “9 millimeter, 9 shots” (50 Cent) and “AK-47” (Snoop Dogg).
In conclusion, in their songs, both 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg address the issues common for gangster rappers. Their lyrics demonstrate that such things as money, their own authority, sex and their gangs are of particular importance to them.