by JRR

Created on: June 18, 2009

Having been in existence since the early days of hip-hop, Southern Rap is a style of hip-hop that originated in the southern United States. It emerged from the late 1970's club-oriented vibe in southern U.S. cities such as Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans. It is considered the third major American hip-hop genre following East Coast and West Coast hip-hop.

As a reaction to the 1980's flow from New York City and California, Southern Rap stands out more for its sound and slang than for its lyrical content. Relying on straightforward lyrics, many artists include their personal car culture, fashion trends, and nightlife. Another thing that sets it apart from all others is the strong southern accent of the artists.

Scarface and the Geto Boys are said to have paved the way for this new genre with the release of their 1989 debut "Grip It! On That Other Level". Still many of the earlier artists released their music independently or on mix tapes (compilations of songs recorded in a specific order on an audio cassette) because they had a hard time getting record-label contract.

Southern Rap artists include such names as:

- Luther Campbell, also known as Luke Skywalker. He is probably best known as a member and leader of 2 Live Crew. His work as a Southern Rap artist was mostly part of the Miami Bass sub-genre.

-Missy Elliot, also known as Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot is the only female rapper to have six platinum albums, including one double platinum. Her record sales have been over seven million in the United States alone.

-Nappy Roots, which originated in Bowling Green Kentucky in 1995, is best known for their 2002 hit single "Po' Folks".

-Outkast is based in East Point Georgia. Originally known as The OKB (The Outkast Brothers) are one of the most successful hip-hop groups of all time. With sex Grammy Awards to their credit, they have sold over 25 million copies of eight releases. They maintain an experimental approach in their music which aids in their continued popularity. Outkast is widely praised for their originality and artistic content.

-Petey Pablo, born Moses Barrett III, is from Greenville North Carolina. He is best known for his hit singles "Raise Up" and "Freek-a-Leek" as well as rapping on Ciara's number one single "Goodies".

Of all hip-hop genres, Southern Rap includes the widest range of artists and styles. Lyric-wise, southern rappers are similar in the fact that their rhymes are set apart by their regional accents. Music-wise the differences between the artists are tremendous. They range from the innovative instrumentation invented by Atlanta's Organized Noize Productions, to the rugged synthesized bounce favored by New Orleans-based labels Cash Money and No Limit to the extravagant, soulful guitar-laced vibes used by groups like Underground Kings and Eightball & MIG.

Southern Rap continues to grow more popular, due to artists like Ludacris, Lil Jon and Lil Flip. Their music reaches people worldwide, giving others a glimpse into their lifestyle and culture. Giving new artists a way to speak their mind on many different issues.

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