{{short description|Music genre in the Southern United States}} {{Redirect|Dirty South (music)|the Australian DJ and music producer|Dirty South (musician)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2012}} {{Use American English|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox music genre | name = Southern hip-hop | stylistic_origins = {{hlist|Hip-hop|East Coast hip-hop|West Coast hip-hop}} | cultural_origins = Mid 1980s, Southern United States especially Houston, Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, and Miami | subgenres = {{hlist|Bounce|chopped and screwed|crunk|Miami bass|phonk|plugg|trap|Memphis rap}} | regional_scenes = {{hlist||Memphis|Houston|Atlanta|Miami|New Orleans|Baton Rouge|Dallas-Fort Worth|Fayetteville|Charlotte|The Research Triangle}} | local_scenes = }}
'''Southern hip-hop''', also known as '''Southern rap''', '''South Coast hip-hop''', or '''dirty south''', is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip-hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Florida—often titled "The Big 5," five states which constitute the "Southern Network" in rap music.<ref name="Jackson Free Press">{{cite news |url=http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/site/comments/southern_hip_hop_090308/ |title=Southern Hip-Hop |last=Burks |first=Maggie |date=September 3, 2008 |work=Jackson Free Press |access-date=September 11, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://getd.libs.uga.edu/pdfs/wilson_joycelyn_a_200705_phd.pdf|title=Outkast'd and Claimin' True: The Language of Schooling and Education in the Southern Hip-Hop Community of Practice|last=Wilson|first=Jocelyn|date=2007}}</ref><ref name="3rdCoast">{{Cite book |last=Sarig |first=Roni |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LINVDgAAQBAJ |title=Third Coast: Outkast, Timbaland, and How Hip-hop Became a Southern Thing |date=2007 |publisher=Hachette Books |isbn=978-0-306-81647-5 |language=en}}</ref>
The music was a reaction to the 1980s flow of hip-hop culture from New York City and the Los Angeles area and can be considered the third major American hip-hop scene, alongside East Coast and West Coast hip-hop.<ref name="Strangest">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/17/arts/music/17sann.html |title=The Strangest Sound in Hip-Hop Goes National |last=Sanneh |first=Kelefa |date=April 17, 2005 |access-date=September 11, 2008 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Many early Southern rap artists released their music independently or on mixtapes after encountering difficulty securing record-label contracts in the 1990s. By the early 2000s, many Southern artists had attained success, and as the decade went on, both mainstream and underground varieties of Southern hip-hop became among the most popular and influential of the entire genre.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bradley |first=Regina |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_c79DwAAQBAJ |title=Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip-Hop South |year=2021 |publisher=UNC Press Books |isbn=978-1-4696-6197-1 |language=en}}</ref>
==History== [[File:Lil Wayne Feb. 2020.jpg|thumb|New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne]] [[File:Luther Campbell by David Cabrera.jpg|alt=Uncle Luke|thumb|Miami rapper Uncle Luke, considered one of the pioneers of southern hip-hop.]] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the American hip-hop music market was primarily dominated by artists from the East Coast and West Coast; New York City and Los Angeles were respectively the two main cities where hip-hop was receiving widespread attention. The West Coast was mainly represented by groups like N.W.A, Death Row Records, and the East Coast had people like the Notorious B.I.G., Nas and groups like the Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep and Bad Boy Records.<ref name="rapworld1">{{cite web|title=Rap & Hiphop History |url=http://www.rapworld.com/history/ |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301090501/http://www.rapworld.com/history/ |archive-date=March 1, 2016 }}</ref> In the mid-1980s, cities throughout the Southern United States began to catch on to hip-hop.<ref name="rapworld1"/> The Geto Boys, a hip-hop group from Houston, were among the first hip-hop artists from the south to gain widespread popularity. Southern hip-hop's roots can be traced to the success of their albums ''Grip It! On That Other Level'' (1989), ''The Geto Boys'' (1990) and ''We Can't Be Stopped'' (1991).<ref name="Dirty South">{{Cite news |url=http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/03/excerpt_dirty_s.php |title=Dirty South |last=Westhoff |first=Ben |date=March 18, 2011 |work=Village Voice |access-date=March 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423035054/http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/03/excerpt_dirty_s.php |archive-date=April 23, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
By the early-1990s, Miami became the birthplace of Southern hip-hop. Local hip-hop groups such as 2 Live Crew and 69 Boyz played a huge part in helping the South become a center for hip-hop music.<ref name="Grem">{{Cite journal |last=Grem |first=Darren E. |date=Winter 2006 |title=The South Got Something To Say: Atlanta's Dirty South and the Southernization of Hip-Hop America |url=https://southernstudies.olemiss.edu/media/Grem_OutKast-Article.pdf |journal=Southern Studies |volume=12 |issue=4 |pages=55–73 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Schooling Hip-Hop: Expanding Hip-Hop Based Education Across the Curriculum|last=Lamont Hill|first=Marc|publisher=Teacher's College Press|year=2013|isbn=978-0-8077-5431-3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Westhoff |first=Ben |date=2015-04-08 |title=Has southern hip-hop lost its bounce? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/08/southern-hop-hop-lost-bounce |access-date=2024-06-20 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Murder Dog magazine and Ozone magazine presented information about gangsta rap.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lefebvre |first=Sam |date=2017-09-08 |title=The Surreal Life of Black Dog Bone, Founder of the Legendary Rap Magazine Murder Dog |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/profile/the-surreal-life-of-black-dog-bone-founder-of-the-legendary-rap-magazine-murder-dog/ |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-01-04 |title=Julia Beverly, Founder Of Ozone Magazine, Explains Why Publication Is No Longer Running [Video] |url=https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com/1639967/julia-beverly-ozone-magazine-no-longer/ |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=The Rickey Smiley Morning Show |language=en-US}}</ref>
A defining moment for Southern rap was at the 1995 Source Awards. The duo Outkast<ref>[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/outkast-mn0000420381 OutKast Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More] AllMusic Retrieved 12 June 2024</ref> had just been awarded Best New Artist, and within the tension that was the East Coast–West Coast hip-hop rivalry, member André 3000 came up on stage followed by boos and said, "I'm tired of them closed minded folks, it's like we gotta demo tape but don't nobody want to hear it. But it's like this: the South got something to say, that's all I got to say." As stated by Southern rapper T.I., "Outkast, period. Outkast. That's when it changed. That was the first time when people began to take Southern rap seriously."<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/vwLG7aSYM3w Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20141216045950/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwLG7aSYM3w&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|last=TheMaxTrailers|title=Outkast winning Best New Rap Group at the Source Awards 1995|date=2014-10-12|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwLG7aSYM3w|access-date=2018-05-06}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Former co-owner of the magazine ''The Source'' Benzino took credit for the incident in an interview from April 2023, saying "they gave Outkast 4.5 mics (out of 5)... and it got back to Outkast... I didn't understand the music and I was wrong."<ref>{{Cite web |title=rock the bells |url=https://rockthebells.com/articles/benzino-takes-credit-for-andre-3000s-source-awards-speech/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=rockthebells.com}}</ref><!-- In 1995, another iconic group, started releasing music. They eventually went with hits such as Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz. Po Folks and worked with Kanye West, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and others.The most successful Southern independent labels during the mid-to-late 90s came out of the cities of Memphis and New Orleans. --> Both scenes borrowed heavily from a production style first introduced by way of the obscure late-1980s New York rap group the Showboys, heavily sampling the beats from their song "Drag Rap".<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hebblewaith|first=Phil|title=808 State Of Mind: Proto-Crunk Originator DJ Spanish Fly|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/05588-dj-spanish-fly-interview|magazine=The Quietus|access-date=26 January 2013}}</ref> By the early 2000s, these scenes found mainstream success through Disturbing tha Peace in Atlanta, Cash Money Records and No Limit Records out of New Orleans, and Hypnotize Minds out of Memphis, revolutionizing financial structures and strategies for independent Southern rap labels. According to HipHopDX, "Not only is the South on the radar, but now the region that was an underdog is the barometer for rap music and hip-hop culture."<ref>{{cite web |last=Dureault |first=Zoe |date=August 13, 2015 |title=Southern Rap's Rise Documented In "The Takeover" Film |website=HipHopDX |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.35074/title.southern-raps-rise-documented-in-the-takeover-film |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815010342/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.35074/title.southern-raps-rise-documented-in-the-takeover-film |archive-date=August 15, 2015 |access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref>
By the early to mid-2000s, artists from the South had begun to develop mainstream popularity with artists like Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Mike Jones, and Lil Keke from Houston; T.I., Ludacris, Lil Jon, Gucci Mane and Jeezy from Atlanta; Trick Daddy and Rick Ross from Miami; Master P, B.G., Lil Wayne and Juvenile from New Orleans, and Three 6 Mafia and Yo Gotti from Memphis all becoming major label stars during this time.<ref name="Grem" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Westhoff |first=Ben |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Umlj8euT4tIC |title=Dirty South: OutKast, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, and the Southern Rappers Who Reinvented Hip-Hop |year=2011 |publisher=Chicago Review Press |isbn=978-1-56976-867-9 |language=en}}</ref>
Southern hip-hop peaked in popularity from 2002 through 2004. In 2002, Southern hip-hop artists accounted for 50 to 60 percent of the singles on hip-hop music charts. On the week of December 13, 2003, Southern urban artists, labels and producers accounted for six of the top 10 slots on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100: Outkast (with two singles), Ludacris, Kelis (produced by the Neptunes), Beyoncé and Chingy (on Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace label). Additionally, from October 2003 through December 2004, the number one position on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop chart was held by a Southern urban artist for 58 out of 62 weeks. This was capped by the week of December 11, 2004 when seven out of the top ten songs on the chart were held by or featured Southern urban artists. In 2004, ''Vibe'' magazine reported that Southern artists accounted for 43.6% of the airplay on urban radio stations (compared to 29.7% for the Midwest, 24.1% for the East Coast and 2.5% for the West coast).<ref name="3rdCoast" />
=== The Dirty Decade === "The Dirty Decade", spanning from 1997 to 2007, marked a period of evolution of southern hip-hop. This era witnessed the genre's maturation and widespread recognition, with artists from the Southern United States achieving commercial success. The term "Dirty Decade" is often used to describe the gritty and distinct sound that emerged during this period. Southern hip-hop has its roots in the 1980s, with artists like Outkast and the Geto Boys laying the foundation for the genre.<ref name="SouthSpaces">{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Matt |date=June 10, 2008 |title=Dirty Decade: Rap Music and the US South, 1997–2007 |url=https://southernspaces.org/2008/dirty-decade-rap-music-and-us-south-1997-2007/ |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=Southern Spaces |language=en-US}}</ref> It was during the Dirty Decade that Southern hip-hop gained prominence on a national scale. The genre's influences are diverse, drawing from regional cultural elements and blending them with traditional hip-hop elements. Artists who rose to prominence during this era, such as Outkast, Ludacris, and Lil Wayne, continued to shape the contemporary hip-hop landscape.<ref name="SouthSpaces" /> The regional diversity showcased during the Dirty Decade laid the groundwork for the ongoing growth and expansion of Southern hip-hop.
The Dirty Decade in Southern hip-hop was characterized by specific musical elements that set it apart from other regional styles. Heavy basslines, distinctive use of slang, and a fusion of regional influences into the production were notable features. Producers such as Mannie Fresh, Lil Jon, and Organized Noize played key roles in shaping the sound of this era.<ref name="SouthSpaces" /> Artists from the region consistently dominated the charts, with many albums reaching platinum and gold status. Crunk music, in particular, gained widespread popularity, with hits like "Get Low" by Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz and "Salt Shaker" by the Ying Yang Twins becoming notable contributions to the genre.<ref name="SouthSpaces"/>
== Subregions ==
=== Louisiana === {{See also|New Orleans hip-hop|Bounce music}}
In the late 1990s, "bounce" music was born in New Orleans. Master P established No Limit Records. In 1992, Cash Money Records was founded, releasing bounce and gangsta rap music.
It has fast beats, catchy call-and-response lyrics, and background adlibs, all meant to make people dance and express themselves. Since the late 1980s, bounce music has been really popular in New Orleans. One of the most famous bounce artists is Big Freedia. She has worked with Beyoncé, walked the MET Gala Runway with Ciara, and had her own TV show on Fuse.
Bounce music can be heard in many clubs across the city, especially at The Hangover Bar. On Second Line Sundays, brass bands play lively beats for people to dance along the parade route. Interactive twerk classes like Twerk NOLA and Shake Ya Brass at Crescent Park also feature bounce music.
More popular bounce artists are DJ Jubilee, Juvenile, Magnolia Shorty.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Orleans Bounce Music |url=https://www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/music/history-and-traditions/new-orleans-bounce-music/ |access-date=2023-12-07 |website=www.neworleans.com |language=en-us}}</ref>
=== Florida ===
==== Miami Bass ==== {{Main|Miami bass}}
'''Miami bass''' is a booming, bass-heavy hip-hop music style that developed in the mid-1980s in Miami. The genre is known for its fast dance beats, deep bass, and often explicit lyrics focused on themes such as parties, sex, drugs, and luxury.<ref name="Miami Bass">{{Cite web |title=Miami Bass |url=https://www.hiphopelectronic.com/electro-funk/subgenres/miami-bass |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=Hip Hop Electronic |language=en-US}}</ref>
Early innovators included DJ Laz, while the genre gained widespread prominence through 2 Live Crew, led by Luther Campbell. The single "Throw The D" (1986) by 2 Live Crew is widely considered the first Miami bass song. According to Fresh Kid Ice (Christopher Wong Won), the track was inspired by a popular Miami dance that emerged when "Dance to the Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly and Life was played.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Serwer |first=Jesse |date=6 July 2016 |title=Dance To The Drummer's Beat: A Loop History |url=https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2016/07/dance-to-the-drummer-s-beat-a-loop-history |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=daily.redbullmusicacademy.com |language=en}}</ref>
In 1989, 2 Live Crew released ''As Nasty As They Wanna Be'', which became highly controversial due to its sexually explicit lyrics.<ref>{{cite news|last=Philips|first=Chuck|title=Sound Warehouse agrees not to stock 2 Live Crew's controversial 'As Nasty as They Wanna Be.'|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-10-ca-3843-story.html |access-date=5 November 2013|newspaper=LA Times}}</ref> The album was ruled legally obscene by a judge, leading to prosecutions of retailers and even arrests of group members for performing its songs. However, 2 Live Crew successfully appealed the ruling, marking a significant legal victory for artistic expression in music. The case helped establish broader acceptance of explicit content in hip-hop, though parental advisory labels became standard.
Members Luke Campbell and David Hobbs played a key role in popularizing Miami bass through both their music and the controversies surrounding it.<ref name="Miami Bass"/>
Other notable Miami bass acts include 69 Boyz ("Tootsee Roll", 1994) and Quad City DJs ("C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)", 1996), both of whom originated from Jacksonville.
==== Memphis rap, crunk, and trap influence on Florida hip-hop ==== thumb|200x200px|Denzel Curry performing in 2016
Nappy Boy Entertainment, founded by T-Pain in Tallahassee, and Valholla Entertainment, a Miami-based label, have contributed to the development of Florida's hip-hop scene.
The hip-hop collective Raider Klan, formed in Carol City in 2008 by SpaceGhostPurrp and collaborators, played a major role in shaping modern underground rap.<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |last1=Simpson |first1=Paul |title=Raider Klan Biography by Paul Simpson |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/raider-klan-mn0003845276/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=February 14, 2020}}</ref> The group drew influence from early Three 6 Mafia and helped popularize darker, lo-fi production styles later adopted by artists such as ASAP Mob and Drake.<ref name="Genius">{{cite web |title=The Impact Of SpaceGhostPurrp & Raider Klan |url=https://genius.com/a/the-impact-of-spaceghostpurrp-raider-klan |access-date=February 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leight |first=Elias |date=2021-04-29 |title=Russian Producers Obsessed With Three 6 Mafia Can't Stop Going Viral |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/three-6-mafia-dj-paul-russia-1161400/ |access-date=2026-05-12 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>
Members and affiliates including Denzel Curry, Chris Travis, and Xavier Wulf were instrumental in pioneering the SoundCloud Rap movement.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pierre |first1=Alphonse |title=How Denzel Curry Helped Pioneer SoundCloud Rap |url=https://pitchfork.com/levels/how-denzel-curry-helped-pioneer-soundcloud-rap/ |website=Pitchfork |date=September 20, 2018 |access-date=February 14, 2020}}</ref>
Later artists such as XXXTentacion, Ski Mask the Slump God, Lil Pump, Smokepurpp, and Wifisfuneral brought SoundCloud Rap into the mainstream during the mid-to-late 2010s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genius.com/a/the-south-florida-rappers-dominating-soundcloud |title=The South Florida Rappers Dominating Soundcloud|website=Genius|language=en|access-date=August 9, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Genius" /> During this period, XXXTentacion also helped define the sound of emo rap.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zoladz |first1=Lindsay |title=All the Young Sadboys: XXXTentacion, Lil Peep, and the Future of Emo |date=August 30, 2017 |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2017/8/30/16225968/emo-xxxtentacion-lil-peep-brand-new |access-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref>
XXXTentacion was killed in Broward County in 2018 at the age of 20 after attempting to purchase a motorcycle.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vibe.com/2018/06/xxxtentacion-shot-in-the-neck/|title=XXXTentacion) Murder Witness Says Rapper X FOR LIFE Was Shot In Neck|date=June 20, 2018|work=Vibe|access-date=June 24, 2018}}</ref>
Additional Florida rappers include Trick Daddy, Kodak Black, Rick Ross, Ace Hood, Plies, Trina, Rod Wave, Cool & Dre, Flo Rida, Jacki-O, stic.man, Dead Prez, Pitbull, YNW Melly, BossMan Dlow, M-1, and BLP Kosher.
=== Tennessee === {{See also|Memphis rap}} Three 6 Mafia, DJ Paul, Juicy J, Lord Infamous, Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo, La Chat, Project Pat, Indo G, Playa Fly, Eightball and MJG, Yo Gotti, Moneybagg Yo, NLE Choppa, Pooh Shiesty, Blac Youngsta and Young Dolph all came from Memphis, Tennessee.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Birchmeier |first1=Jason |title=Three 6 Mafia – Biography & History |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/three-6-mafia-mn0000924367/biography |website=AllMusic | access-date=18 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/pooh-shiesty-mn0003910323/biography|title=Pooh Shiesty Biography, Songs, & Albums|website=Allmusic}}</ref>
Tennessee hip-hop blends the style of southern rap, and funk. The Tennessee rap scene popularized musical subgenres within the community, such as Memphis Rap, and Memphis horror-core. Arrested Development's debut album 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of... had the song Tennessee in 1992, which is thought to have been the first rap song to release from the state.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}
=== Alabama === The gangsta rap group Dirty is from Montgomery, Alabama.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dirty Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More {{!}} All... |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dirty-mn0000126003 |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> Codie G was the manager to G-side and became a mentor to many Alabamian people in the rap community. His involvement spear-headed the genre into popularity within the state of Alabama. In 1999, The group Dirty Boyz debuted with the album Country Versatile thus solidifying hip-hop's place in the state.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}
=== Georgia === {{See also|Atlanta hip-hop|Music of Atlanta|Trap music}} In 2009, the ''New York Times'' called Atlanta "hip-hop's center of gravity",<ref name="NoHoldsBarred">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/arts/music/13gucci.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=drumma%20boy&st=cse |author=John Caramanica |title=Gucci Mane, No Holds Barred |work=The New York Times |date=December 13, 2009 |access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref> and the city is home to many famous hip-hop, R&B and neo soul musicians.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rose |first=Joel |url=http://m.npr.org/story/92090721?storyId=92090721 |title=Atlanta soul scene reborn |publisher=NPR |date=July 4, 2008 |access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref>
In the 1980s and early 1990s, Atlanta's hip-hop scene was characterized by a local variant of Miami bass, with stars like Kilo Ali and DJ Smurf (later Mr. Collipark).<ref name="NoHoldsBarred"/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XkCncJ7j744C&pg=PA476 |author=Mickey Hess |title=Hip Hop in America: A Regional Guide: Volume 1: East Coast and West Coast |publisher=ABC-CLIO |date=2009 |isbn=978-0-313-34321-6 |access-date=August 9, 2012}}</ref>
Notable artists from Georgia include Lil Baby, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, Gunna, Future, Latto and Migos.
By the mid-1990s, the rise of Outkast, Goodie Mob<ref>{{cite web |author=Justin |url=http://kevinnottingham.com/2010/11/15/cee-lo-says-goodie-mob-album-is-his-focus-now/ |title=Cee-Lo Says Goodie Mob Album Is His Focus Now |publisher=KevinNottingham.com |access-date=2011-05-09 |archive-date=December 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101220002307/http://kevinnottingham.com/2010/11/15/cee-lo-says-goodie-mob-album-is-his-focus-now/ }}</ref> and the production collective Organized Noize, let to the development of the Dirty South style of hip-hop and of Atlanta gaining a reputation for "soul-minded hip-hop eccentrics", contrasting with other regional styles. On August 3, 1995, Outkast received the award for Best New Artist in New York City at the Source Awards. At the time, the primary hip-hop heard nationally was from artists on the East and West Coasts, due at least partly to high- profile disputes between rappers from each coast. It was groups such as Outkast who were determined to let the world know that the South had something to say.<ref name="NoHoldsBarred"/>
In 2009, it was noted that after 2000/2001, Atlanta moved "from the margins to becoming hip-hop's center of gravity, part of a larger shift in hip-hop innovation to the South", primarily due to the massive popularity of Waka Flocka Flame's 2009 debut mixtape.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} Producer Drumma Boy called Atlanta "the melting pot of the South". Producer Fatboi called the Roland TR-808 ("808") synthesizer "central" to the music of Atlanta's versatility, used for snap, crunk, trap, and pop rap styles.<ref name="NoHoldsBarred" /> The same article named Drumma Boy, Fatboi, Shawty Redd, Lex Luger and Zaytoven the five "hottest producers driving the city".<ref name="NoHoldsBarred" />
=== Texas === {{See also|Chopped and screwed|Country rap|Trap music|Houston hip hop}} [[File:Z-Ro cropped.jpg|alt=Houston's hip-hop artist Z-Ro.|thumb|Hip-hop artist Z-Ro from Houston, Texas]] In the late 1980s, the Geto Boys were Houston's first hip-hop group to gain mainstream popularity. In the early 1990s, Texas groups such as Nemesis, PKO, and UGK (from Dallas, San Antonio, and Port Arthur respectively) also gained popularity. Before the early 1990s, most Southern hip-hop was upbeat and fast, like Miami bass and crunk. In Texas, however, the music started to become slower. In the early 1990s, DJ Screw created "chopped and screwed" music. Although people associated with Screw have indicated any time between 1987 and 1991, Screw said he started slowing music down in 1990. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, DJ Dinero and DJ Z-Nasty helped popularize chopped and screwed music in the Mid South.<ref name="Slow">{{Cite web |date=2006-12-05 |title=Givin It To Ya Slow: DJ Screw interview from RapPages (1995) |url=https://ifihavent.wordpress.com/2006/12/05/givin-it-to-ya-slow-dj-screw-interview-from-rappages-1995/ |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=Press Rewind If I Haven't... |language=en}}</ref><ref>"[http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/music2/ Music] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315130135/http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/music2/ |date=March 15, 2011 }}", ''Frieze magazine'', Archive, Issue 135 November–December 2010.</ref>
Between 1991 and 1992, there was increased abuse of purple drank in Southeast Texas. Purple drank was a major influence in chopped and screwed music due to its effect of slowing down perception. DJ Screw, a known user of purple drank, said that it is not required to enjoy chopped and screwed music and that he came up with the style when high on marijuana.<ref name="Slow"/>
As the spread of Southern hip-hop continued, its mainstream breakthrough occurred in 2000. Duo UGK made a high-profile guest appearance on Jay-Z's hit "Big Pimpin'" and also appeared on Three 6 Mafia's hit "Sippin' on Some Syrup". Both of these collaborations greatly increased their reputation and helped fuel anticipation for their next project. UGK's Pimp C died from a sudden heart attack after overdosing on purple drank on December 4, 2007, at the age of 33. A song that originally appeared on the compilation album ''The Day Hell Broke Loose 2'', Mike Jones' "Still Tippin'", achieved mainstream success in 2004 leading to local Houston rap label Swishahouse signing a national distribution deal with Asylum Records. Jones released his major label debut, ''Who Is Mike Jones?'', on Swishahouse/Warner Bros. in April 2005 and was certified platinum that June.<ref>[http://riaa.org/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH RIAA certification database] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120524143006/http://riaa.org/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |date=May 24, 2012 }} (search "mike jones")</ref> Paul Wall's major label debut, ''The Peoples Champ'', on Swishahouse/Atlantic, was released in September 2005, eventually topping the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref>[http://www.billboard.com/charts/2006-06-24/billboard-200 ''The People's Champ'' (Billboard 200 chart)], ''Billboard'', June 24, 2006.</ref> Many rappers from Houston began to have mainstream success in the 2000s. In 2005, MTV named Houston the new rap capital of the South.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFabWvj4vvk | title=My Block: Houston | website=YouTube | date=May 3, 2024 }}</ref>
Notable artists in Houston include Travis Scott, That Mexican OT, Maxo Kream, Sauce Walka, Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Bun B, Pimp C, Z-Ro, Big Hawk, Big Moe, Big Mello, Big Steve, Chris Ward, C-Note, Devin The Dude, DJ DMD, E.S.G., Fat Pat, J-Dawg, Killa Kyleon, Kirko Bangz, Lil' Keke, Lil' Flip, Lil' O, Lil' Troy, Mike D, Mike Jones, K-Rino, Al-D, Mr. 3-2, Slim Thug, South Park Mexican, Yungstar, Trae Tha Truth, Scarface and groups such as ABN, Boss Hogg Outlawz, Botany Boyz, Coughee Brothaz, D.E.A., Guerilla Maab, Geto Boys, Herschelwood Hardheadz, M.O.B., Screwed Up Click, South Park Coalition and UGK. The Houston hip-hop scene is known for the chopped and screwed sound invented by Screwed Up Click leader DJ Screw, and remains the location most associated with the style.
Vanilla Ice was born in Dallas, and grew up moving between Dallas and Miami.<ref name="Mooney">{{cite news |title=''Wellington Resident Vanilla Ice Talks About Madonna, Wallaroos, and What's Next'' |first=Michael J. |last=Mooney |url=http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2009-11-26/news/wellington-resident-vanilla-ice-talks-about-madonna-wallaroos-and-what-s-next/2 |newspaper=New Times Broward-Palm Beach |date=November 24, 2009 |pages=2–3, 5–6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Newsmakers 1991 |date= 1991 |publisher=Thomson Gale |isbn=0-8103-7344-0 |chapter=Vanilla Ice |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/newsmakerspeople0000unse_t8r6 }}</ref> The D.O.C. is from West Dallas. He worked with Dr. Dre as an artist and writer. Christian hip-hop artist D-Boy Rodriguez received moderate commercial success and was part of the burgeoning Christian hip-hop scene in Dallas and the rest of Texas in the late 80s, until he was murdered in 1990. Other rappers such as Big Lurch, Mr. Pookie, Mr. Lucci, Big Tuck, Dorrough, BigXthaPlug, MO3 and Dondria also hail from Dallas. Rappers such as legends Lil Sin, and P.K.O. as well as Worldwide, Richie Branson, Cadillac Muzik, King Kyle Lee, Mike Dimes, and Megan Thee Stallion all hail from San Antonio.<ref>{{cite web|title=San Antonio hip hop music and media resource|url=https://satownhiphop.com/}}</ref>
=== North Carolina === Around the same time, Ski Beatz (of Greensboro) produced "Dead Presidents" on Jay-Z's album "Reasonable Doubt", which was released in 1996. Also, 9th Wonder (of Winston-Salem) joined a group named Little Brother with fellow members Big Pooh and Phonte (of Durham).(9th Wonder left Little Brother in 2007 to solo produce, becoming one of the top 10 most successful hip-hop producers of all time).{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}
North Carolina did not hit the mainstream hip-hop map until 2001 with Petey Pablo's "Raise Up". This song was successful and helped highlight the North Carolina's burgeoning rap industry, along with some of its prolific rappers from the state: J. Cole, Rapsody, King Mez, Kooley High, Ignite Mindz, Drique London, SkyBlew, Azon Blaze, Donovan McCray, Lazarus, Thee Tom Hardy, Troop 41, Bryce Snow, Lute, Deniro Farrar, Justus League, Edgar Allen Floe, L.E.G.A.C.Y., Kaze, Banknote Mitch, Khrysis, Keaton, Wells, Tucson, Ghost Dog, among others.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Eckard|first=Max|title=Hip-Hop in North Carolina|url=https://www.ncpedia.org/hip-hop-north-carolina|access-date=2022-05-09|website=NCpedia.org|date=25 April 2012|language=en-US}}</ref>
Another noteworthy rap artist from North Carolina is DaBaby, hailing from Charlotte, though he was born in Cleveland. Although sometimes drawing attention from self-created controversies, his lyrical skills, mixed with his exposure and unique voice, have made him a reckonable force in hip-hop.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}
== Slang == Among the four coasts, Southern hip-hop is one of the more recent genres compared to the other three coasts, meaning that the slang used in southern hip-hop is more recent than the slang in other coasts. A lot of the iconic southern slang that was used in hip-hop and rap came from five specific cities of the south: Houston, Memphis, Atlanta, Miami, and New Orleans. Of the many slang used in southern hip-hop, the ones that are still being used today are:
''Lean,'' a term used widely in southern hip-hop, is a sprite-codeine-candy mixture that is used like alcohol. The drink originated from Houston in the 1960s; however, back in the 1960s, the word "lean" was not used and the drink had multiple names for it like "sizzurp" or "purple drink". It was not until the 1980s or 1990s that the drink was referred to as lean. The song that popularized the slang term "lean" was called "Sippin' Codeine" by DJ Screw and Big Moe, released in 1996 and has the lyric "It makes a southside playa lean" referring to how the sprite-codeine-candy mixture makes you "lean". The slang is still being used today, some of the most notable examples being "Gucci Gang" by Lil Pump, "Look At Me!" by XXXtentacion, and "I" by Kendrick Lamar, all of these songs being relatively recent.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-03 |title=Codeine Club Music: 10 Sizzurp Rappers and Their Lean Lyrics |url=https://www.popmatters.com/codeine-club-music-sizzurp-lean-2641236442.html |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=PopMatters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-03-09 |title=16 Rap Songs That Reference Lean |url=https://themusicalhype.com/16-rap-songs-that-reference-lean-playlist/ |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=The Musical Hype}}</ref>
''Trap House'', another widely used slang term in southern hip-hop, is a house where various illegal drugs are made, bought, sold, or used. The primary drugs that are common in trap houses are heroin, meth, cocaine, and fentanyl. The reason why these drug houses are called trap houses is because the consumer of the drug feel "trapped" in the addiction of the drug, hence the name trap house. The slang term trap house originated in Atlanta from the 1980s when drug addiction was at a rise as an escape from the poor conditions of the neighborhoods and cities. "Trap House" itself is a music genre, though usually just referred to as "trap" in the present day, and the music genre has lyrics that show off the hard life and struggle of being a drug dealer, trying to sell drugs, and living in a poor inner city. One of the most recent example of Trap House being used in a song is by YoungBoy Never Broke Again in his song "Trap House" that released in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-14 |title=What is a "Trap House"? |url=https://www.or-nc.com/what-is-a-trap-house/ |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=Oasis Recovery}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-08 |title=Trap House – Meaning, Origin, and Usage |url=https://digitalcultures.net/slang/trap-house/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=DigitalCultures}}</ref>
The term ''Flossin''' derives from the word floss,{{fact|date=April 2024}} and means to show off expensive articles of clothing, or items. The term was birthed in Houston around 1990, originally meaning to have money, but the term developed over time into what it is known today. It was popularized through Southern Rap, being used in songs such as Lil' Flip's Texas Boyz (Screwed) 2002, being used in the following lyrics, "What you know about acting bad, flossin' prowlers? I got seven DVDs, I'm watchin' Austin Powers".
The adjective ''Ratchet'' means to be crazy, or off the hook. Ever since the late 1990s, rappers from Shreveport, Louisiana have used the term in their songs. It derives off the Louisianan dialect for Wretched, and is used in songs like, Rapper Lil Boosie's 2005 "Do Da Ratchet", Nicki Minaj's 2012 "Right By My Side", and Juicy J's "Bandz a Make Her Dance".
The phrase "Dirty South" was introduced via the 1995 Goodie Mob track "Dirty South" with the chorus repeating the lyrics "What you niggas know about the Dirty South?" <ref>{{Citation |title=Goodie Mob (Ft. Big Boi) – Dirty South |url=https://genius.com/Goodie-mob-dirty-south-lyrics |access-date=2023-12-01}}</ref> {{cn span |text=The rough and complex lives of the more rural Southern rappers who routinely dealt with the racism and oppression of the areas they lived in compared to the urban and more polished lives of Northerners made the contrast between the two sides even more apparent, forcing the Southern artists to have to prove themselves more to gain respect in the industry. The emergence of the Dirty South as a force in the music industry led to a diverse explosion of different genres and styles not yet explored in hip-hop. The complexity and ruggedness of the South as well as the underestimation of its talents by its peers led to its advancement and growth as a whole. |date=April 2024}}{{Editorialising|date=September 2024}}
== Southern fashion == thumb|335x335px|Migos Kris Kross was an American duo from Atlanta, Georgia, which composed of Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith and Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly. At the age of twelve and thirteen, Kris Kross made a fashion choice that never existed in the hip-hop industry, becoming the youngest hip-hop duo to ever gain such a following. The duo wore their clothes backwards, while performing on stage, which became a trend in the 1990s. Their fashion choice helped the youthful duo rise to fame.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kris Kross Biography |url=https://www.hiphopscriptures.com/kriss-kross |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=Hip Hop Scriptures |language=en-US}}</ref>
Migos were an American hip-hop trio composing of rappers Takeoff, Offset, and Quavo from Lawrenceville, Georgia.<ref>{{Cite web |first=C. Vernon |last=Coleman II |title=Quavo Appears to Say There Will Be No More Migos on New Song 'Greatness' and People Are Upset |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/quavo-migos-over-new-song-greatness/ | access-date=13 January 2025 |website=XXL Mag |date=February 23, 2023 }}</ref> Migos have walked the MET Gala carpets, achieved mainstream hip-hop with their hit song Versace and their signature sound. Drake then cosigned the group with verse on the remix, which became popular on the Billboard charts. Not only did a song introduce Migos to the world, but the tune also popularized the Versace fashion brand of the Black community.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-01 |title=Migos' Indelible Mark On Hip-Hop Fashion |url=https://hellobeautiful.com/3722006/migos-fashion/ |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=HelloBeautiful |language=en-US}}</ref> thumb|Travis Scott Travis Scott (Jacques Bermon Webster ll) is an American rapper and record producer from Houston, Texas. Travis worked with numerous brands, including Dover Street Market, McDonald's, PlayStation, Epic Games, and Byredo. He started his career working as an artist who made sneakers for Nike, eventually becoming "a creative consultant" for their company. Christian Dior announced its partnership with Travis Scott as a musical artist for its Spring/Summer '22 line at Paris Fashion Week, Scott appeared on stage together to introduce their further plans.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Manufacturing Platform for Apparel Industry {{!}} Fast & Sustainable – Fashinza |url=https://fashinza.com/fabric/trends/travis-scotts-trendsetter-influence-proven-with-a-collab-with-dior/ |access-date=2023-12-11 |website=fashinza.com |language=en}}</ref>
Jermaine Lamarr Cole is an American rapper and record producer, from North Carolina. J Cole opened his 4 Your Eyez Only tour by wading through a sea of fans in a full orange prison jumpsuit, printed on the back was "Property Of". The look would end up being a centerpiece of the tour that added a new layer of storytelling in Cole's performance.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Jordan |title=Meet the Woman Behind Some of J. Cole's Most Memorable Fashion Moments & Dreamville Apparel's New Look |url=https://www.complex.com/style/a/j-rose/raeana-anais-j-coles-stylist-interview |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Complex |date=March 30, 2022 |language=en-us}}</ref>
== Crunk == {{Main|Crunk}}
The term ''crunk'' is mainly used to denote a musical style that was originated by Three Six Mafia in Memphis, Tennessee, in the mid-to-late 1990s. It was popularized by Atlanta rapper Lil Jon,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sanneh |first=Kelefa |date=2004-11-28 |title=Lil John Crunks Up the Volume |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/28/arts/music/lil-john-crunks-up-the-volume.html |access-date=2024-06-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and gained mainstream popularity in the period 2003–04.<ref name="southernlights">"Southern Lights", Vibe Dec 2003</ref> A typical crunk track uses a drum machine rhythm, heavy bassline, and shouting vocals, often in call and response manner.<ref name="southernlights" />
==See also== * G-funk * Mumble rap * Trap music * Snap music
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
== Sources == *{{cite book|last=Westhoff|first=Ben|title=Dirty South: OutKast, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, and the Southern Rappers Who Reinvented Hip-Hop |year=2011|publisher=Chicago Review Press|isbn=978-1-5697-6606-4}} *{{cite book|last=Walker|first=Lance Scott|title=Houston Rap Tapes: An Oral History of Bayou City Hip-Hop |year=2018|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-1-4773-1717-4}}
==Further reading== * Rodney Carmichael, ''[https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/03/15/520133445/culture-wars-trap-innovation-atlanta-hip-hop Culture Wars]'' (NPR, March 17, 2017) * Stephen Fowler, ''[https://www.gpb.org/news/2016/10/08/a3c-musical-journey-through-atlantas-hip-hop-history A Musical Journey Through Atlanta's Hip-hop History]'' (GPB, October 8, 2016). * Kelsey Glass, ''[https://www.atlantamusicguide.com/atl-a-brief-history-on-how-we-became-the-hub-of-hip-hop-rap/ A Brief History On How We Became The Hub Of Hip-hop & Rap]'' (Atlanta Music Guide, April 21, 2015). * Matt Miller, [https://64parishes.org/entry/rap-hip-hop-and-bounce-music ''Rap, Hip-hop, and Bounce Music''] (64 Parishes, May 24, 2011 ). * Rebeca Trejo, [https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/louisiana/articles/history-of-bounce-music ''A Brief History Of New Orleans' Bounce Music Style''] (Culture Trip, 22 July 2021).
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090211101449/http://eyesoda.com/film/219 Film New Flavors: The Emergence of Southern Hip Hop (2008)] * [https://www.ncpedia.org/hip-hop-north-carolina Hip Hop in North Carolina (2012)] * [https://archive.today/20130102120529/http://dirtysouthrap.com/news/ News about Southern hip hop artists] * Matt Miller, [https://web.archive.org/web/20100918045732/http://www.southernspaces.org/2008/dirty-decade-rap-music-and-us-south-1997-2007 "Dirty Decade: Rap Music and the U.S. South, 1997–2007"], ''Southern Spaces'', June 10, 2008. * [https://www.dreadpen.com/us-rap-hip-hop-slang-dictionary-part-2/ Alabama Music Hall Of Fame (2018)] * Cassell's Dictionary Of Slang (1998)
{{Hip-hop}} {{Regional hip-hop in the United States}} {{Southern United States}}
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