Chicano rap
Encyclopedia
Chicano Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music
, Latin rap
and gangsta rap
that embodies aspects of West Coast and Southwest Mexican American
(Chicano
) culture and is typically performed by American rappers and musicians of Mexican descent.
Cuban-American artist Mellow Man Ace
was the first Latino artist to have a major bilingual single attached to his 1989 debut. Although Mellow Man often used Chicano slang as a result of his East Los Angeles upbringing, Kid Frost receives the credit as the first major Chicano rapper given Mellow Man was not of Mexican descent. Mellow Man, referred to as the "Godfather of Latin Rap", brought mainstream attention to Spanglish
rhyming with his platinum single "Mentirosa", which was based on a riff from the song Evil Ways
by Chicano Rock
musician Carlos Santana
. In 1991, Kid Frost, Mellow Man, A.L.T.
and several other Latin rappers formed the group Latin Alliance and released a self titled album which featured the hit "Lowrider (On the Boulevard)". In 1990, A.L.T. released the album "Another Latin Timebomb", featuring his hit remake of the song Tequila
. In 1990, the Chicano hip hop group A Lighter Shade of Brown
released their album Brown & Proud
, which included hits "On a Sunday Afternoon" (a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100
) and "Latin Active". Cypress Hill
, of which Mellow Man Ace was a member before going solo, is sometimes considered Chicano rap due to their use of popular Chicano slang and because they often reference Chicano culture in their music and videos, along with the fact that the lead rapper, B-Real
, is of half Mexican descent. They were the first Latino rap group to reach platinum status, with Big Pun
credited as the first Latino solo artist to reach platinum sales for an LP. Cypress Hill has also collaborated with another Chicano group, Psycho Realm
, which is led by brothers Sick Jacken (Joaquin Gonzalez) and Big Duke (Gustavo Gonzalez).
formed the group Brownside
as a Chicano version of the rap group N.W.A.
. During the 1990s, some Chicano rappers such as Kemo the Blaxican and Sinful of the Mexicanz began using influences from Mexican music in their beats and delivery, although this subgenre of music is sometimes referred to today as "Urban Regional" and not always representative of Chicano Rap. The hip hop group Akwid
also combines traditional Mexican regional music with hip hop vocals.
of San Diego, whose single "Summer Nights
" was considered a major crossover and received heavy rotation on radio station and video programs not directly related to Chicano rap music.
Many Chicano rappers have been heavily influenced by Mexican history
, including many themes relevant to the Mexican and Chicano people living in the United States and Mexico. Chicano Rap is mainly enjoyed by hip hop listeners in the United States; and has also established a cult fan base following in Japan, although its main audience consists of Hispanics/Latinos living on the West Coast, the Southwest and the Midwest. Its ability to reach large audiences without mainstream airplay or media promotion is due largely in part to nationwide lowrider
car tours and their accompanying concerts headlined by Chicano rappers. This environment allows Chicano Rap artists to earn significant incomes through independent label releases while promoting directly to a target audience.
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, Latin rap
Latin rap
Latin rap is not a homogeneous musical style but rather a term that covers all Hip-Hop music recorded by artists of Latino origin.-Early Latinos in hip hop music:...
and gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
that embodies aspects of West Coast and Southwest Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
(Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
) culture and is typically performed by American rappers and musicians of Mexican descent.
Early Years
The first widely recognized Chicano Rap Artist was Kid Frost, whose 1990 debut album "Hispanic Causing Panic" driven by the hit single "La Raza" brought new attention to Chicano rappers in Hip Hop.Cuban-American artist Mellow Man Ace
Mellow Man Ace
Ulpiano Sergio Reyes , better known as Mellow Man Ace, is an American rapper. He is best known for his hit single "Mentirosa"...
was the first Latino artist to have a major bilingual single attached to his 1989 debut. Although Mellow Man often used Chicano slang as a result of his East Los Angeles upbringing, Kid Frost receives the credit as the first major Chicano rapper given Mellow Man was not of Mexican descent. Mellow Man, referred to as the "Godfather of Latin Rap", brought mainstream attention to Spanglish
Spanglish
.Spanglish refers to the blend of Spanish and English, in the speech of people who speak parts of two languages, or whose normal language is different from that of the country where they live. The Hispanic population of the United States and the British population in Argentina use varieties of...
rhyming with his platinum single "Mentirosa", which was based on a riff from the song Evil Ways
Evil Ways
"Evil Ways" is a song by Santana from their 1969 album Santana. It was written by Clarence "Sonny" Henry and recorded by jazz percussionist Willie Bobo in 1968 on his album of the same name. The song is in simple verse form...
by Chicano Rock
Chicano rock
Chicano rock is rock music performed by Mexican American groups or music with themes derived from Chicano culture. Chicano Rock, to a great extent, does not refer to any single style or approach. Some of these groups do not sing in Spanish at all, or use many specifically Latin instruments or sounds...
musician Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
. In 1991, Kid Frost, Mellow Man, A.L.T.
A.L.T.
A.L.T. is a Mexican-American rapper known for the 1992 hit song "Tequila" . He is of Mexican and French descent. A.L.T. joined the rap supergroup, Latin Alliance in 1991. After their first and only album, A.L.T. went solo and released his debut album, Another Latin Timebomb in 1992...
and several other Latin rappers formed the group Latin Alliance and released a self titled album which featured the hit "Lowrider (On the Boulevard)". In 1990, A.L.T. released the album "Another Latin Timebomb", featuring his hit remake of the song Tequila
Tequila (song)
"Tequila" is a 1958 Latin-flavored rock and roll song recorded by the group, the Champs. The title of the song constitutes the entirety of the lyrics, and is spoken a total of three times during the course of the song. "Tequila" became a #1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts at the time of its...
. In 1990, the Chicano hip hop group A Lighter Shade of Brown
A Lighter Shade of Brown
A Lighter Shade of Brown was a Mexican American hip hop duo from Riverside, California best known for their 1990 hit single "On a Sunday Afternoon", a success in the U.S., written by songwriters/musicians David Dunson & Micah Carson.-History:...
released their album Brown & Proud
Brown & Proud
Brown & Proud is the debut album by Latin rap group, A Lighter Shade of Brown. It was released in 1990 for Pump Records and was produced by Jammin' James Carter, Fabe Love, DJ Romeo, and Tony G. The album peaked at #184 on the Billboard 200 and #8 on the Top Heatseekers...
, which included hits "On a Sunday Afternoon" (a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
) and "Latin Active". Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Latino hip-hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide...
, of which Mellow Man Ace was a member before going solo, is sometimes considered Chicano rap due to their use of popular Chicano slang and because they often reference Chicano culture in their music and videos, along with the fact that the lead rapper, B-Real
B-Real
Louis Freese, better known by his stage name B-Real, is an American rapper of Cuban and Mexican heritage, and a film and TV actor...
, is of half Mexican descent. They were the first Latino rap group to reach platinum status, with Big Pun
Big Pun
Christopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
credited as the first Latino solo artist to reach platinum sales for an LP. Cypress Hill has also collaborated with another Chicano group, Psycho Realm
Psycho Realm
Psycho Realm is an american hip hop supergroup started in 1989 by brothers Sick Jacken and Big Duke from the Downtown, Pico-Union area of Los Angeles. The first recorded Psycho Realm song, "Scandalous", was released on the soundtrack of the film Mi Vida Loca in 1994...
, which is led by brothers Sick Jacken (Joaquin Gonzalez) and Big Duke (Gustavo Gonzalez).
'90s
In the mid-90s, Eazy-EEazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright , better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California...
formed the group Brownside
Brownside
Official Brownside facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/BrownSide/109423895784758?ref=tsBrownside is a Chicano hip-hop group founded in 1994 by the late Eazy-E. The group originally consisted of rappers Toker , Wicked , Lil Danger and Danger , who was shot dead in 1997 from a drive-by...
as a Chicano version of the rap group N.W.A.
N.W.A.
N.W.A was an American hip hop group from Compton, California, widely considered one of the seminal acts of the gangsta rap sub-genre....
. During the 1990s, some Chicano rappers such as Kemo the Blaxican and Sinful of the Mexicanz began using influences from Mexican music in their beats and delivery, although this subgenre of music is sometimes referred to today as "Urban Regional" and not always representative of Chicano Rap. The hip hop group Akwid
Akwid
Akwid is an American hip hop group combining hip hop-style vocals with regional Mexican music. An earlier incarnation of the group was known as Juvenile Style...
also combines traditional Mexican regional music with hip hop vocals.
Today
One of the most widely recognized Chicano rappers today is Lil RobLil Rob
Roberto Flores , best known by his stage name Lil Rob, is a Mexican American rapper, producer, and actor-Biography:...
of San Diego, whose single "Summer Nights
Summer Nights
"Summer Nights" is a popular song from the musical Grease. Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, its best-known version was recorded by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John for the big-screen adaptation of the musical, and released as a single that same year."Summer Nights" became a massive hit...
" was considered a major crossover and received heavy rotation on radio station and video programs not directly related to Chicano rap music.
Many Chicano rappers have been heavily influenced by Mexican history
History of Mexico
The history of Mexico, a country located in the southern portion of North America, covers a period of more than two millennia. First populated more than 13,000 years ago, the country produced complex indigenous civilizations before being conquered by the Spanish in the 16th Century.Since the...
, including many themes relevant to the Mexican and Chicano people living in the United States and Mexico. Chicano Rap is mainly enjoyed by hip hop listeners in the United States; and has also established a cult fan base following in Japan, although its main audience consists of Hispanics/Latinos living on the West Coast, the Southwest and the Midwest. Its ability to reach large audiences without mainstream airplay or media promotion is due largely in part to nationwide lowrider
Lowrider
]A lowrider is a style of car originated by Chicano communities that sits lower to the ground than most other cars. Many lowriders have their suspension systems modified so that their ride can change height at the flip of a switch...
car tours and their accompanying concerts headlined by Chicano rappers. This environment allows Chicano Rap artists to earn significant incomes through independent label releases while promoting directly to a target audience.
External links
- Chicano Rap - Source for Chicano rap news and interviews.
- Brown Pride A collection of texts and links about Chicano rap and culture.
- Chicano Rap Source for Chicano Rap artists, videos and much more.