Kool G Rap

Kool G Rap (born Nathaniel Wilson July 20, 1968) is an American hardcore rapper from Queens, New York. He began his career with the Juice Crew in the 1980s but achieved little commercial success.

Trademarks

Lyrical Dexterity

Early in his career, Kool G. Rap's hallmark was his rapid-fire, highly intricate delivery. Following in the footsteps of New School rappers such as Rakim and Big Daddy Kane, G. Rap combined the abstract nature of the former, and the punchline-oriented battle rap style of the latter to create a unique voice in Golden Age of rap. This style is mostly apparent on the 1990 album Wanted: Dead or Alive, on such songs as "Play It Again, Polo," "Jive Talk," and "Kool is Back."

Related Topics:
New School - Rakim - Big Daddy Kane - Battle rap - 1990

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Gangsta Rap

Starting with his third album -- Live and Let Die -- and thereafter, Kool G. Rap became more known for gangsta rap, sacrificing his complex rhyme style for stories of murder, violence, and a pseudo-Mafia persona. He had hinted at this inclination on his second album with the song "Streets of New York," but that song had been a moralistic, cautionary tale of the perils of drugs and violence in the inner-city.

Related Topics:
Gangsta rap - Mafia

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His later albums straddle the line between glorification and remorse in relation to the gangster lifestyle. He laments the violent lifestyle he (or his Kool G. Rap persona) has adopted on songs like "On the Run," yet seems to relish it on songs such as "Fast Life" (featuring Nas).

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Furthermore, Kool G. Rap has adopted the motifs of the Mafia and classic organized crime-related films and references:

Related Topics:
Mafia - Organized crime

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• The first line of "Bad to the Bone" states: I'm bad to the bone / with a style like Al Capone
• The album "Live and Let Die" uses many samples from the film The Untouchables.
• The cover of his 5th album, Roots of Evil, is an obvious reference to the popular poster for the film Scarface
• His 6th album is named The Giancana Story, referencing well-known Mafia boss Sam Giancana