Though Los Angeles and New York traditionally dominate rap music, Dirty South -- also known as Crunk -- has its roots in the club scene from cities such as Miami, Houston, New Orleans, Birmingham, Atlanta and Nashville. Dirty south rap emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s and is characterized by bouncy, rapid-fire club-friendly beats with heavy use of bass and a hoarse, nearly unintelligible style of delivery that incorporates chants, grunts and pronounced use of regional slang. The word "crunk" has multiple meanings, used alternately to describe southern rap style, getting drunk, and having fun in a social setting. Notable artists of this kind of rap music are Three 6 Mafia, Lil Jon and David Banner.
Gangsta rap, a spin on the word "Gangster," has its origins in the violent street culture of inner-city Los Angeles and is characterized by bold, angry lyrics that depict gang-life, criminal activities, rampant materialism and prowess with women. This rap genre originated in the late 1980s and grew popular in the 1990s when artists such as N.W.A., Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, Snoop Dogg, Ice-T and especially Dr. Dre emerged onto the scene. Dr. Dre's 1992 release "The Chronic," under the Death Row Records banner, reached number three on the Billboard 200 and spent 86 weeks on the chart, selling four million copies. The songs were driven by deep bass lines, keyboards and soulful beats known as G-funk.
Pop rap is a blend of rap beats with the catchy, melodic hooks usually associated with popular hit songs. This kind of rap music emphasizes having a good time and is not concerned with telling hard-bitten tales of survival on the streets. Pop rap has its roots in the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s with artists such as Kid 'N Play, L.L. Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Run-D.M.C, M.C. Hammer and Will Smith releasing albums that celebrated the joys of summer, playing basketball and hanging with friends.
Alternative -- or avant-garde -- rap blends musical genres such as independent rock, soul, reggae, electronica, jazz and rock, and fuses it through hip hop beats and lyrics to form a non-traditional style of rap music. Alternative rap is also characterized by subject matter that tackles social and personal issues using refined language and inventive wordplay. Notable artists in this genre include De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, Madlib, Kool Keith, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Outkast, Lauryn Hill, Common, Erykah Badu, the Roots, Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz.